Flashback to 2006… at the time, I was gainfully employed in the fashion mag trade. The job: to keep one’s finger on the fashion pulse, hunt out new brands and cherrypick hot trends. That year, a little label by the name of bassike hit the scene…
I saw their debut collection on a beautiful day in Bondi, all blue skies and sparkling water. After flicking through the racks, the designers slipped me a little thank you gift—an organic cotton tee with a giant black spot on it (top right), reflecting the bassike branding.
At the time, the long cut of the tee was slightly at odds with my aesthetic, so when a dear friend clocked it and expressed envy, I relinquished it to her. There was a degree of nagging on her part and an element of hesitation on mine but, for a fashion journo, the next freebie is never far away. The sacrifice was made.
Little did I know that bassike would grow to become a favourite label, one I watch and champion via this blog.
Fast forward to 2011 and said friend, now in possession of a toddler and an unruly wardrobe rack, begins the new year with a clean out… and lo! The T-shirt in question returns to me like some sort of sartorial boomerang.
Had I given it much thought over the ensuing years, the fact that the friend almost never wore it might have been cause for irritation. As it stands, it remains in near mint condition upon its return and the elongated cut perfectly suits my current mood. Plus, the shirt’s homecoming came with a bonus, no-longer-wanted item…
At first, the proportions of the boxy drop-crotch shorts (top left, by Assin in Melbourne) seemed, well, not quite me. But, as previously reported, I am (or rather was) experiencing a dearth of shorts this summer so was in no position to refuse. It took all of about 24 hours to come around—a casual scrunching of the stumpy legs created a pleasing silhouette while the loose cut and slight stretch had them ruling in the cool and comfortable stakes.
That both pieces—with their long, loose proportions—go so marvelously together is an added bonus. Turns out the T-shirt wasn’t given away after all… it was an extended loan. With interest.
- In The Closet: Do try this at home…
- Preview: Anything But Bassike
- Trend: Get loose
- In The Closet: Yak cardi
- NEW: bassike SS10
