NATIONAL: sass & bide has beaten out nominees from a range of industries to take home the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.
The label's co-founders and co-directors, Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton, are the 2010 winners of the annual award which recognises the work of female entrepreneurs. The fashion duo beat out fellow Australian finalists restaurateur Kylie Kwong and founder and CEO of Envirosax Belinda David-Tooze.
Chair of the Australian judging panel and chairman of the John Holland Group, Janet Holmes à Court AC, said both women were “inspiring business leaders”.
“The judging process was very difficult, but at the end of the day we felt that Sarah-Jane's and Heidi's entrepreneurship, audacity and creativity that singled them out,” Holmes à Court said. “Through their style, persistence and integrity, they have created a multi-million dollar global company which operates according to their own principles and vision.”
As part of their win, Clarke and Middleton will be flown to France in October to join winners from other countries at the annual Veuve Clicquot International Businesswomen's Forum. The historic wine company will also christen a vine in their name.
sass & bide was created in 1999 and now incorporates three brands, namely sass & bide, sass & bide Denim and S & B VIE. The company wholesales to global retailers including David Jones in Australia, Bloomingdale's in the US and Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in the UK. sass & bide has a total of 150 stockists, 10 stand alone stores in Australia and employs more than 80 staff.
The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award is a global prize granted to women in 17 countries annually. It commemorates the work of 18th century entrepreneur Madame Clicquot and previous winners include Mandy Foley-Quin (Stedmans Hospitality), Elizabeth Ann McGregor (Museum of Contemporary Art), Sarina Bratton (Orion Expedition Cruises) and Wendy Erhart (Wittcott Seedlings).