Dennis Basso (Q2901)
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Dennis Basso is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Dennis Basso |
Dennis Basso is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
One might imagine that occasion dressing would be a market that was particularly hard hit by the pandemic with large gatherings prohibited, but Dennis Basso is feeling bullish about glamour, if not ostentation. “Dressed up, but simple,” was the season’s mantra. A minimally embellished slip dress was the hero piece of this collection, which was primarily rendered in solid pastels evocative of the colors that appeared in the designer’s garden as spring turned into summer.Basso had plenty of time to observe these changes as he spent lockdown in Water Mill, NewYork, working from his dining room/office /QVC studio. Presenting his collection to Vogue Runway via Zoom, the designer was quick to point out that this is a see-now, buy-now offering—as all his made-in-New York work is. Founded in 1983, the house largely operates along the lines of a traditional custom house, one that caters to the client, who can request a look in any color, choose to add a sleeve or shorten a hemline, or otherwise adapt a look to her desire and need.Basso’s instinct to streamline, his embrace of a sort of stealth-wealth aesthetic, and the addition of flowy caftans and separates like wide-leg pants and a cropped blouson in four-ply silk showed his ability to adapt to the changing circumstances. Still, there remained a sense that the house of Basso exists in a sort of privileged and protected bubble that at times gave the collection an old-fashioned attitude.
15 September 2020
“Like a fish out of water,” were some of the lyrics to the song that played at the opening of Dennis Basso’s 61-look fall show. Surely the DJ was being ironic because there are few people as at home in themselves, and their milieu, as Dennis Basso. And why shouldn’t he be; the man’s been in the business for 37 years. Many in the audience have been with the designer for a long time, too. This is one show on the New York Fashion Week schedule where influencers haven’t usurped the front-row seats of the social set (or reality TV stars). Basso is old-school in the sense that he comes from the tradition of building and maintaining relationships with customers.He has a sense of showmanship, too. One season seats were reserved for Patti LaBelle and her fur coat. For fall 2020 he created an Instagrammable “mommy and me” (his words) moment: Lisa Rinna and her daughters closed the show to the strains of—what else?—We Are Family.It was an apt casting: Basso’s aesthetic is in line with the OTT, or in more current parlance, “extra,” reality-TV-style glamour. Even when he’s using fur on the inside, rather than the outside of coats, Basso is no minimalist. Never has been, never will be.Outerwear is a big category for this brand. Basso’s a furrier first, and it was his experiments with dyed and patterned pelts, as in a magnificent green and tan sable coat in a diamond pattern, that sang, rather than his combination leather-and-fur coats, some of which were overcomplicated. Pre-show, the designer spoke of the 2020s, and this particular collection, being “the modern Roaring ’20s.” This inspiration was brought to life in beaded dresses and Deco-style motifs. Basso’s version of the LBD was Look 28, a black lace dress with Matisse-like beaded birds. There was beading for big evenings too, as well as prints, and over-beaded jacquards, to mention just a few of the options for fall. Variety might be the spice of life, but it can be the downfall of a collection. A tightly edited show with a clear point of view speaks volumes more than, well, a volume of looks.
9 February 2020
Dennis Basso is rarely, if ever, out of a clean navy blazer and khakis or a full-on suit and tie. But backstage at his Spring 2020 show, the designer was trying out a new look: He paired his usual blazer and shirt with jeans, hand-painted with a black-and-white swirl by the artist Ashley Longshore. She closed the show in a short black cocktail dress adorned with a flowing cape featuring the same painterly motif found on Basso’s new jeans. They collaborated this season; Basso said he was excited to work with someone “curvier, like me.” The designer spoke at length about inclusivity and his attempts to capture the attention “of both the mother and the daughter” with his clothes.This season did have range when it came to more minimal, modern shapes for day dresses, jumpsuits, and shorts and jacket sets. His eveningwear and furs felt more contemporary too, with cleaner lines and sexier silhouettes. Longshore looked fabulous taking her first-ever runway walk, with Chaka Kahn’s “I’m Every Woman” blasting in the background. It was a nice moment for the Basso brand, and here’s hoping he’ll expand his design vocabulary to further promote body-positive inclusivity.
12 September 2019
Dennis Basso titled his Resort 2020 collection “Over the Rainbow” and the mood inside his showroom on Madison Avenue yesterday was indeed bright. The designer referenced tropical climates, places near and dear to the Basso customer like St. Barth’s and Saint-Tropez, and the rainstorms that often occur in those paradises. ROYGBIV colors shaded his bold but pretty palette.If it’s hard to imagine a mink coat lounging beachside at Le Club 55, Basso managed to reposition the idea of where one can comfortably wear fur with this collection. A lightweight mink bomber jacket could work over a bohemian dress for a breezy evening on holiday. In fact, Basso’s entire lineup felt a bit more versatile than some of his recent collections, thanks to pack-and-go pieces like a cute embroidered bustier and shorts set, a ribbon stripe shirt and pleated skirt, and an easy floral print day-to-night dress.On the more dressed-up side of the story, red carpet–ready drama came in the form of a black organza-and-tulle gown with hand-embroidered asymmetrical sequin details and a faille-and-gazar dress with ribbon trim at the waist. Cocktail numbers, meanwhile, came with rainbow pleating or shimmery fringe.
4 June 2019
As the lights dimmed inside Dennis Basso’s go-to show space at Cipriani 42nd Street, a familiar song began to play. It was Odyssey’s 1977 hit “Native New Yorker,” and it was setting the stage for a Fall 2019 collection designed for, in Basso’s words, the “New York City girl.” She’s recognizable everywhere she goes and she’s someone every woman wants to be, whether she’s from London or Tokyo, he said backstage just before the first model hit the runway. With a whopping 50 looks, Basso certainly gave props to every kind of Manhattan woman: younger, older, sophisticated, cool, uptown, downtown. He had something for each neighborhood dweller, like the greige cape coat for a lady of Madison Avenue and the copper paillette embellished minidress for the girl going out at night in Chelsea. Basso constantly strives to create a full wardrobe for a range of women in his orbit and this season felt big enough (maybe slightly too big) and rounded out enough to accomplish that goal.There were also some faux-fur coats in the mix alongside his signature sumptuous minks and sables. The eveningwear was beautiful as always, especially the canary yellow wrap gown and the pretty blush pink slip with a hand-beaded floral motif cascading down the front. Overall, the collection could have been edited down just a tad, if only to create more synthesis between the individual looks and to better connect the dots within that Native New Yorker theme. The truth is, Basso has been designing for the New York City girl for a long time now, and he still knows her quite well.
