sass & bide is one of Australia's most prominent international and contemporary street- and pop culture-inspired women’s fashion labels.[1] The label is known best as being worn by Sex And The City lead actress, Sarah Jessica Parker and, in more recent times, Madonna and Beyonce.[2]
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The label was founded in the late 1990s by Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke when they commenced selling customised jeans in a stall on London's Portobello Road Market.[3][4] Motivated by a love of vintage clothing and markets, Clarke and Middleton claim that they commenced modifing jeans purchased from retial outlets, and cutting to meet their own tastes in fashion.[5]
Clarke (sass) and Middleton (bide) first met in 1992, whilst in secondary school in Brisbane, Queensland. They followed different paths; Clarke studying to be an accountant, while Middleton studied at the Queensland College of Art and Griffith University, prior to becoming an art director.[3] However, they reunited and together went to London in the late 1990s.[5]
After their initial success in the markets, Clarke and Middleton returned to Australia in 1999, based in Sydney, they developed an underground following that led to their first seasonal collection at Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in 2001.[6] Subsequent collections were shown at London Fashion Week in 2002; New York Fashion Week, commencing in 2003 for eight consecutive seasons, prior to withdrawing in 2009, due to the birth of Clarke's third child.[7] They have shown in London, since 2009.[2][3]
In a fortunate coincidence in 2002, Clarke and Middleton were in New York where Sarah Jessica Parker was filming a scene for Sex in the City. Clarke was wearing a self-syled denim jacket and took if off and handed it to a security guard, who in turn gave it to Parker. The next day, Clarke and Middleton were invited to Parker's trailer to show their designs. Parker later commissioned Clarke and Middleton to make a few one-off pieces for Sex and the City. Through this publicity, the label propelled growth for the brand in the international marketplace.[5][8]
First appearing on the BRW Young Rich List in 2006 with a combined wealth assessed at A$30m[9] Clarke and Middleton have appeared on every subsequent Young Rich List, with their most recent combined wealth estimated as A$36m in 2009.[1] In 2003, Clarke and Middleton sold 50% of sass & bide to past owners of the Mimco accessories chain, Daniel Besen and David Briskin, with Briskin taking up the role as chief executive. Clarke and Middleton retained design control of the label. A little over a year later, in early 2011, up-market Australian department store chain, Myer purchased a 65% stake in the label for A$42.25m.[4][10]