Fashionable Tribute: Joan Rivers Honored With Moment Of Silence By Longtime Friend, Designer Dennis Basso
Sept. 9 2014, Published 1:08 p.m. ET
Ongoing tributes for beloved comic Joan Rivers took a turn for the catwalk on Monday, as designer Dennis Basso dedicated his New York Fashion Week show at the Lincoln Center in memory of the comedy legend, who died last week at 81.
Requesting a moment of silence for the fallen Fashion Police host, Basso told a crowd (which included Jada Pinkett Smith) that Rivers “was one of my dearest, closest friends.
“Joan was at my first show 23 years ago, and was always front row whenever she was in New York,” he told more than 1,000 attendees. “Fifteen years ago, Joan was the finale of my show in a floor-length Russian sable coat."
Rivers and Basso, 59, had also collaborated on “Joan Rivers & Dennis Basso: Designing Duo,” a QVC program.
He recalled to the NY Daily News a meeting he’d had with the comedienne just two days before the vocal chord procedure in which she fell ill.
Watch the video on RadarOnline.com:
youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5RS5MnIsnE&w=560&h=315
“It really touches me to think that this was with her during her last days,” he said. “I’ll miss her honesty. I’ll never forget, we were in a dressing room together and I looked into the mirror and I said, ‘You know, Joan, I think I maybe want to get my eyes done.’ And she said, ‘You know what, honey, when you’re there about your eyes, have them work on your neck a little bit.’
“So this was pure Joan. You have to love her, she’s unbelievable.”