11 February 2019
When Dennis Basso was imagining his Pre-Fall 2019 collection, he dreamed up an image of a powerful, independent woman. The designer pictured her going from “the boardroom to the ballroom.” He saw her as someone hungry, determined, but also unapologetically glamorous. The resulting garments ticked all of the boxes that a real-life power lady might have on her wardrobe wish list: modern silhouettes, unique fabrication, decadent flair. There was a cropped leather jacket trimmed in mink, a leather pencil skirt with topstitch detail, and a hand-embroidered houndstooth crepe cocktail dress. Basso was particularly excited about the latter reimagining of menswear fabric, which could also be seen in the houndstooth pattern on an organza gown and the pinstripe of a wool and lace off-the-shoulder dress.His signature mink and sable outerwear was of note this season, particularly for the fact that, individually, each of the designs could work for a woman of any age. It’s that feeling of timelessness that’s kept Basso in business for so many years, that and the fact that even though he may have conjured his own power woman this season, she is indeed very real and loves to wear his clothes no matter the occasion.
6 December 2018
Backstage before his Spring 2019 show hit the runway, Dennis Basso spoke of designing clothes for “the modern-day swan.” He talked about toning down his signature embellishments and beading and creating wearable, light, easy clothing for young, vibrant, and very worldly women. But then he also spoke about Marella Agnelli, who is currently 91 years old. Still fabulous today, she was a style icon in the 1960s, a socialite who lived the life of one of Truman Capote’s swans, dressed in couture for daytime and spending her summer holidays on the Italian Riviera. It’s not uncommon for an American eveningwear designer like Basso to cite such a muse, and today his collections are favorites of sophisticated celebrity ladies, whether they be a Martha Stewart or a Mary J. Blige (the former was seated front row and the latter walked the runway with Basso at the end of the show to celebrate her recent partnership with his brand). Basso’s clothes are also the favorites of a certain echelon of blinged-out ladies who lunch in New York. Some of these glamorous women were in the front row today and many brought their daughters, who were mostly dressed in a logo’d piece from Gucci or Off-White. There were the 2018 swans and their cygnets.Basso does indeed know how to play to both, and he did a good job of offering a very balanced and, yes, lighter, collection for Spring. With 45 looks that came down the runway, the designer had a little something for every nook and cranny of his clientele’s wardrobe. He played with ideas of pajama dressing and athleisure, both of which felt a bit too literal with the eye mask accessorizing the striped PJs and drawstrings on the anorak vests and jackets. The use of jersey fabric also didn’t quite blend with the rest of the lineup. The cocktail dresses were very lovely though, especially one made with pink silk and hand-embroidered with just enough embellishment. Basso also did well with an A-line black-and-white minidress decorated with feathers, as well as a khaki-colored halter neck dress with a collar and gold buttons.
11 September 2018
While many brands have made grand announcements about going fur-free in 2018, that future does not seem likely for Dennis Basso. The designer has built his 30-year-old business on the stuff. This was one of Basso’s most weightless and colorful collections, two characteristics that may very well attract a younger generation of customers. Take a cropped mink jacket with a peekaboo tweed lining featuring stripes of saltwater taffy colors: It was something that could be worn into the evening with formalwear or thrown on in the daytime, paired with jeans for a high-low effect. Another standout piece was a blush leather and shearling coat with a regally sculpted peplum.The second component to Basso’s collections is his eveningwear. This season, he wanted to show classic styles that transcend decades, suggesting that what worked for Rita Hayworth way back when could work for Rihanna today. A canary yellow dress with a high-cut slit and and straps that slid off the shoulders was a great example of that, though Basso’s biggest hit here wasn’t one of the va-va-voom Hollywood bedazzlers. Rather, it was the baby pink floral sequin slip dress with thin black straps, which added a subtle yet stellar touch of contrast. For something entirely different there was a snap-button track pant made out of soft-to-the-touch tweed and a jersey stripe of shimmering sequins.
6 June 2018
After 35 years at the helm of his eponymous label, Dennis Basso understands his woman. “When you have a retail space and a label, you get to really know what women are looking for,” Basso shared during a trip to his Upper East Side atelier. “I want to make everyone look beautiful.” Fall found the designer broadening his reach with a foray into relaxed dressing. Yes, there were still plenty of big-ticket gowns and dramatic chinchilla coats, but the drama was tempered by a series of casual pieces that brought a bit of Basso’s glitz into daywear. Track pants, hoodies, and T-shirts provided appealing contrast to his more ornate fare.Starting with a sable coat in shades of slate and gold layered over a metallic crop top and pants detailed with sequin stripes, he set the stage for a collection focused on wearability. From denim coats covered in embroidery to tweed dresses inlaid with the smallest sequins, each element was designed to be taken to the streets. Options for dressing up or down served as a recurring theme with detail-heavy basics elevating the ordinary into something fit for an evening out. Adding in new categories like a playful array of furry handbags in simple shapes and a lineup of colorful leather boots, he kept the momentum going.Encapsulating more than three decades in a single collection is difficult, but what Basso’s collection lacked in terms of overview it made up for in evolution. The standout moments were those that acknowledged the house’s luxurious history, but added a new verve. A one-shoulder gown in crimson with a thigh-high slit or embroidered butterflies that mimicked the appearance of stained glass had the prerequisite glamour, but their sleek lines and on-trend sensibility provided just what a heritage brand needs: modernity.
