SET in the glass atrium of the Royal Opera House on what felt like the last day of summer, Sass & Bide exhibited a suitably elegant, bold and sun-bright collection.
Asymmetrical tunics in shocking orange demanded attention when worn over heavily-embellished tribal-style shorts. Zips and neon-yellow piping featured on neoprene-like dresses and sporty flashes of black and white trimmed long pristine white skirts.
Dubbed Seekerstate, Heidi Middleton and Sarah Jane Clarke wanted the spring/summer 2012 collection to challenge our ideas with "aesthetic clashes and contradictions," as Middleton had told us before the show. "We're inspired by the structure and high necklines of the Edwardian period but want to mix that with a clash, like an Eighties-style T-shirt".
Thus, cut-away black jersey dresses were accessorised by gold tribal-style necklaces and monochrome darts created hard, geometric designs with billowing draping, over-sized polka dots and changing lengths. As ever with the Sydney-based label, sequins were omnipresent but matte black shimmer was mixed with bold dazzling metallics. Bone-coloured beads sewn onto nude mesh combined beautifully with wheat-coloured, gold-threaded fabrics.
A highlight was a disco-lounge Edwardian-style trouser and jacket with midnight blue, white and black sequins. Paired together, or worn as individuals with layered vests and one of the collection's oversized clutch bags, expect to see them on the party-hard resort circuit soon.
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