International Social Security Association (Q4567)
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Association of national welfare agencies
- AISS
- ISSA
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | International Social Security Association |
Association of national welfare agencies |
|
Statements
The pulsing strains of Die Antwoord reverberated through Issa’s London show space today, the first indication that creative directorJamie O’Harewas looking at his “nature girl” through a somewhat twisted lens for Spring, only his second runway outing for the label. Name-checking films likeDistrict 9andTronbackstage, he described the blown-up details lavished across cocktail dresses and Resort separates as both futuristic and organic—an altogether chilly segue for a brand built on graphic eveningwear, yet one he tempers with swathes of delicate texture and shine.A slew of opening looks paired flat planes of white silk crepe against an encrusted latticework of metallic embroidery, transforming the designer’s abstract research of stem cell structures into glistening cocktail fare. Later, body-con knits came tiered in black and white bands of lacing and plastic eyelets, creating eye-catching frills and multilayered contours that hugged in all the right places. Balancing that stricter offering, flattering tank dresses fell into handkerchief hems that matched the delicate butterfly effect of lace jersey caftans in cerulean and optic white fractals—their swirling, architectural prints later morphing into an unfortunate trippy tie-dye that slowed the momentum of an otherwise appealing minimalist streak. It preceded the monotony of slinky wrap dresses that followed—draped concoctions in sheer self-stripe silk, “space doughnut” prints, and bands of aquarelles that will slip easily into the summer party circuit, though with little fanfare. Pieces like Lily Donaldson’s floor-length gown, however (its circuit of jacquard trailed with white lozenges), spoke a little louder of Issa’s raison d’être: no-nonsense glamour with a bold, feminine allure.
20 September 2015
Five years ago, Kate Middleton wore an Issa dress for her engagement pictures and made the brand famous. Today, the Duchess of Cambridge has moved on from Issa—she doesn't wear it much, if at all, anymore—and Issa is moving on, too. But not entirely. The sixth look in this collection is "The Kate Middleton" but with a higher hem, deeper neckline, encrustations of beading, and two smallish but very much in situ shoulder pads. Shoulder pads! On a Kate Middleton? "She will always be there," said creative director Jamie O'Hare, "but it will be a different take each season."Overall, Resort finds the brand evolving from a wrap-dress and print-jersey specialist into something with a heftier commercial depth of field. O'Hare said: "I'm trying to stay close to what Issa is. And it's quite fun, actually, limiting yourself. To what I can do with jersey, what I can do with a twist, what I can do with drape, a wrap—because what you can do is endless." True, but there were new elements here, like jersey jacquard, among reflections on the old—the distorted animal print, the mega-worked embroidery, the engineered caftans. The prissy respectability of Issa is being redeveloped into something that will suit a brasher, bolder flavor of princess.
15 June 2015
So let's not sugar the pill: Several of the fringed dresses here were almost as reminiscent of the closing section of Stella McCartney's Fall '14 show as Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" is of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." And there were readable samplings of Kane and Cavalli—alongside several others—too. But you know, maybe we get overly het up in fashion over sampling, homaging, or whatever you want to call the ongoing crowd-sourced algorithm of fashion—which is, after all, a consensus-led dialogue. It was notable that there was not a single memorable cold-weather piece in this debut collection by Jamie O'Hare, who worked under Blue Farrier during her bright but brief tenure at Issa.Sexy, commercial, andrecognizable: O'Hare mixed abstracted jacquard animal patterns, that hello-again fringing, tricksily-everywhere hem complications, and sometimes unfortunate splits that left a bolt of cloth trailing back between the wearer's legs as she walked. Some of the pattern, said the press notes, was based on aerial photography of a racetrack in Bahrain: More tellingly, it communicated that this collection aimed to be "polished rather than bohemian." And it was. Farrier's soft-focus Super 8 wistfulness was cast asunder in favor of a pretty efficient mixtape of relevant tropes for party girls, styled with signaturephwoarrby Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou, whose other clients include Victoria's Secret. It looked like other things, but this Issa collection was just about itself, too.