13 March 2018
For his new collection, Dennis Basso conjured a sultry fall garden. Basso is a romantic at heart and that sensibility really showed this season, especially in the rich color palette he chose. There were deep purples, sapphires, and blushes that did well to illuminate the chilly-weather flora and fauna he used as a starting point.The designer is always quick to point out that he’s been in business for some 30 years and as such he is constantly evolving with the changing tides of the industry and his clientele. This season, he updated his aesthetic by introducing a wider range of cropped furs as well as longer, versatile fur vests and even a utility parka lined with fur. A chinchilla-lined puffer was the strongest in the outerwear category.There was fluidity in both the day and evening dresses, a seamlessness that carried over to the styling. Basso paired a bomber jacket with a ruffled evening gown, and broadtail shorts with an ombré crepe satin duster. The romance was there, but it was a romance that might appeal to a number of different age groups. Basso is keeping up and not compromising his design sensibility in the process.
9 December 2019
Dennis Basso’s collections have always been based on fur, though lately he’s been moving away from the material’s high-glam association and lending it a more casual sensibility. The updated approach was detectable in his stoles, a garment the designer is trying to gear toward a younger customer. One standout came in white, with one end looped through the other so it stayed in place. It could easily be worn at the dinner table.The collection’s more modern aspect didn’t mean Basso forgot the classics. A gray plaid cashmere coat with broadtail and fox fur cuffs looked timeless. There was an obvious emphasis on masculine dressing here, as seen in the Katharine Hepburn–style high-waisted trousers and fox-trimmed coat. Another tough yet feminine head-turner was an expertly cut leather coat with sleeves slit to the forearms trimmed with mink and sable.Basso is no stranger to glitz, but in the case of a sharp jumpsuit featuring the wordsirenon the pant leg, it seemed a bit much. The megawatt sparkle worked in more classic instances, such as a white gown with side cut-outs and a skirt that was covered in gray and black sequins. A possible red carpet hit included the slinky embroidered number with floral appliquéd straps and ostrich feathers trailing up from the bottom.
19 December 2017
How does a tradition-steeped brand adapt to the Internet age? The question continues to stump fashion’s old guard. Dennis Basso’s polished look may be linked with ladies who lunch, but his Spring 2018 collection attempted to bridge the gap between his boomer clientele and the fashion influencers of Generation Y. From the reality stars in his front row at the Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom—The Bachelorette’s Rachel Lindsay and her beau;Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar Lisa Rinna and her entourage—to theGame of Thronestheme song that served as the soundtrack, effort was made to connect Basso’s aesthetic with the concerns of the present.Celebrating 35 years in business, Basso used a portion of the collection to explore his signatures, and paid homage to the muses he’s met over the years through the loosely defined theme of international travel. When he focused on the classics, the results were compelling; few could find fault with chiffon evening gowns in arresting shades of crimson, or hand-embroidered gowns delivered in shades of silver and bronze. A master with fur, Basso’s chubby chinchillas and mixed fox vests will find favor with those eager to flout PETA’s warnings, but trickier pieces like a transparent coat paneled in mink seemed best suited for the fantasy of runway.Of course, furs and gowns are Basso’s bread and butter, so it’s unsurprising that those looks were his strongest. As he moved into trendier territory he lost his footing. Odd styling choices like sequin-covered mesh tops worn beneath ruffled dresses gave the impression of Gucci-lite, while cutesy minidresses offered a teenybopper sensibility that seemed at odds with the season’s jet-setting heroine. With more than 70 looks, the collection could have benefited from some editing, but on an anniversary one can’t begrudge excess.
11 September 2017
Dennis Basso may have been inspired by the South of France, but there was a definite go-big-or-go-home red carpet attitude to the designer’s Resort collection. A red sequin gown with diving décolletage will be irresistible to starlets looking to make a statement. And there was a pair of blush pink georgette trousers with slits that went straight up to the top of the thigh, taking the evening pant to sexy new heights. Paging Angelina Jolie.In addition to the glitz, there was also a calm, covered-up section. A powdered blue pleated chiffon capelet gown with an embroidered belt would be a great fit for a woman looking to delve into the more modest trend. Much of the tamer parts of the collection were themed around florals. Here, contrast worked best: A white crepe dress meticulously embroidered with florals in pops of purple, yellow, blue, and green had a head-turning, shimmering effect; it made a bigger impact than many of the gauzy dresses boasting petal prints.Of course, no matter the season, there is the fur factor with Dennis Basso. The designer has long built his business on the material. Fur is an old-school luxury, something that could be difficult to translate for a younger generation. But Basso understands the shift in the market and has been tweaking his pieces to appeal to today’s customers. One standout included a mink cream coat with floral embroidery, a cool update to a retro Afghan coat. Another hit was a gray floral embroidered broadtail jacket with a sable collar and flared sleeves with slits. Basso referred to it as the “Basso denim jacket.” Jokes aside, the topper was indeed a sumptuous, dreamy version of a denim jacket: Come colder temperatures, any young woman on the town could pair the piece with distressed jeans and heels.
14 June 2017
“This is my 34th year and I feel like I just started!” said a thrilled Dennis Basso before his Fall 2017 show. The secret to his enthusiasm? Not being afraid to attempt a different approach. “I always try to bring something new and fresh,” he said. “And also to not forget that woman of a certain age, but yet take care of the woman who is just coming into it, as well.”That can be a difficult balancing act, but Basso—who has been consistently touting a younger direction for his collections—is nothing if not dedicated to pursuing the task. Here, he had the inspired idea to style many of the gowns and fur coats with fishnet turtlenecks, which imparted a youthful edge to some very grown-up glamour—and, of course, can be just as easily left out of the equation at retail. Other looks, such as the hand-embroidered lamé gowns, felt both fresh and relevant to Basso’s core customer. Elsewhere the blend was a little choppier; young fans of the brand might bristle at the rather sedate sand and cinnamon color palette, while the cut-outs on the asymmetrical gowns and the shorter hemlines on a few of the miniskirts could quite possibly scare off some of those women of a certain age Basso is wont to please. But the designer has a solution at least for the latter: Showing off a sequined minidress with ruffles at the shoulder, he pointed out that it could be ordered at varying hemlines.But regardless of her age, the Dennis Basso woman is certainly international. A point he drove home with sheer gowns embroidered with a world map or vintage postcard stamps—some of his strongest looks this season.
