Dennis Basso RTW Spring 2021
Question: what does a designer who is known for event dressing do when events as we know them have been greatly reduced or postponed indefinitely? Well, in the case of Dennis Basso, you just simplify things.
“We still have weddings and occasions,” Basso said at a private in-person viewing of his spring collection video presentation. “But the very over-the-top styles?” he quipped. “It is not of the moment.”
Make no mistake, simple, for Basso, doesn’t mean casual, but rather more languid silhouettes like wide leg pants, and slipdresses in white or pastel tones that you might find in a garden. His garden, he said was a starting point. Maybe the one he has out in the Hamptons, where he has been spending much of his time working on the collection over the past few months.
Basso took what fabrics he ordered for resort and just applied them in spring, which solved any fabric problems due to COVID-19.
His video presentation used his studio as a backdrop, giving a viewer a peek inside his atelier, and he used two models who were friends and comfortable working together without wearing masks. The duo showcased Basso’s lighter side, like a pair of white floral lace dresses, or some looks with iridescent sequins over white fabric — looks that might work for an outdoor wedding or a meal under the Palm Beach warm spring sky.
“We are erring on the side of optimism here,” the designer said. And it showed, like with a beaded peach caftan or a short-sleeved fur hoodie that could be paired with a cigarette pant and a white T-shirt. Easy, with a relaxed elegance, a theme seen throughout his latest work.
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