22 February 2015
Issa is currently without a creative director, since Blue Farrier left recently after only a year at the helm. Usually in these situations, the in-house design team is expected to just stay the course, but for Pre-Fall, they went a little further. A touch of Farrier's quirky, whimsical approach was preserved, but a new elegance was also introduced, perhaps riskily: With the comings and goings of creative directors, Issa's aesthetic has varied from one season to the next, potentially challenging its customers. References today were varied: There was Japan via obi belts, and prints inspired by abstract florals and industrial cogs. A strong bonded fabric gave structure to a dress and jumpsuit, and a boiled wool coat and a chic, Sherlock Holmes-esque trenchcoat felt refined.The caftan is a mainstay for Issa, partially because of its numerous Middle Eastern customers (its Saudi shop is set to open soon): For Pre-Fall, it became a statement evening piece rather than a beach cover-up via some clever darting—a technique seen on a number of looks. In a sign of what's next for the brand, stylist Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou has been tapped to produce the Fall show, and her exuberance was echoed in a black-and-navy gown with fan pleats that splayed out pleasingly as the model walked in it.
7 January 2015
For Spring, Issa's Blue Farrier mixed an equine theme with Pop Art references, which came through in a lot of black-and-white geometric curve patterns—a welcome leftover from her experimentation with geometric prints last season. The opening look was a crisp white shift dress with sheer organza detailing (a recurrent theme) on the yoke and a black undulating print on the bottom half. That motif was used on numerous pieces, from culottes to skirts and tops. A blouse with sheer sleeves, paired with trousers in a mismatched pattern, gave off an intriguing, almost ventricular look. There were also some tiny triangle cutouts on blouses, which have been a recurring theme during LFW.The horse motif was introduced through a repeating linear inky-blue pattern of the animals in mid-trot, with their heads down. It appeared again on high-waisted skirts and crop tops that showed only a hint of skin. Presumably the long piece of silk attached to the bust area on a dress was meant to resemble a horse's tail. Farrier's use of pleating (which was a successful part of last season) and flowing organza created a nice sense of movement in the clothes, which swished as they came down the runway.Color came via subtle peach and jolts of brighter hues—pink on a pair of trousers; a tangerine tank top with a white pleated hem; a retina-burning fuchsia half-back kimono-style top with trousers. Most of the looks were shown with flat black shoes, nearly pool slides, so the vibe was relaxed, slouchy, and boyish, with some sex appeal derived from the transparent cutouts and splices of skin. It seems strange to mention Issa without bringing up the jersey fit-and-flare dresses the line is known for, but while there was jersey, Farrier is clearly trying to expand Issa's repertoire and show she's no one-trick pony.
15 September 2014
Unlike the rest of London's fashion professionals, Issa's creative director, Blue Farrier, has not yet seen theHenri Matisse: The Cut-Outsexhibition at Tate Modern, which was surprising, because it looked like the painter lived in Issa Resort 2014. It wasn't just the collection's floral and painterly ways that evoked the grand master; there were also echoes of Matisse's cutouts into painted paper, a technique he was forced to use when ill health prevented him from painting.Farrier spliced cutout flowers on a fil coupe base, an effect made even more remarkable because the fabric, a concoction of silk, nylon, and cotton, crunched like parchment paper. It was a jolting statement that appeared on blouses and a standout white coat. Farrier was influenced by the grande dames of art and sculpture: "I was intrigued by Picasso's muse, the painter Françoise Gilot, and I wondered where she and other influential female artists like Barbara Hepworth or Niki de Saint Phalle would holiday, and how they would dress there," said the designer. Thus the south of France became part of Farrier's thoughts, most visible in an ocean-wave motif. The wave appeared as details on culottes, took the shape of a peplum on a jacket, was used as a print, and was even an undulating sleeve detail on the "Kate Middleton" dress. Farrier also continued the exploration of knife pleats she began last season: A crisp white silk pleated blouse, made extraordinary through its simplicity, will appeal to the intellectual, thoughtful kind of woman Farrier referenced. That customer will also appreciate the more structured looks and muted colors of blush lavender and monochrome that Farrier used.The designer had a playful moment by turning the ocean wave into the "royal wave": Little hands that were waving regally appeared as a print and as dozens of little acrylic hands in bright colors that hung off sleeves and collars. On the collection's showpiece, a floaty white silk organza dress, the hands were laser cut and half-appliquéd on, leaving the other half to wave around, creating texture and depth. If the "Royal Wave" was a tribute to Farrier's most famous customer, the Duchess of Cambridge, it was done in a humorous, ironic way that felt very English. Despite its Brazilian roots, Issa is an English label, and in a few weeks it will hit Liberty for the first time, on the British floor.
