Department store giant Myer (ASX:MYR) will temporarily close all Sass & Bide stores, including its Claremont location, as part of a major revamp of the high-profile womenswear label, with a relaunch planned in the coming months.
The closures will affect boutiques at Claremont in Perth, Harbour Town on the Gold Coast, and South Wharf in Melbourne, which will shut on Jan. 31.
Meanwhile, the 14 Sass & Bide concession stands within Myer stores will close on Jan. 26, with online shopping available until the end of February.
Myer, which acquired a controlling stake in Sass & Bide in 2011 for over $42 million before purchasing the remainder, said the relaunch would respect the brand’s heritage while making it relevant to younger shoppers.
"It played an important role in the Australian fashion landscape and we know it can do that again given the affection and following Sass & Bide maintains," a Myer spokesman said.
The closures are part of a broader strategy to refresh Myer’s offerings and appeal to new customers.
The retailer recently announced it would stock British fast-fashion brand Topshop across its 56 stores nationwide and online from next month, alongside introducing 14 new brands, including Lioness, JAG, and Sportscraft.
Under the leadership of executive chair Olivia Wirth, Myer has scrapped plans to sell Sass & Bide, Marcs, and David Lawrence, instead focusing on restructuring the struggling labels.
As part of this strategy, all three brands will be removed from rival department store David Jones by the end of next month.