Sarah-Jane Clarke Explained

Sarah-Jane Clarke
Honorific Suffix:AM
Nationality:Australian
Occupation:Fashion designer
Spouse:Daniel Baffski
Children:3
Years Active:1999–present

Sarah-Jane Clarke is an Australian designer and one of the founders of Sass & Bide. She went to St Aidan's Anglican Girls School, Brisbane in 1992 and then continued her study at Queensland University of Technology to be an accountant.[1] In 2010, Clarke was awarded Australian winners of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.

Clarke and Heidi Middleton started their fashion business with a stall of their own designs at 1999 London's Portobello Road Market. Later that year, both of them returned to Sydney and launched their label Sass & Bide which on 2008 was sold across in 30 countries.[2] At the initial phase of their business, Clark and Middleton borrowed $70,000 to start their label in Double Bay. Clarke was mainly in charge of finances and marketing, while Middleton was working on the design. Prior to ready-to-wear product, they mainly produced jeans and denim as their first collection for Sass & Bide.[3]

In 2014, Clarke left Sass & Bide after the company was being sold to one of the biggest Australian retailers, Myer.[4] After four years of hiatus from fashion world, Clarke came back to establish her new label, Sarah-Jane Clarke, in 2018. This new label was dedicated for luxurious travel collection and produced in Australia, with some contribution from artisans around the world.[5] [6]

Clarke was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours in recognition of her significant service to the fashion industry, and to charitable organisations.[7] She married an architect, Daniel Baffsky, and has three children.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cooper . Michelle . Sass & Bide . British Vogue. 9 March 2019.
  2. Web site: H . Camille . The fashion duo from sass & bide: Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton . Dynamic Business . 9 March 2019 . 27 February 2008.
  3. Web site: Perfect fit . The Courier-Mail. 9 March 2019 . en . 20 April 2007.
  4. Web site: Clarke . Jenna . Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke quit the sass & bide empire . Sydney Morning Herald. 9 March 2019 . en . 4 July 2014.
  5. Web site: Kirsty . Sier . Sass & Bide Co-Founder Returns With a Luxury Travel Label . Broadsheet. 9 March 2019 . en.
  6. Web site: Birrell . Alice . Sarah-Jane Clarke returns: see an exclusive first look at her eponymous label . Vogue Australia. 9 March 2019 . 20 October 2018.
  7. Web site: Sarah-Jane Clarke. honours.pmc.gov.au. 2019-06-10.
  8. Web site: Prue . Lewington . Sass & bide duo's winning flair . www.dailytelegraph.com.au . . 9 March 2019 . en . 23 July 2011.