But the Issa girl still loves the tropics and travel, and the collection is anchored by exuberantly colored, embellished caftans, jumpsuits, and fit-and-flare dresses. One of Farrier's goals is to please the brand's loyal clientele while drawing in an entirely new fan base. With this collection, she should create some pretty big waves.
3 June 2014
Pre-Fall was Blue Farrier's first collection for Issa, and it's obvious that it was simply a warm-up for what she did today for Fall 2014, namely hitting it out of the park. It's also obvious that Chloé-trained Farrier knows there's only so long a brand can trade off of a silk jersey wrap dress—DVF owns that anyway, and there's not much room in fashion for another patent holder. From the first look out, it was clear Farrier was pulling back from all that.Her reference was memories of an eccentric old relative's house—a herringbone parquet floor, linoleum, broken mosaics, and a general feeling of old world-ness. Herringbone zigzags came out via wild stripes on a blanket shawl, a silk Issey Miyake-like pleated skirt, and an extraordinary top and trouser suit. The broken mosaic theme shone beautifully via a nubby wool coat, a jumpsuit with scalloped edges—and a silk jersey dress. Instead of doing endless takes on that piece, Farrier underplayed it: There was one in a pebble print, and a gown version but with black and white flowers that were plasticized onto the sleeves. Somehow it seemed more modern and sophisticated than previous versions, and, beautiful though it was, it didn't take top billing. The standout piece was a simple black silk dress with scalloped edging—an upgrade on the LBD.Farrier gave equal billing to both fabric and silhouette. There was flocking, hand-knitting, plasticizing, and delicate hand-beading, and all the shapes were well thought-out: statement shoulders, kimono sleeves, and precise masculine cuffs on blouses, plus flirty little touches like oversize bows and crystal badges on coats. It had been apparent that change was on the horizon for Issa, but it hadn't been clear it would be this good and this fast.
16 February 2014
For her first official collection as creative director of Issa, it would have been easy for Blue Farrier to stick to the script of wrap dresses, jewel-box colors, and a holiday vibe. Instead, she injected some British eccentricity into the brand known for its Brazilian exuberance—first by adding a bit of menswear to the lineup. A white shirt with tuxedo and suspender detailing and a flirty tank top and skirt with grosgrain-ribbon trim borrowed directly from the boys. Polka-dot sleeve details (taken from a man's cravat) added interest to a silk jersey dress, while a slouchy pajama-style tuxedo suit had a louche seventies vibe. And a thick peplum top with detachable cuff sleeves constructed from a high-powered Lycra was the result of Farrier's efforts to up the quality of fabric beyond the Issa mainstay of silk jersey. "I wanted to show that we can do the fun Issa thing, but also that sharp tailoring and superior fabrics can be present as well."London's posh Mayfair neighborhood was another inspiration for Farrier—she was parachuted there out of her normal office for the first few weeks of her tenure and landed in a Park Lane spot belonging to company chairwoman Camilla Al Fayed. As she is a South East London girl, the area was so different for her—and charmed her so much—that she worked it into the collection. Illustrations of stately Georgian homes and the trellises, urns, and stone dogs that adorn many of their doorsteps turned up as a tiny print on silk skirts and blouses.Farrier also updated the Issa classics: The now famous "Kate Middleton" dress had a lower waist, pockets, and roll neck. The signature fit-and-flare dress that is the brand's top seller was done in a spunky new jacquard. The designer took risks with her color palette, too. Not everyone is going to wear a turmeric or mustard suit or a shiny gold bullion-colored blouse. This lineup was not safe or shy, but the good news for Farrier is neither is the Issa customer. With this collection, she has well and truly made her point: Things are gonna change around here.
