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Aspen Art Museum’s Dennis Basso Freestyle by Giovanna DiRusso Friday, January 13, 2012 Printer-friendly version Email this Story Once again, the winter fundraiser for the Aspen Art Museum, known as the Dennis Basso Freestyle and held on Dec. 28, 2011, delivered the one-two punch to the already well established championship season known as the holidays in Aspen. A trip to the Emmys in Hollywood for $28,000, a taste of Tuscany in Italia for $25,000, and, my favorite, an excursion to Milan Fashion Week for $55,000.

Of course, the pièce de la résistance was the last lot — an original full-length sable coat, designed by the maestro himself, Dennis Basso, going for $100,000. Simon de Pury, returning and very entertaining auctioneer, presided over the bidding. He wielded the gavel with extraordinary finesse, getting the well-heeled guests to match each other’s bids for two of the coats. Basso produces two of the luxurious convertible coats, which can be worn full-length, knee-length or zipped off into a stole for the lucky and very chic social doyennes Carolyn Powers and Amy Phelan, who both got one. Voila! The Art Museum receives another $200,000 toward building its new facility in downtown Aspen.

When I spoke with the designer after the show about the unusual double bid on the sables, Basso was delighted with the outcome. “It was a most generous gesture of support for the event by the Powers’ and Phelans, and a fabulous climax to the auction.”

The glamorous fashion show followed with Basso’s collection of ultra lux-y furs and gowns strutting down the ice-white runway — created to take our breath away, and breathless we were. You can always tell when it’s a Basso. They’re created from opulent furs and constructed with his inimitable signature styling — some with defined waists, bohemian detailing (way before it experienced its recent resurgence), and exquisite use of sable, chinchilla and broadtail. One of those creations could certainly keep me warm all winter long — very stylishly, of course.

The champagne and caviar flowed, as well as good spirits in another very spirited holiday event in our chic little town. Happy, healthy greetings for a better 2012 from your fashionista in Aspen!

Giovanna writes about fashion for the Aspen Daily News. Check out her blog at fashionistainaspen.wordpress.com.

Occupy

Aspen Art Museum Forbids Leader of Occupy Aspen to Enter Property By Michael H. Miller 12/16/11 11:17am

Aspen Art Museum. Lee Mulcahy, an artist and the leader behind the Occupy Aspen movement, has been told by police that he can no longer set foot on the site of the future home of the redesigned Aspen Art Museum. Museum officials told the Aspen Times that Mr. Mulcahy had “replaced museum signs with his own signs,” posting “for sale” signs on trailers on the property. Mr. Mulcahy denies this, though he admitted to posting different signs at an earlier time. Police have not charged him with anything, but an Aspen police officer did have this to say: “I made it very clear to Mulcahy that he was not allowed to return to the Art Museum property or else he would be arrested for trespassing, and Mulcahy told me that he understood and would not go onto the property again.”

Aspen, a wealthy town popular with celebrities as a vacationing destination, is not really the place where one would expect people to be big fans of the shenanigans of the 99 percent. Occupy Aspen, by the way, sounds like a pretty humble affair. Mr Mulcahy refers to the movement in the Aspen Times as “all 8 of us.”