An Interview with Dennis Basso, Fashion Designer.
Was there a turning point in your youth, upbringing, or existence that inspired you to seek a profession in fashion design?
I’ve always wanted to be a designer since I was a kid. I was in kindergarten and was extremely focused on being artistic, and I had a strong affinity for women’s items. I was inside drawing while everyone else was outside playing. It had always been my ambition since I was a child.
What was the most difficult aspect of establishing your collection?
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When I first began my firm in 1983, the biggest obstacle I faced was getting to know and be respected by my contemporaries in the fashion industry. It took some time since I was a young guy, but I was always lucky because The New York Times and Women’s Wear Daily always gave me rave reviews.
It’s always a struggle, and it’s never really over.
When you don’t believe it’s a challenge, you’re not at your most creative.
It dramatically changes the situation once you become blasé.
Your QVC line was a big hit.
Describe your feelings about this encounter.
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I’ve always been interested in the ultra-high-end luxury market. I’ll be celebrating my twentieth year on QVC in 2013. I’ve always wanted to be in show business, so when the chance to be on television and deal with fashion and reach such a large audience arose, it was like a dream come true for me. I adapted quickly and enjoyed dressing so many people.
It’s been a process of development, and it’s quite thrilling. It alters the chemistry a little bit to be able to make something that 20,000 people will wear instead of just 20. I like bringing kids fashionable clothing.
Pretty clothes is now accessible in all price ranges. You can make something excellent if you have good taste and a decent design structure and vision. It’s an entertaining method to communicate. It’s like a catalog that’s alive, walking, and talking.
What are your design principles?
Clothing should send a personal message to you.
It should make you feel good, whether it’s because it’s so comfy, the fabric is so lovely, or it’s just because it’s such a fantastic design. I always feel excited for the day when I wake up, and I like to believe it shows in my work.
How can you create seasonal collections that are loyal to your design sense and vision while still being economically viable?
Is there ever a disagreement?
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This is where the boundary gets blurred: you’ll see these magnificent displays in Paris from high couture collections that we all wish we could create, but they aren’t always sellable.
I believe it is critical to provide a collection that has some amazing detail, stands out, and is worn year after year. It’s my general attitude to dabble in a few fields so that I may provide different things to different individuals.
You debuted a wonderfully beautiful wedding collection for Kleinfeld in 2011.
What prompted you to get into the bridal industry?
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For me, launching bridal was a dream come true.
The idea of a wedding shower, as well as the idea of a pleasant celebration, appealed to me much.
It’s been so well received that I believe it’s one of Kleinfeld’s top wedding brands. Being a part of that tiny, exclusive club has been a fantastic personal honor.
The ability to work with celebrities is the pinnacle of every fashion designer’s profession.
What was your first celebrity to dress, and how did things progress?
❯ From Diana Ross to Natalie Cole, Liza Minnelli, and Elizabeth Taylor, we’ve dressed some of the greatest divas of all time. Meryl Streep wears my coat in the first scene of The Devil Wears Prada; it is the coat you see as she gets out of the vehicle.
Jennifer Lopez has appeared in a music video wearing our products. Barbara Walters had a wonderful coat made for her many years ago. We outfit a wide range of celebrities who are representative of the Dennis Basso brand, which attracts to a wide range of women and looks.
Stylists contact us on occasion, and on other occasions, it stems from personal ties I’ve had with Natalie Cole, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross, and Barbara Walters.
Other times, it’s because brilliant costume designers have approached us and requested to collaborate. We created various outfits for Catherine Zeta-Jones in the film Chicago, as well as fox-trimmed capes for Renée Zellweger.
Occasionally, celebrities may just walk into the shop. It takes in several forms in terms of how they locate you.
What advice would you provide to a budding fashion designer who is looking to establish his or her own line?
You must have the passion, skill, and vision to envision yourself moving in that direction, just like any other job. I believe you just must pursue it, and if you are really committed, you will not be able to give up.
If you truly want it, it will come to you. It will take a little bit of timing, a little bit of luck, and, of course, skill, but if you really want it, it will come to you.
In the fast-paced world of fashion, how do you maintain a sense of equilibrium?
As I’ve become older, I’ve been able to find a better balance. When you’re younger, you feel compelled to be there in every situation. You will be able to engage in what makes you feel good and what is right for you when you settle into your work and really understand who you are.
You have a better idea of where you’re headed and how vital it is to spend quiet time with some of the fashionable friends you’ve acquired along the road. And when we get together, we spend 20% of our time talking about design and the rest chatting about our personal lives.
Describe the day that would be the very best for you.
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A perfect day for us is when we are out at our house in Watermill, New York, and we have one or two couples of wonderful friends over for the weekend. It is an easy-does-it kind of day:
lunch by the pool and then a dinner party with other close friends, which is sort of relaxing, but also filled with delicious food and wine and live music, as well as lively conversation. It’s a lovely feeling to have good pals in our lives.
