The magical pastel explosion at http://www.bassoandbrooke.com/ was without a doubt a hit for next season. Beautifully draped dresses were combined with sportswear pieces blurring all boundaries between formal and casual. The designers cleverly broke all the rules in subtle ways.Vibrant pastel prints with graphic designs, abstract patterns and splashes of colour gave an original twist to the classic tailored coats and dresses in rich wool and silk.
The evening gowns combined sections of flowing drapes with tight belts sculpting a feminine silhouette. Weighty raffia wrapping around the body resembled a whipped cream cake from heaven, and light georgette and shiny silk generously flowed in flounces reminiscent of ancient Romans. Some of the flowy dresses were complemented by structured, cropped black jackets, adding a sharp contrast component to some of the looks.
The palette, a rainbow of vibrant pastels, was combined with some elegant black and white numbers, all in printed motifs. One of the best touches of the collection was the idea to loose the sharp divide between eveningwear and sportswear, and thus included parkas and hoodies with detailed embroidery and on luxurious materials such as silk and heavy wool. Perhaps contrary to my expectations of a louder statement from Basso & Brooke, the collection followed this season’s general tendency towards the commercial, but fortunately they still managed to keep a good degree of originality and innovative details.
I absolutely adored Basso & Brooke’s collection… i’m glad they left the previous ‘performance shows’ behind and went back to focusing on design.