Armand Basi: Transforming Tradition
Written by Jaya // April 1, 2012 // Fashion Category // No comments
While the rest of the fashion world is exploring the world of color, pattern, and design the Armand Basi line has chosen to stick to traditional roots of neutral pallets and a business chic design. Known for the ready-to-wear fashion look, Armand Basi is a popular name in fashion around the world.
What is interesting to know is that the Basi brand was established by Mercedes Sabi in Barcelona, Spain as a knitwear workshop in the 1940s. Later, in 1958, the company was taken over by Sabi’s sons Josep and Armand Basi. Under the brothers, Basi was run as a factory producing quality knitwear.
It was only in 1986 when Juste de Nin became creative director and managing director that the company’s name was changed to Armand Basi. This is when the line started to grow as a brand and not just a company. Through de Nin’s work, the line became more than just knitwear but it became true fashion.
Juste de Nin loves the clean cut and classy look. His use of textures gives traditional pieces such as a tux or an evening gown a contemporary flair by adding a contrast such as a sheer window. He uses solid colors and light material with militaristic designs to bring together an aesthetically pleasing piece with a bit of edge. Cotton and silk was replaced with raffia and net for a quirky, individual collection. The visual concept of the brand is to entice the down-to-earth trendsetter; it illustrates the Armand Basi man and woman as modern, urban active, and independent with an air of individuality.
The Armand Basi line is almost comparable to Chanel. With just as much edge and attraction, Basi creates his clothes with more meaning than just fashion. Instead he wants to make a statement; a major statement for the Armand Basi line is to be different but to re-create from the classic fashion of the 80s.
Since 1995, Armand Basi has been building stores around the world with locations in Barcelona, Las Palmas airport in the Canary Islands, Bilbao, Madrid, Puerto Banus, Baracaldo, Valencia, Vigo, Murcia, and Benldorm. Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas and Will Smith, Princess Letizia of Austrias, and model Alex Curran Gerrard have all been spotted in Armand Basi.
Juste de Nin is making great steps in the fashion industry by setting himself apart. Instead of taking the traditional steps of fashion, de Nin has chosen to take something classic and turn it into something contemporary. As James Bertrand said, “Once we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the future.” And that is exactly what de Nin is doing, creating the future of fashion through the re-creation of the traditional.
-Stormm Van Rooi