15 February 2017
Dennis Bassoknows that there are no rules when it comes to eveningwear and fur these days—the two luxury touchstones on which he has built his business for more than 30 years. As a response to those shifts, Basso has been making his designs more interchangeable for an older and younger clientele. For Pre-Fall 2017, Basso’s merger of old and new aesthetics came through quite literally. Inspired by Charlotte Brontë’sJane Eyre, there was a modern take on Victorian motifs: A lace bib dress had semi-sheer poet sleeves for a modest hint of allure, while a similar dress had a shortened thigh-skimming hem for a more overtly sexy touch.Basso also used his trademark hand embroidery to add a youthful feel. One standout evening gown featured a scenic illustration picked out entirely in sequins, including a glittering owl with a charming fur trim around its face, while a black beaded phrase a bit à la Gucci acted as a fun waist cincher. A lavender velvet trench was a real head-turner thanks to a colorful floral appliqué on the back. Basso joked that the coat “wasn’t for someone to wear in the rain,” and, in fact, one could wear it as a dress.As for fur, there were tried-and-true pieces like a fox fur coat and boa that would keep the designer’s core group of uptown clients loyal. But he had something for first-time customers, too: A cropped jacket made from broadtail and sable could easily become the day-to-night go-to topper for a more downtown-minded generation.
14 December 2016
There’s no question about it: Fashion is now a global proposition. Putting aside economics for a moment, there’s actually a lot of romance to the idea: Our clothes have to travel farther and wider than ever before, and fit a multitude of different occasions, seasons, and styles.Dennis Basso’s latest collection was more than up to that task.Inspired by the idea of the “modern world voyager,” Basso’s Spring offering felt looser and more carefree than seasons past—precisely the kind of things you’d like to slip on after a long journey. The first looks, like a suede cocktail dress or a chiffon blouse worn with a pair of clay pants cut so wide and flowy they read as a skirt, conjured up sultry desert nights and safaris. Later looks—frothy lace gowns and sheer cocktail dresses—brought to mind European Old World glamor. Given the scope of the collection, Basso wisely stuck to a neutral palette of dove gray, champagne, camel, white, and black.“This collection is about the woman who has no boundaries,” said Basso backstage. “It’s for strong women who want fashion and who want to wear it their way.” That spirit lead to a few experimental looks, including a completely point d’esprit lace T-shirt worn with a matching skirt, which felt both daring and fresh.One of Basso’s strengths as a designer is his inventiveness with how a garment is constructed—it’s the reason why his customers come to him again and again. Unfortunately for those viewing the collection from a computer screen, photos don’t do it justice. Take, for instance, Look 22: Upon closer inspection, the fabric is actually a rich broadtail that’s been ingeniously hand-crocheted. White fur was bonded to chiffon so that the toppers floated down the runway, helpfully answering the question of how one can wear fur in the Spring. As always, everything in the collection was hand-finished, lending an almost couture quality to some of the hand-pleated garments.“I try to just bring things that I think are exciting yet wearable,” said Basso. “My big line—and I really mean this—is that besides making clothes that make you look good, clothes have to make you feel good.” This season, Basso struck the right balance.
13 September 2016
Dennis Bassohas been in the fashion business for over three decades, and in that time he’s learned that the only constant is change. For the past couple seasons, he’s been shifting his sights toward a younger customer, peppering collections with flirty little things, while maintaining a range of elegant items. For Resort, girls will be treated to fluttering lace numbers with bell sleeves, bohemian fur vests, and delicate slip dresses in colors inspired by glimmering seascapes. More sophisticated types will fall for innovations in his high-quality furs—fox stoles now come tied together at the ends so they can be worn like little jackets, while a proper sable jacket has been slit from shoulder to elbow to tap into the off-the-shoulder trend of the moment. There’s no shortage of gowns for all ages, intricately beaded in patterns that evoke coral or flowing water. Overall, it’s a more delicate look for Basso made up of paler hues, softer cuts, and sheerer fabrics.The younger customer might not be the only change on Basso’s agenda. Check out the paneled eel vest with lace trim in Look 28. Can’t you just imagine that sauntering out of the Top of the Standard on a Saturday night? If the downtown party girl coveting something a touch fancier is willing to make the trek to Basso’s Madison Avenue store, she’ll too find a couple tough-chic pieces among the prettiness.
9 June 2016
Dennis Basso is ready for something new. The past few seasons he’s been pushing a message of youthfulness to entice his next generation of clients, and this season the designer took it a step further. Aware that millennials are all about buy-now, wear-now, Basso decided to offer a handful of his Fall 2016 gowns for sale right off the runway. Though we tend to think of buy-now, wear-now as something better suited to daywear or contemporary markets, Basso astutely pointed out that eveningwear actually translates better from season to season. It’s a wise choice—and hopefully one that will pay off.Now for the clothes: Basso went a little deeper into the fantasy he created for Pre-Fall 2016, when he imagined women dressed to the nines dining in a forest under a moonlit sky. Here, the dream was a little more sultry and sexy: Basso’s women came out in silky, chantilly lace–trimmed slips and jumpsuits with his signature furs draped over their shoulders — almost as if they’d sleepwalked into a glamorous soiree.There were also plenty of gowns, cocktail dresses, and evening tops — structured bodices with exaggerated waists —in velvet, brocade, feathers, and beading. “Those materials might have been at one time for an older woman, but this is really for a young girl. She’s hot, sexy,” said Basso. That was absolutely true for a stunning crushed velvet gold slinky gown but maybe less so for an embroidered sequin strapless dress with fur trim. Other highlights included the groovy hand-embroidered coats with fur collars, which Basso’s younger clientele will gladly throw on with jeans.
