The iconic Australian fashion brand Sass & Bide, once the definitive label of the 2000s indie sleaze movement, is temporarily shutting its doors. Owner Myer announced the brand will close all its retail channels, including standalone boutiques and its online store, by the end of January for a major strategic overhaul ahead of a planned relaunch later this year.
The Meteoric Rise and Celebrity Adoration
Founded in 1999 by Brisbane duo Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton, Sass & Bide experienced a spectacular ascent. The brand's signature distressed denim, embellished jackets, and daring singlet-dresses captured a generation, swiftly gaining a global following. Its client list read like a who's who of celebrity royalty, with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Paris Hilton, and Madonna among its most famous patrons. This success culminated in the Australian department store giant Myer acquiring the business in two transactions between 2011 and 2013 for approximately $70 million.
Both founding designers departed the company in 2014, with Middleton launching the label Artclub and Clarke moving into jewellery. Since then, under Myer's stewardship, the brand has struggled to maintain its rebellious, zeitgeist-defining energy.
A Strategic Pivot to Capture New Markets
The current closure affects three stand-alone boutiques, 14 concession stands, and the e-commerce site. This move punctuates a challenging period for Myer, which has seen its share price decline significantly. In response, the company is strategising to make Sass & Bide relevant to younger shoppers.
A Myer spokesperson stated the reinvention would leverage the brand's heritage, saying: "It played an important role in the Australian fashion landscape, and we know it can do that again, given the affection and following Sass & Bide maintains." The brand's social media announcement declared it is "never too late to reinvent yourself."
Can Sass & Bide Recapture Its Lost Magic?
In its heyday, Sass & Bide was synonymous with the rock 'n' roll aesthetic of the Myspace and Tumblr eras. Its stovepipe jeans were worn by Kate Moss and Alexa Chung, and its corsets by Taylor Swift. As one commentator noted, imagining the indie-sleaze era without Sass & Bide's 'Rats' leggings and drapey vests is like imagining punk without Vivienne Westwood.
However, recent collections have shifted towards conservative blouses, pleated trousers, and sensible twinsets, seemingly targeting a more mature, professional woman. This departure from its edgy roots appears to have alienated its core audience without successfully capturing a new one, leading to compromised artistic DNA and poor sales.
Reflecting on the brand's origins, Heidi Middleton told Guardian Australia in 2023: "When Sarah Jane and I launched Sass & Bide, we were young, fearless and were being fuelled by our love affair with fashion and creating... we were being swept along this wild ride rather than driving and guiding us along a strategic path."
For the relaunch to resonate with today's youth, who have a keen appetite for Y2K and raver aesthetics, analysts suggest the brand must prioritise raw artistic instinct and originality over rigid commercial strategy. The success of this bold reboot hinges on whether Myer can rediscover the fearless, creative spark that first ignited on a Portobello Road market stall 26 years ago.
