The opening night of London Fashion Week saw Sarah Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton of Australian label Sass & Bide introducing their fall/winter 2013-2014 collection, Wintergate. Considered the sister collection to their previous season, architectural silhouettes and sharp folds remained, however, this time with an added Antipodean warmth making the line instantly wearable.
Born out of a “curiosity for the construction of man-made objects” Wintergate is a collision of opposites. The natural is set against the futuristic with fluid silks and sheer panels adding a touch of femininity to caged bodices and sculptural layering. Clarke and Middleton hoped to “challenge new mediums” by using man-made structures and non-fashion materials to create warrior like embellishments; metal and plastic beading, woven raffia and touches of pearl and diamante decorated leather cut outs and frameworks. There were glossy vinyl garments as well, adding clean lines and a sci-fi feel to the accompanying delicate knits.
Fall/Winter 2013-2014
Meanwhile the monochromatic palette of black, ivory, and grey was injected with pops of yellow, or “a dash of corn” as the pair described to us, softening the sharp geometric lines and graphic prints.
The collection, although at times more stripped back and clear cut than previous years, still remained faithful to its loyal it-girl fan base with slinky party dresses cropping up throughout the collection. This, along with the recurring sunflower yellows, lifted our spirits and left spring feeling just within our reach.
Fall/Winter 2013-2014