16 February 2016
Dennis Basso spun a romantic tale forPre-Fall: He envisioned women dressed to the nines, dining on champagne and pheasant under a foggy moonlit sky in the forest. “Let’s say they’re with younger men, maybe,” he continued. “Actually, if we’re going to have a fantasy, let’s make those guys 25.”Basso’s gorgeous, whimsically embellished gowns certainly belong to the realm of fantasy. This is a good thing; eveningwear, always the designer’s focus, should transport the wearer. It needn’t be practical. His enchanted forest informed the dreamy botanical prints and intricate floral embroidery. In some cases, a sparkly half-moon hovered above the moody prints—the kind of detail that will delight a certain kind of customer who relishes the unexpected (and, perhaps, also a little drama).But Basso did bow to practicality in some places: A few of his signature furs were perforated so that they could breathe and move more easily, while fur vests were designed to be paired with smart trousers as well as cocktail dresses. “That’s how people dress nowadays,” he said. “They mix it up.” But even his daywear—embroidered suede shift dresses and wide-leg pants—captured the extravagant spirit of evening. “The Dennis Basso woman doesn’t just want to look special; she wants to feel special,” the designer explained.
10 December 2015
For decades,Dennis Bassohas enjoyed a loyal customer base of great dames and society women. But recently the designer has been refocusing his collections to entice a new clientele. “The whole look this year, it appeals to a younger woman,” said Basso backstage. “It’s very youthful and vibrant, and it’s all about the cities south of the border—Caracas, Acapulco, Rio.” But it was a subtle, modern Latin flavor Basso was after: The designer was thinking ofSelena Gomez(whose song “Good For You” played on the runway) andSofía Vergara. “This is for the hip, international woman,” said Basso. That translated to sultry, playful ensembles that sizzled in marigold, black, and a vivid abstract tropical print, which looked particularly fresh on a peplum top and shorts combination, not unlike something Gomez would wear on the red carpet. In fact, the print was strong enough that it didn’t need the embellishments that Basso adorned it with elsewhere.Lace-up necklines and crop tops that wrapped at the waist injected a dose of sex appeal to the designer’s signature glam dresses and evening separates, as did his take on Spanish lace on body-hugging dresses. “I think no matter who she is, every woman wants to have that sex appeal,” said the designer.Basso was mindful not to stray too far from his core customer. Evening coats, boleros, and black-tie-appropriate gowns were all present. A gorgeous caramel croc bolero, styled with a saucy lace camisole and high-waisted briefs, was a standout. It was the kind of investment piece one could imagine Basso’s longtime customer purchasing—only to have it promptly co-opted by her daughter.
15 September 2015
For a furrier, Dennis Basso sure does have fun with Cruise season. His woman, draped in foxtail or not, almost always seems like she should be boarding a yacht off the coast of one island or another. This year, Basso was enamored with the tropics. "But not necessarily Carmen Miranda tropical," the designer quipped at a showroom appointment.Indeed, there were no cornucopia headpieces to be found. Instead, Basso's woman-on-holiday will be dressed in a white chiffon column gown covered in black palm leaves, a T-shirt cocktail dress done up in tie-dyed organza, or a gathered halter-neck frock in a yellow-and-pink floral silk.Still, fur remains the cornerstone of any Basso collection. Resort's highlight on that front was a cashmere jersey overcoat with a sable collar and oversize pockets made out of lace broadtail. But Basso has worked hard to refine his formalwear offerings, and the effort has paid off over the past few seasons. His customer might come to him for the soft stuff, but now there is a chance she'll leave with a slipdress.
9 June 2015
Boho looks good on Dennis Basso. For Fall the designer spun his typically princess-y furs and ball gowns into something with more '70s flash. The tweak worked wonders. "It's about having a good time," Basso said backstage. Inspired by the glamazons of the Studio 54 era, he showed slinky gold velvet dresses topped with coats in lynx and fox, velvet tunics paired with high-waist trousers, and even an extravagant take on a Baja hoodie, done in gray alligator and tipped in Russian lynx. Furs were decorated with chunky leather fringe, camouflaged or even tie-dyed to a surprisingly pleasing effect. Basso started working with Kate Young last season, and you can see the cool-girl stylist's influence on the runway: accessorizing with long, thin silk scarves strengthened that disco vibe without looking dated.Fur and eveningwear is still where it's at for Basso. (There were plenty of brocade ball gowns and chinchilla toppers for the taking.) But his day looks were hard to brush aside this season. A pair of color-blocked trousers—alternating between black and a fuzzy gray wool—had a sensibly luxe appeal, while a long-sleeved sheer black dress, embroidered with stripes of beading, could easily do the day-to-night thing layered over a turtleneck.
16 February 2015
Each season, Dennis Basso tries awfully hard to give his fur stoles and beaded party dresses a fresh spin. To be sure, he doesn't always succeed, but Pre-Fall was different. "The feeling is extremely casual," Basso said. For the unabashedly uptown designer, casual meant weaving lynx and alpaca or sable and chinchilla on outerwear for a patchwork effect. The gowns, too, were relaxed a bit, the standout being a gold crushed-velvet tank cut on the bias. (A suede shift seamed with broadtail looked good, too.) He even succeeded in true daywear with a V-neck sweater and a midi wrap skirt—accessorized with a mink beanie and sable-and-alligator flap bag, the outfit managed to be approachable without losing that fancy Basso feeling.
12 December 2014
To get going on Spring 2015, Dennis Basso started thinking about the time he visited Monte Carlo in the late '60s with his parents. He was in middle school and already obsessed with fashion. "The women were wearing ball gowns and little fur jackets during the day and short shorts for dinner!" he said. "The hair was bigger; the makeup was stronger. They were really taking charge of their look."That spirit led Basso to lamé tunic dresses—worn either alone or with skinny trousers—and a cropped jacket in pink broadtail paired with a teensy lamé romper. Sixties-tinged, to be sure, but not overly retro. The designer offered plenty of pretty ball gowns, too, either in a rose-printed white gazar, or gray cloque embossed with peach flowers. Basso is eager for his collections to read modern, and these pieces were youthful but still appropriate for his loyal clients of any age. ("Basso Blondes," they could be called, all lined up in his front row at Lincoln Center.) Less successful were a series of gowns with handmade chiffon petals applied at the top: The designer can sometimes go a tad far with embellishment, and these pieces looked too cluttered.Basso dedicated the show to his friend Joan Rivers, who often wore his designs on the red carpet. She would have surely had many opinions about his latest effort: some positive, some less so. But there was one thing everyone could agree on: These clothes were designed with the intention of making Basso's customer feel special. Joan wouldn't argue with that.
