“Imagine you’re in the South of France, for Cannes…you’re invited to all the parties, and it’s a full week of parties…And I, besides going with you, happened to bring 40 options for you to look at. And this is where we are. We’re transporting ourselves into a pastel dream,” mused Dennis Basso upon entering his Madison Avenue store. A pastel dream is the best way to accurately describe Basso’s resort array, which was inspired by the palette of south of France from sunrise to sunset. Although the collection included a few traditional, embellished and feathered evening gowns, the majority felt playful. Candy-colored colorblocking, in furs and silky dresses, made for the freshest updates to his designs. For instance, a floor-length silk chiffon and charmeuse gown with wave pattern pleated skirt, perforated shearling jacket with mink collar, and broadtail and cashmere short-sleeve coat.
Other Cannes-daytime-appropriate triumphs included a silk and eyelash cut lace blush dress with micro sequins and feathered hem along with a trompe l’oeil lamé and embroidered mesh dress that resembled a bodysuit styled underneath. “The gowns are always the gowns, but when there’s something unique, it’s fresh,” Basso best put it.