NEW YORK — With the temperature nearing the freezing mark Wednesday night, the conditions were prime for Dennis Basso’s store opening party.
Many of the 400 guests who passed through the new 8,000-square-foot East 57th Street space were prepared, wearing fur coats from the designer. Nicole Miller and Martha Stewart were among the fashion types in the crowd, as well as Alina Cho, FIT president Dr. Joyce Brown, Fashion Group International’s Maryanne Grisz, Adam Glassman, Brian Atwood, Fern Mallis, Pamela Fiori, Candace Bushnell, Carol Alt, Cece Cord, Katherine Gage, Adrien Arpel, Michael Warren and his wife Marcy. The socials were also well-represented — Louise Gutfreund, Susan Tisch, Bettina Zilkha, Jill Roosevelt and Debbie Bancroft, with many decked out in cocktail dresses. Gigi Fisdel, who attended Basso’s first runway show in 1983, was not to be missed in a green fox coat and black leather pants.
Some of the well-dressed guests chatted about the challenge of sporting fur, which many brands and consumers have decried. A few weighed the merits of wearing pre-owned fur pieces in terms of sustainability, just as Rihanna and less-famous Millennials have been known to do. In September, Basso relocated to the 8,000-square-foot space after having a Madison Avenue store for years. The multilevel new location was once a Victoria’s Secret store.
After Stewart helped Basso cut the official ribbon at the front door, New York City Council member Erik Bottcher presented Basso with a proclamation for being one of the New Yorkers who have made outstanding contributions in their fields and to the city. Basso was saluted for “40 years of making fashion right here in New York City” and through his philanthropy, Bottcher said. Thanking the crowd with his booming voice — no microphone needed — Basso said, “We’re staying here. We’re not going anywhere.”
Recalling how as a young man he considered Fendi to be “the holy grail of fur and fashion. And now my store is across the street from Fendi and it’s bigger.” That and his 57th Street address’ proximity to Tiffany’s and Bergdorf Goodman is “so amazing. I’m so proud and it has to do with hard work.”
Fiori, who will chat with Basso at next month’s “Time Is of the Essence” luncheon in Palm Beach, Fla., attributed Basso’s 40 years in business to his great determination. Brown added that Basso has impeccable taste that can be seen in the workmanship, the fabrics and the textures of his designs. “He has an appreciation for a woman’s body and offers a lot of different shapes. The fit is really impeccable and he won’t let you leave until it is impeccable. And Made in New York is important to a lot of people. I know it is to me,” Brown said.
Miller recalled how during a visit to Aspen, where Basso used to have an outpost at the Little Nell hotel, the designer had invited her to come in to try on a fur coat. After initially waving him off with a I’m-not-really-a-fur-person, he encouraged her to stop in any way. “I walked in and he pulled out this reversible coat with suede on the inside. It was the perfect cut and very funky with inside-out stitching. I put it on, and said, ‘OK, I’ll take it.’ He just knew that he had the coat for me.”
Wednesday’s party was the second major celebration of the week for Basso, who marked his 30-year anniversary with QVC, by livestreaming an appearance for the home shopping service at the Cairnwood Estate in Wayne, Pa., on Monday.
With the Champagne flowing and DJ Darling Chuck playing, some guests lingered longer than expected. It was nearly 9 p.m. by the time the designer and his husband Michael headed for the door. That was fine by Basso, who said during a recap call Thursday, “It was a real upbeat tempo party. People were having a good time. They wanted to stay.”
