Bar Basso: The Milanese hang out you need to have a piece of
It seems to be the season of collaborations. Everyone is finding another interesting partner-in-crime to mix up ideas, freshen up perspective and create something new.
However we found the new collaboration between Highnobiety and Milan’s hip Bar Basso quite unique and interesting.
If you have ever been to Milan Design Week or as they call it, Salone del Mobile, chances are, that you have been to Bar Basso. It’s where anyone and everyone from the fashion and design worlds tend to hang out. From big designers to their assistants to the young fashionistas wishing to catch a glimpse of the behind-the-scene action. As the day comes to an end and so does the work day, the bar comes alive and drinks keep flowing till late night.
Like Budapest’s iconic New York café, the not-so-humble Bar Basso has become a bit of an icon and it certainly deserves the status. It came into being in 1947 and was the first one to introduce the cocktail culture in the city. The interior décor of the bar has not really changed much since then, thankfully. The pink walls, dark furniture, marble floors and glistening chandeliers add to the good old charm of the venue. So while you are sitting there drinking Martini, you are not just becoming part of the history but you are also breathing in the long history of the bar.
In the 70s it counted the likes of Maurizio Gucci and Joe Colombo among its regular visitors. In the 90s, it became among the favourite places of designers Jasper Morrison and Marc Newson among others. The famous party James Irvine threw there became a bit of a phenomenon and it has been the unofficial after party venue for the Milan Design Week since then. Its popularity in the fashion and design circles has not dimmed. Gucci team along with Alessandro Michele has been regularly spotted here and Virgil Abloh used to visit every time he would visit Milan.
Now if that does not make Bar Basso a legend then what else does? So it’s about time that it gets the recognition. Perhaps the best way to do it was do a collaboration.
The bar Basso’s current owner is Maurizio Stocchetto who took over the business from his father. Today he can be seen busy pouring the drinks. Or walking around ensuring his guests are served just like his dad did in the 70s. His passion and zeal for his work. Can be seen and that is perhaps what has keep the spirit of the bar alive.
He believes in the democratic culture of the place that makes it special.
“Its very warm and crazy atmosphere during Salone.” Stocchetto says. “The bar is usually really packed so it become very democratic. You have all designers and architects with their assistants and may be the assistants get served first because we don’t know who is who. Its part of the fun, all the typical hierarchy is confused and everyone has to leave their ego at the door.”
The collection is obviously shot in the Bar Basso with Stocchetto proudly. Modeling the clothes among other models.
The heart of the design is “Sbagliato” print on the shirts, caps and hoodies. It means “mistake” in Italian. The lucky mistake that made the bar famous and has found online fame since then.
It was 70s and Maurizio’s father Mirko Stocchetto was making a classic negroni when he poured a bottle of sparkling wine instead of a bottle of gin. This version of negroni was lighter in taste and many found it a lot more delicious. That was the start of “negroni sbagliato” and it is the centre of the collaborative collection.
Head over to the highnobiety website to have a look at the collection and purchase your favourite pieces.
