Cult fashion brand Sass & Bide to close all stores and online sales

A popular Australian fashion retailer has confirmed it is shutting down, but says it’s not goodbye but “see you soon.”

The hugely popular Sass & Bide confirmed its closure on its Instagram story on Thursday with a simple headline “reinvention in progress.”

The women’s fashion brand was founded 27 years ago by Sarah Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton, and over the years rose to international fame with A-listers including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian all wearing the brand.

In a statement, the cult fashion label said that from the end of January, the label’s Myer concession will be closed, while it will shut down online sales at the end of February.

Before closing, the retailer is offering markdowns of up to 50 per cent off all full-priced items, with other items marked down a further 20 per cent.

But it is not a permanent closure, with customers assured they are reimagining what the label can be.

“While we’re offline, we’ll be re-imagining what Sass Bide can and should look like,” Sass Bide said in a statement.

“The direction may be new, but a free-spirited and distinctly Australian attitude is at the heart of who we are, and that will never change.

”We know this change may come as a surprise.”

The label was acquired by Myer in two different transactions in 2011 and 2013 for a total of $70m.

A Myer spokesperson told NewsWire work has begun to determine how to reimagine Sass & Bide ahead of a relaunch in the coming months.

“We believe there’s a unique opportunity to reinvent Sass & Bide by drawing on its substantial heritage while being inspirational and relevant for a new generation of customers,” the spokesperson said.

Myer says it has spent time listening to customers about the brands they like and dislike.

“This feedback is helping shape our strategy to provide customers with a more elevated product offering across our apparel range,” the spokesperson said.

“We’re planning to introduce 20 new brands into Myer by the end of July, consisting of a mix of well-known Australian labels and popular international brands, including TOPSHOP.”

Sass & Bide concessions in 14 Myer stores will trade until January 26, while three stand-alone stores at Claremont (WA), Harbour Town (Qld) and South Wharf (Vic) will close on January 31.

The closures affect stores in Bondi, Paddington and Miranda in NSW, Rundle Street in South Australia, Doncaster, Chadstone and Emporium in Melbourne, Karrinyup in Western Australia and Newmarket in New Zealand.

This is the second announcement of store closures, following an earlier one in 2024 to shut down 10 stores.