The fashion duo Christopher Brooke and Bruno Basso established the label Basso & Brooke in 2002, gaining worldwide reputation in 2004 after winning the Fashion Fringe Award, as well as the Elle Style Best New Designer Award in 2006. Since 2005 they have maintained a regular presence within the international fashion scene, showing their collections at London Fashion Week as well as in Moscow, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Shanghai. Bruno was born in Brazil and trained in graphic art, and Christopher was born Nottingham, training in fashion design. Their individual backgrounds have developed into a confident and signature style recognized for the application of digital print within textiles.

The graphic prints tend to be the most striking aspect of the garments and their interest in new applications in digital print pushes the aesthetic. Through the fabric they style and couple basic patterns with more elaborate designs, creating a unique vibrancy which reflects the combination of the two designer’s cultural backgrounds. These patterns and prints also tend to be inspired by different cultures, for example Spring Summer ‘09 collection echoed Japanese culture, with motifs and floral print tailored on a sheer and delicate choice of fabric.

In October 2009 Basso & Brooke spent ten days on a research tour of Uzbekistan, commissioned by the British Council and coinciding with Uzbek Fashion Week. During their tour they spent three days working with weavers at the Yodgorlik Silk Mill in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan. They were joined by Ruth Greany, textile designer at Woven Studio, who worked with Basso & Brooke to design unique black and white Ikat prints which have been produced exclusively for them. All of the fabrics were digitally printed, in the pair’s characteristic style and incorporated into a collection inspired by their experiences in Uzbekistan.

The label has worked with the Italian manufacturing company Aeffi. They have also collaborated with Turning Leaf Wines to create a bespoke range of furniture and home accessories, ranging from a drinks cabinet to silk cushions. Each item draws influence from the palette of the Californian wine-makers vineyards, and demonstrates couples colourful flair and trademark digitally printed silk technique.

In 2009 Basso & Brooke were nominated for the Brit Insurance Design of the Year for their Spring Summer ‘09 collection.

16 June - 24 August 2010 Basso & Brooke - Adventures on the Silk Road exhibition in the Design Museum Tank and atrium.

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Basso & Brooke website

For more information on British design and architecture go to Design in Britain, the online archive run as a collaboration between the Design Museum and British Council, at designmuseum.org/designinbritain