Qatar based stylist POOJA ADAM (@lesrebellesquad) sashayed her way to 21 High st to interview the internationally acclaimed designer DENNIS BASSO, talking all things fashion and why he’s chosen to open up his boutique at this exquisite outdoor shopping destination.
How would you describe the female that wears Dennis Basso collections?
I always say that the world is her shopping avenue. She is international. She is in Doha, Paris, London and New York. She has a wide range of what she likes to see so I feel that this is what is extremely important; to make sure that we always stay current and right on target of what’s happening in the world of fashion because she is seeing everything today. Now she sees everything online. It’s on the runway and immediately it’s online. She’s a modern woman.
21 High st is poised to be ‘ The ultimate outdoor shopping destination’, so it is no surprise that you’re opening up your first boutique in Doha. Tell us how this partnership with Ali Bin Ali Fashion came to fruition.
This is an amazing team. We have a large boutique in Harrods in London which Ali Bin Ali are also part of. Their director worked at Harrods and saw how successful Dennis Basso is over there and one thing led to another, and here we are in this magnificent store!
People are more aware of what they are wearing now-adays and where their clothing is sourced. Do you follow a particular ethical approach throughout your portfolio?
I have an open mind, I mix it up a bit. I don’t try to stay rigid in one way and I think that’s what’s kept the brand current and modern. I try to be free and young in my thought process. I am from New York and we are producing our collection in New York in my factory which I am in every day which exemplifies my creative flair.
Tell us about the inspiration behind your collections.
So I used the inspiration of Lucy Douglas (C.Z Guest), actresses and some of the great women of fashion and style, including the late Grace Kelly and the fabulous Sheikha Moza. Iconic women with great taste. Sheikha Moza is somebody I would love to dress. I have dressed a lot of famous international women and it would be a great pleasure to design something for her one day. These are women who put together fashion effortlessly. Besides making you look good, fashion has to make you feel good. That’s really what I’ve tried to embody. To create that feeling when you put something on you say “Yes! That’s the one!”
“So I used the inspiration of Lucy Douglas (C.Z Guest), actresses and some of the great women of fashion and style, including the late Grace Kelly and the fabulous Sheikha Moza. Iconic women with great taste.”
“I’ve always loved dressing women, but, it wasn’t until I dressed celebrities that compounded my name out there. We designed the coats for Meryl Streep in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and we dressed Jennifer Lopez for her latest album cover ‘Dinero’.”
You’ve been hailed by both celebrity and private clients for three decades. Inspired by pure glamour, your collections – from fur and evening wear to bridal and accessories – are consistently featured in the media and at red carpet gatherings worldwide. How do you feel about your success? How do you remain grounded?
I am very grounded because I take every day like it is a new day. I don’t take anything for granted. I was so excited to come here to Qatar for example. I have this amazing desire to achieve and go further and to constantly be more creative. Either it’s within you or it’s not. I am just as happy having the most delicious snack from a food cart on the street as I can be dining at a five star restaurant. I have a very optimistic approach – the glass is half full not half empty. I think that this has helped me in my whole career. You know, just forging ahead.
What has been your biggest challenge since launching your first business back in 1983?
To get noticed. I had my very first fashion show and it was at The Regency Hotel, I was a kid back then, trying to figure it all out. I think that was a challenge, getting people to come to my show. We had invited The New York Times thinking that they would never come. The show was about to begin and they had already closed the doors. Suddenly there was a woman who wanted to come in. At this point, the lights were going down, and they said that her name was Angela Teller, and at that time she was the Editor-inChief of fashion at The New York Times. She gave us half a page of editorial. It was such an amazing thing to have happened. I still think about that and her coming to see the show 36 years later! I’ve always loved dressing women, but, it wasn’t until I dressed celebrities that compounded my name out there. We designed the coats for Meryl Streep in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and we dressed Jennifer Lopez for her latest album cover ‘Dinero’. Dressing celebrities always helps to get the brand out there. However, the real credibility is when a woman goes out to an event and her friend says to her “What are you wearing?” and then she comes and buys something and someone else comes and buys something … that domino effect is really magic.
Why should our lovely readers visit your boutique? What should they expect?
I think the best part is that anyone who loves fashion should have no other choice but to come. The collections are new and current and they don’t have to go to Paris or London or New York as it’s right in their own backyard, and how great is that? We’ve brought them the most exciting pieces in the collection. 21 High street is amazing and it will motivate you to shop with us for that special occasion. We are also willing to do special orders and that is something particularly unusual yet unique – A lot of big design houses won’t do that, but we will!
Dennis Basso collections are exclusively available at 21 High st. Dennisbasso.com / @21highst_katara / alibinali.com