Sass & Bide designers depart label

Sass & Bide founders Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton are leaving their Australian-based fashion label after 15 years at the helm.

The news was confirmed by Australian department store Myer, who purchased a 65 percent share in the fashion label in 2011, which saw the design duo relinquishing their control on the business while retaining their joint creative director roles.

“Heidi and Sarah-Jane’s departure from Sass & Bide has been in planning for some time as they have been transitioning out of the business,” Myer confirmed to Vogue Australia. “Myer wishes Heidi and Sarah-Jane well, they go with our great good wishes, and we expect they will be associated with Sass & Bide for a long time.”

Sass & Bide have now appointed Anthony Cuthbertson as design director, who most recently consulted for Victoria Beckham and Mulberry and previously worked for David Lawrence, Ralph Lauren, MaxMara and Joseph, while Bonnie O’Hare will serve as art director, she was the former art director of Tommy Hilfiger Europe.

Clarke and Middleton launched the label with a stall on Portobello Market in London, before going on to showcase their collections during London and New York fashion weeks.