Taking the lead

“Sass & Bide has always evolved and reinvented and it’s really about recognising the essence of the brand and playing with that,” says Therese Rawsthorne, who is tasked with taking the iconic Australian label into the future. She notes some of the motifs from the archives that now reappear in her work: the flags and hand-beaded embellishments that have inspired her debut season for the brand. Showing her collection, she is dressed in a long sheer skirt finished off with beading and topped with a leather jacket – a classic Sass & Bide juxtaposition that is echoed through her new offering. What are some of your favourite Sass & Bide archive pieces? Therese Rawsthorne: “Some of the favourite pieces that stick in my mind are the three-centimetre zip jeans, the incredible tailored jackets and the embellished dresses. They epitomise what the brand is about.” What does your collection bring to Sass & Bide? “I had a great time exploring new ideas with the team. There are terrific silhouettes that are sophisticated but really effortless, like the wrap-over harem pants and strapless jumpsuits. We talked a lot about ideas of transformability and there are lots of pieces that can be individualised by wrapping or buttoning layers on and off. It’s a very playful collection.” What are you most excited about with the brand? “I love the aesthetic of Sass & Bide but also what it stands for, such as the work we do with charities. It goes beyond the clothes, which is really inspiring.” How have you amalgamated your own style into the label? “I like adding a sense of ease into sophisticated pieces and mixing daywear and dressy pieces together. I think it’s a really modern and cool approach to dressing up.” Zara Wong