“We’re certainly not dressing up,” says Bassike’s Deborah Sams over yet another Zoom call from Australia. When we started doing these quarterly Zooms in early 2020, we joked that next season’s would be our last…that was seven calls ago, and it seems there are many more to come. Down Under, the Delta variant and lockdowns have pushed even the ever-optimistic Bassike team into a paused state. Their new collection continues the light, free, and easy aesthetic they are famed for, using airy linen, thin cream ribbed knits, and an abstract opal print to evoke simplicity in these complicated times. It’s a counter to the chaos, and a more feminine one at that. Even the masters of slouchy tomboy tailoring are getting in on a more sensual look.
Their look comes with feel-good vibes, too. After years of research, co-founder Mary Lou Ryan has found new ways to build sustainability into the Bassike model, minimizing packaging, waste, transport, and using all environmentally minded power sources. She estimates over 95% of Bassike product is made in Australia, and the brand was just certified as being carbon neutral by the Australian organization Climate Active. Even as our future of getting dressed remains unsound, Bassike is finding ways to inject positivity into fashion.
