When Sass & Bide's founders Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton upgraded their signature collection, they needed a new avenue for their casual dressing.

So, for spring, the Sydney-based designers are launching S&B Vie, a denim-driven, lower-priced collection. The line is scheduled to hit department and specialty stores worldwide next month. It is already available on sassandbide.com.

"For the most part, S&B Vie serves as the creative expression of the youthful and jovial side of Sass & Bide, as well as building a strong identity for the ever-important denim and T-shirt wing of the company," Clarke said. "S&B Vie acts as the diffusion line to Sass & Bide, offering playful styles, layering pieces and denim. S&B Vie does carry through the inspiration from the Sass & Bide main line, but the interpretation is a little quirkier and younger, which translates through different fabrics, finishes and price."

The company traditionally comes to New York to show its collections on the runway. In September, however, Clarke and Middleton decided to sit out the shows because Middleton was recuperating from chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer. Also, during their time off from shows, the designers said they prepared the S&B Vie line.

"Our break from showing at New York Fashion Week for the fall collections gave us a little more time to take a step back and see how we could develop and strengthen that side of the business," Middleton said.

S&B Vie focuses on what Clarke described as "effortless, playful clothes," which includes denim jeans and shorts, jackets, graphic T-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, pants and dresses. The company projects $20 million in sales in its first year. Wholesale prices range from $85 for T-shirts to $225 for a premium jacket. The Sass & Bide collection wholesales from $110 to $485.