Dennis Basso has 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.
