Heidi Middleton Sass and Bide

Heidi Middleton Sass and Bide

Best part of the week?

It was meeting fashion designer Heidi Middleton on a rare school night out with some of my girlfriends.  There were bubbles.  There was deep fried food served with serviettes (always an instant party) and there was lots of laughter and chat about sustainable fashion.  We will get to that.

I saved up for a pair of Sass and Bide Black Rats (fancy ruched leg-ins) for months over a decade ago in an attempt to buy a slice of the clothing label’s cool factor. They cost around $200 and you had to scramble to secure a pair in your cupboard as they would sell out within minutes around the world.  I worshiped those black rats more than I loved my boyfriend in 2006.  And that was a lot.  Black rats are nothing to do with Bundaberg Rum mixed with Coke.  Work with me here people.  I am kicking myself for recently giving away my leggings to an Op-Shop.  They had stretched and I stupidly thought would never come back into fashion.

You see I have somewhat lost my way with my style and what I should/could/would wear on a daily basis.
I am pretty comfy in jeans and Cons for work but I am wondering at what age a middle aged woman needs to grow up in her attire. I used to wear only dresses from op shops but I do not seem to have the time these days to scour for vintage treasures and since having my babies my outfits take second place.  But life is perhaps going full circle as I feel my pull back to authentic and original clothing.

Heid Middleton is humble and kind and ethereal in real life.  she is almost like a human sized fairy.  Cate Blanchet would play in her a movie. I could have stared at her all night in my crazy fan-girl state. She’s the sort of woman who is uber warm to other women and super cool but also kind and  makes you want to run home and start sewing your own clothing.  The mum of two sold the Sass and Bide Empire she founded with her best friend (they still chat every day you will be happy to read) for a reported $80 million before setting up home in a castle in France.

The former Queensland gal is quick to point out it was technically NOT a castle where she worked out what to do next in her life.  “It was a village house with turrets,” said the gorgeous designer. Still, it is quite the story to tell your former school friends at the 20 year reunion isn’t it now?  The idea of her new business came to her in that ‘village house’ (it looks like a castle to me) to in the form of  ‘Artclub.’  It is an online site where Heidi sells a curated fashion line and paintings. “After selling Sass and Bide and moving to France I had some time to consider carefully how I wanted to re-enter the market and I could not hold back on the fact I wanted to create again,” said Heidi.  “And this time around I have joined the fashion and the arts because I enjoy fashion and painting and working in other mediums so it is like my online atelier and I have also added my vintage items I have accumulated over the years,” she finished.

Heidi uses a lot of fabrics she has sourced from Europe including old curtains and bolts of vintage fabrics found hidden away.  “No one can have their head in the sand anymore when it comes to sustainable choices and we know we only have a small window of time when it comes to trying to reverse the damage to our world.  I have teenage daughters and I am really conscious of helping to re-educate how they consume and being more conscious of how we consume and I am really excited about my new model,” said Heidi.

Thanks Ms Middleton for being such a creative force and a kind soul.  Meantime, if anyone finds a stretched pair of black rats at a local op shop please contact me urgently!  I need them back! I have regret!

I hope your week ahead has some wonderful moments in it.

– Sami xx