8 September 2014
"It's Resort in the truest sense of the word," said Dennis Basso of his latest effort, which was inspired by the Italian Riviera. "Glamorous people need clothes to wear in the middle of winter."And glam they were. But to give otherwise ornate pieces a beachy ease, Basso used casual materials. On one gown, a crystal-encrusted top and cummerbund were connected to a full skirt made out of a bamboo-woven scuba. A linen column dress was decorated with rows of white grosgrain, crystals, and embroidery. And a traditional ball gown was done in a black-and-white-check gazar, paired with a buttery black leather jacket. To incorporate his signature fur in a light way, Basso topped the day looks with long, swingy vests made from strips of blond sable and laser-cut leather.Sometimes Basso's references can go a bit overboard, but for Resort he managed to keep them in check. For the most part. A series of pink, yellow, and green looks had just enough retro tinge, especially a white-on-white plaid linen gown with a cascading ruffle and just a little embroidery. The multicolored snake vest it was paired with, on the other hand, took exotics to a place even the most flamboyant dresser might be wary of. Basso fared better with a short-sleeved alligator jacket in a subdued bisque—the pleating at the waist made it pretty.
9 June 2014
From the private collections of friends to Manhattan's biggest institutions, Dennis Basso looked at a lot of contemporary art before designing Fall. (So much, in fact, that he didn't cite one specific artist as a point of inspiration.) Basso treated his collection like a canvas, hand-painting grand black-and-metallic brushstrokes on quite a few pieces, from a classic strapless ball gown in royal blue to a pair of narrow burgundy pants.For Basso, it's never about trends. But he also doesn't want the collection to look old-fashioned. Sometimes, as with a long-hooded vest in lynx, the longtime furrier succeeded. Not so much with the elaborately beaded Peter Pan collars on blouses and dresses. While the girl who loves directional clothes is not wearing this stuff, it certainly has an audience. And, as usual, many of Basso's most loyal clients were sitting front row. "I want her to be able to buy it now and pull it out five years later," he said backstage before the show. One gown in particular—a black shell and floor-length tulip skirt covered in black bugle beads and white pearls—definitely fit into that category.
9 February 2014
Dennis Basso is in a celebratory mood. Fresh off the thirtieth anniversary of his label, the furrier has opened a four-story shop in a Madison Avenue town house. "A mini Dennis Basso department store," as he likes to call it. Along with his signature furs and evening gowns, the designer has put in great effort to be taken seriously as a maker of separates and accessories. For Pre-Fall, he teamed up with Brian Atwood to create a pair of sexy-but-not-too-revealing legging boots, which were worn under a houndstooth miniskirt. That same houndstooth print was transferred onto a fur sweatshirt, which, when thrown over a turtleneck, looked modern. Basso is obsessed with mixing high and low. "It used to be that women wouldn't even wear sequins during the day," he said. Now, he likes the way clients pair his cropped tweed jacket—embellished with artfully tarnished spangles and other beads—with a colorful ball gown. The jacket's matching pencil skirt, on the other hand, was dialed down a notch when worn with a shearling bomber.
8 December 2013
Dennis Basso's dress business is picking up. "I've immersed myself in it," he said the day before his Spring runway show. All those gowns have to be worn somewhere, and Basso says he gets orders for everything from mother-of-the-bride ensembles to debutante gowns. But part of this dress push is most certainly a red-carpet play, too, which might be why he drew from the glamour of Old Hollywood favorites like Ava Gardner and Jane Russell to guide this season.Good thing the staid reference wasn't literal. "This wasn't about creating a vintage look," he said. And the collection was better for it. The most striking numbers were sky blue, covered in almost abstract tangerine florals. But they were nearly equaled by an oh-so-pale pink and blue ball gown. For day, a little white organza dress with bustier detailing was youthful and just sexy enough.Dresses may have been in the majority, but a Dennis Basso collection doesn't exist without fur and exotic skins. This time around, he used broadtail best. A black and white broadtail vest was belted like a peplum top over a white organza dress with black geometric shapes, and a white moto jacket looked cute over a black floral frock. Colored alligator surfaced yet again in tiny vests: It must do well, because Basso can't seem to let it lie.
9 September 2013
Dennis Basso played with 3-D techniques for Resort, from the pretty floral chiffon appliqués scattered on many of the gowns to the cropped jackets done in his preferred medium, fur. Even the alligator—another favorite material, featured in colors ranging from gray to buttercup—was pearlized, creating depth on vests and handbags.Oddly enough, Basso's focus on multiple dimensions gave the collection a real lightness. And also a feeling of youth, something that many designers have emphasized this season. (Particularly designers whose customer base, like Basso's, is maturing fast.) "It's sophisticated but still young," Basso said. He was right. Any young woman would be happy to wear the fit-and-flare dress adorned with masses of silvery 3-D flowers, or the navy off-the-shoulder number embroidered with daisies, the breakout flower of the season.It's somewhat harder to imagine a twentysomething walking around in a white fur chubby, but the addition of delicate lace insets and a tiny lace border made it more plausible.
11 June 2013
To celebrate three decades in the business, Dennis Basso drew Fall inspiration from his personal fashion icons: C.Z. Guest, Babe Paley, and Millicent Rogers. "They all had a signature," Basso said backstage on Tuesday after posing extensively for the cameras with Coco Rocha, star of his 2013 campaign. "C.Z. Guest always wore a sweater over her shoulders. Babe Paley took a shoulder brooch and put it on her hip."Basso has signatures, too—one of the most important being fur, the business in which he began. There might have been heightened security to ensure paint-throwing PETA supporters stayed away from the runway, but those who made it into the tents found plenty of sable, mink, and fox in colors as out-there as teal and chartreuse. A trapeze dress came in blue mink, and a gray mink and sable belted coat resembled extremely luxurious corduroy. Basso is also known for fancy dresses, and there were some pretty ones. A princess-style silhouette came in several sweet renditions, including gold tweed, taupe and cream plaid, and black tulle.Basso occasionally takes things too far, even for most lunching ladies. (It's difficult to imagine Fred's populated with green alligator vests, isn't it?) But for fans including Martha Stewart, Joan Rivers, and Joan Collins—all sitting front-row—that outlandishness is the appeal. After all, it's Basso's signature, and one whose popularity has now been proven over a span of 30 years.
11 February 2013
The penthouse of the St. Regis is plenty fabulous, but the crush of people at Dennis Basso's presentation left the proceedings feeling slightly undignified. Basso and his Upper East Side posse are runway people; next season it would be smart to return to the tents. The format wasn't the only thing that was new. Basso, who's slowly been augmenting his statement furs with understated but still sumptuous daywear and cocktail dresses, went full-on evening this season. The dresses were bigger, the adornments were shinier, the fringe was fringier…. Basso's furs didn't stand a chance. But these are clothes for warm nights, so perhaps, as the designer pointed out, all you really need is a little broadtail capelet. As for the dresses, there were hits and misses. A body-skimming knee-length number with a hand-embroidered lace bodice and a gold and silver fringe skirt fell into the former category, while an assertive, full-skirted gown in sapphire blue—worn with a fur dyed to match—fell flat. The couture level of detailing on all the looks was impressive, but overall the collection missed the restraint Basso has shown in seasons past.
10 September 2012
With a blast of a whistle and the sound of wheels on a train track, we were off on theOrient-Express. For Fall Dennis Basso sent his girl packing on the famed transcontinental locomotive, though she could have been anywhere fabulous. The train shtick was just an excuse for Basso to show off some of his sumptuous luggage, like a carry-on case swathed in Russian broadtail. Of course, the true test of a carry-on these days is if it will fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. Basso is enamored of a bygone sense of glamour, and this collection was aimed at today's first-class flyers.Over the past few seasons, Basso has slowly expanded from fur into ready-to-wear, noting before the show, "Almost every designer does fur now. And now I'm doing ready-to-wear!" When you put it like that, why not? It's hard to raise an objection to a soft leather skirt in warm topaz, or a perfectly cut cashmere sheath in pearly gray. Basso loves to crossbreed his furs and exotics, pairing mink with lynx and python with raccoon, but he has always showed restraint with his sophisticated daywear, and this season was no exception.Still, it was hard to see under all those pelts. A chinchilla and lynx bomber jacket in a brilliant shade of orange (Basso called the color cayenne) popped so loudly against the clothes' cool hues that it commanded all the attention. The color looked great as an accent, inside a hooded parka or on the collar of a long, quartz-colored chinchilla vest with deep cashmere patch pockets. About that parka: Basso took a classic puffer, slimmed it down in broadtail, and lined it with double-face cashmere. Sound decadent? It is, but it had a day-to-day wearability that most statement furs don't. If you can tear your eyes from the house specialty, there are plenty of other pieces in this collection that are worth a look. But that's a big if.
13 February 2012
Dennis Basso showed his Spring collection by appointment this season. Providing commentary next to a mini-runway in his Madison Avenue boutique, the designer revealed that he's saving the big show for October, when he debuts his first-ever bridal line. Woman cannot live on weddings alone, of course, so Basso's concise collection of cocktail and very special-occasion dresses—plus a socialite's ransom of furs—will fill in the gaps in the fête schedule.With Grace Kelly and her Riviera cohorts on his mind, Basso went straight for the glamour. "Young women were dressed up la-di-da-da in those days," the designer said, by way of explanation, as the first look came out. A cropped patent-leather bomber—reflective as a mirror and cuffed with chinchilla—came perched atop a hand-embroidered organza pencil skirt. Hard and soft, modern and classic, it struck a chic balance. Hand-painted turkey feathers were flirty on a kicky satin chiffon frock; dripping down the hem of a drop-waist, floor-skimming gown, they were flat-out fabulous. Basso has made a concerted effort over the last few seasons to augment his decadent furs with cocktail attire worthy of wearing under them. He's found his groove. Brides, get ready.
13 September 2011
"This season we went a touch masculine," Dennis Basso said backstage before his show. "Women like that." Everything is relative chez Basso, of course, where a huge fox-fur snood isn't worthy of a mention in the liner notes ("Whatelsewould you wear about your neck?" it seemed to suggest). So in the context of Fall, "masculine" meant fewer silk and organza cocktail frocks and more hand-knit cashmere sweater dresses. Basso said he'd focused on tailoring this season, too, but it was the sporty finishes on several multi-pelt fur coats that stuck out. They had drawstring detailing at the cuffs and waist, creating a nipped-in yet spacious look, almost like a puffer coat, but—hello, broadtail and mink!—so much chicer.Huge hoods were a new addition, too; these are coats meant to be worn on a bitingly cold day, not puff pieces for draping over your shoulders on the way to the car. Those sweater dresses, which also came in mohair, had a winningly homespun quality (again, think relatively here). Hand-crocheted or, in the case of the cashmere number, sewn onto mesh, they were a convincing alternative to the shimmery finery Basso usually slips under his furs. But perhaps the best example of Basso's tougher Fall look was the pair of mid-calf kidassia skirts, one in a gorgeous gunmetal ombre. Less lustrous than fox or mink, the goat hair had a raw quality and a deep, sexy, textured depth. Women like that, too.
14 February 2011
Backstage, Dennis Basso expounded on this season's woman. "She loves to go out," he said. "She travels. She does special occasion. No pants."No pants? Had Basso gone Gaga? Not exactly.The furrier is simply sticking strictly to evening, a category in which his swish clientele excels. There were the usual Basso-isms: a Russian golden sable and alligator skin "shoulder ruffle," slung across the breastbone like a musket, because hey, why not? Chinchilla, dyed a mint green, was interspersed with silk net on a duster that actually bounced as the model breezed by—that's how light it was. A cropped alligator vest in subtly varying shades of blue was pitched at a younger customer, as were the cutouts (some inlaid with sheer, shiny neoprene) that broke up necklines and revealed bits of torso. The dresses with cutouts weren't as successful as the more elegant options, but maybe there's something here for Lady G, after all.
13 September 2010
New York woke up to a coating of snow this morning, and while most could have done without sludge on their morning commute, Dennis Basso couldn't have been happier. "What better thing to happen to a furrier on the day of his show?" he exclaimed excitedly. "People will be thinking about getting warm!"Basso offered his usual panoply of over-the-top options—a broadtail and fox capelet, for one; a chinchilla, fox, and feather jacket, for another. Getting warmer?In recent seasons, the team has been working to perfect a unique mesh-netting technique. Pelts were backed by a silklike webbing on the aforementioned capelet, and it had an unusual lightness and buoyancy as a result. It's details like these that have won the designer such a loyal fan base. What Upper East Side doyenne wouldn't approve of a pair of raccoon and alligator "pockets" (fur-lined hand warmers attached to the ends of an alligator belt, to be strapped over her favorite top)? If that sounds decadent, it was, but you don't go to Basso for understatement. Even the pants, slim and made from ribbons of cashmere and stingray, were constructed to command a second look. Worn with a sheer black top with epaulets, they were clearly an attempt to woo a younger audience.Generally, Basso has made progress in crossing the generational—if the not the uptown-downtown—divide. Still, that special spark that in collections past has made his furs feel quite modern was missing. The coats are so gorgeous, though, his core clientele probably won't care.
15 February 2010
"I'm an evening kind of guy," Dennis Basso declared backstage before his show Tuesday afternoon. "Cocktail is really my niche."Indeed it is. A furrier whose fine eye for detailing has won him a loyal uptown following—the front row read like a page from theSocial Register—Basso focused on what he does best, namely, occasion gowns and the furs you wear with them. Wisely, he is interested in dressing mothers and daughters, so there were both stand-alone statement dresses for the former (like a python-bustier chiffon gown with a full, liquid-bronze chiffon skirt) as well as unadorned silk jersey slipdresses and tanks to be dressed up or down (say, with a mink-and-organza cover-up) by the latter. A romantic hint of the Degas corps de ballet could be seen in the bubble skirts and molded tops that dominated the silhouettes; in fact, the first look, a short chiffon dress that was practically a tutu, was pure fantasy (what young girl doesn't dream of dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy?). Styling these dresses with Alexis Bittar knuckle-dusters and fishnet thigh-highs that could be seen peeking out from under the shorter hems, Basso is clearly making a play this season for the younger half of his charity-circuit demographic.
14 September 2009
Dennis Basso's formula for recession dressing could be boiled down to the following: Take some anaconda, add Russianbarguzine(mink will do in a pinch), make a coat, and wear it to lunch. Voilà!A Manhattan society furrier in the midst of a global economic meltdown is a man in a rather awkward spot, but Basso soldiered on, focusing on daytime furs, mainly fitted jackets and structured coats, to take his customer from coffee to cocktails without raising (too many) eyebrows. While most of his luxe-hybrid outerwear was shown with dresses in silk crepe, one buttery-hued coat of brocade and sable was an outfit in itself. The dresses were mostly forgettable—how could you rip your eyes away from all those skins?—but slim black taffeta cigarette pants commanded a second look, and would work just as well on a downtown girl as on Basso's usual client. Pair those with the sweet biker gloves we spotted, and you just might see Basso on the Bowery. Or not.
16 February 2009
East Coast blue-blood weekend places were on Dennis Basso's mind this season: Nantucket, Newport, and Southampton in the seventies, specifically—and the result was a rethink of that era's "patio and terrace" dressing, as he put it before the show. June evenings lounging on white wicker don't usually necessitate the furs Basso is known for, but he managed to work his calling-card pieces into the recipe by keeping them light and ocean-breezy. Russian broadtail boleros were ribboned with lace and worn over flouncy chiffon dresses in garden prints and shades of pink. There were a few too many flounces, but unexpected details, like a skinny lime-green python belt tied over a pretty batik dress, kept things fresh.
8 September 2008
Dennis Basso is celebrating his 25th anniversary as a furrier this year, so there was a celebratory feeling in the air at his show. Lorraine Bracco arrived bearing a congratulatory bouquet, and his loyal ladies came wearing his coats despite the afternoon rain. And, no surprise, there were plenty more lavish furs on the runway. The first look, a trapeze coat in creamy alligator on top and Russian sable below, was a good indication of the luxe factor on display. Yes, there were relatively simple and straightforward minks, but Basso much prefers to show off the technical innovations of his factories, not to mention the seemingly limitless imagination of his design room. A broadtail jacket, to name just one example, was spliced with handmade lace inserts and trimmed in silver fox.Basso may have a quarter century of experience in the fur trade, but he has significantly less as a designer of ready-to-wear—which might be the explanation for an overwhelming trapeze dress that practically suffocated its model in marabou feathers, or for the "techno" appliqués on a pair of long dresses that looked like nothing so much as rave ware. But he made up for those with a trio of understated black gowns (one of them belted with a string of pearls) that his gals would be delighted to wear underneath their sables.
4 February 2008
Dennis Basso's presentation today was a thoroughly social affair, complete with the designer's "ladies," cocooned in their furs, clapping at their favorite looks. Basso stated that he was launching his first full ready-to-wear collection this season "because people wanted this," and he offered if not exactly a full line, a few hand-embroidered herringbone pants and micro-minidresses. The main draws, notwithstanding, were the designer's cleverly worked furs, like a sable coat in a chevron pattern, or a hand-embroidered shearling with a generous trim of cognac chinchilla that gently bobbed in step with the model.Fall's line included many sueded minks, some featuring crafty scallops of fur, and almost all worn with embroidered leather belts. Russian broadtail jackets featured intricate embroideries. Still, you had to wonder, where were the full-on and full-length furs that keep Basso's loyal following warm and happy? Presumably, they're waiting back at the showroom for the likes Patti LaBelle, who arrived at today's presentation in a coat so plush it even managed to snag its own front-row seat.
8 February 2007