9 January 2014
Issa is still in between creative directors. Blue Farrier, formerly of Chloé and Stella McCartney, will make her big reveal for pre-fall. The mandate for the label's in-house design team this season was simply to stay the ship. The good news is that they expanded the repertoire a bit, but think baby steps rather than bold leaps.Ancient Egypt was Spring's starting point, and it came through in the Eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection. The eye print turned up on a long caftan as well as on a ribbed jacquard skater dress, which, believe it or not, is the brand's top seller, even over the Kate Middleton engagement frock. A jeweled neckline that mimicked the headdresses of the pharaohs channeled Ramses and Nefertiti inThe Ten Commandments, while scarab, sphinx, and snake prints carried the theme through. Peridot, coral, lapis, and garnet, plus gold Lurex threading that worked particularly well on a series of dresses, were everywhere. In that sense, it was classic Issa: a riot of joyous colors.Where the collection advanced was in a simple lace shift dress in a fascinatingly sturdy waxed thread, and a series of appealing looks in cotton piqué. A new wrap blouse is likely to appeal to fans, as will an uncomplicated shorts and top set that screamed for a sunny destination and a mai tai. The Issa client remains a sun-seeking socialite, traveling to the brightest of international hot spots. This was a safe collection with a few new bells and whistles to keep it interesting. We'll have to wait for Farrier's debut to see if the Issa girl becomes more than just a one-dimensional hedonist.
21 October 2013
Just a few weeks ago, Issa founder Daniella Helayel announced her departure from the London-based label she founded, and Chloé alum Blue Farrier was installed as the new creative director. This year's Resort collection got lost in the middle of the changes, with neither designer available to speak about it.A few quotes from the design team explained that this season was influenced by "the romantic, sun-drenched shores of Capri and the rich marine life of its tranquil sapphire seas." Helayel's work for Issa was grounded in her colorful Brazilian background, and that was still evident at times here. Many prints used what felt like every color of the rainbow: Some looked good; others, including an "under-the-sea" design resplendent with fish, coral, and the like more appropriate for Boca Raton than Capri, looked less so.In 2011, retail royal Camilla Al Fayed took a 51 percent stake in Issa, urging its expansion by capitalizing on the support of Kate Middleton. That strategy will work for a while, but eventually people tire of a certain look—in this case, Middleton's favorite wrap dress, which featured heavily in the collection. It'll be interesting to see what Farrier brings to the table, and if she's able to maintain the brand's very specific DNA while moving it forward.
10 June 2013
"The glamour girl decided to wipe off her makeup, go on a trek to the desert, and get some fresh air," Daniella Helayel said backstage at the Fall Issa show. Tapestry prints, geometric jackets, and glam wool felt fedoras with three-foot feather twills will all appeal to the Issa girl—a representation of whom appeared in the front row via the girl group the Saturdays. Yet pare it down and there was some really hard work at play: A jacquard knit turned out to be less sloppy, more structural. A heavy crepe de chine dress in a burnt orange with cut mirrors and crystals was a tour de force of embroidery. The curly Mongolian jackets and the boxy tapestry jackets all cried out for an open fire beneath the night sky.In essence, this collection was all about the Issa woman on a spiritual retreat, cloaked in some high-luxe comfort. And all that is well and good, but don't forget that an Issa woman comes back from her retreat and re-toxes, and for that she needs some high-wattage glamour—think of the royal clients, after all. For them there were a red silk jersey gown (an Issa mainstay) and a "smoldering ember"-printed caftan with beaded fringe collar. Then there was a standout jade green maxi dress with gold Lurex threads that had models like Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn pausing to take a closer look backstage.Since Camilla Al Fayed bought 51 percent of the company in 2011, Issa has turned into a juggernaut with no signs of abatement: The label's first shop opens in Tokyo in a few weeks, followed by Brazil in June. Helayel tells us this is her first collection that she feels is truly "directional," and indeed, if that direction is toward the cash register, Issa is certainly moving fast.
15 February 2013
"Goddess." Daniella Helayel was unequivocal in her description of the woman who inspired her new collection. With Malcolm Edwards' orchid-wrapped hairstyles and Val Garland's glossy-lipped maquillage offering sterling support, Helayel's female deity could have slithered straight off one of those Roxy Music covers that defined sophisticated womanly allure in the seventies. That was both a strength and a weakness. As seductive as the vision Helayel presented on the catwalk was, it was essentially one note: entrance-making va-voom. Though the designer was quick to say there were more workaday looks back in the showroom, the suspicion will always linger that Issa is fundamentally about that one note. That's because Brazilian-to-the-last-pore-of-her-honeyed-skin Helayel nails it so convincingly. As she herself said with a gust of laughter, "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl."Issa's first foray into the digital world covered floating georgette caftans with huge prints of an Amazonian Garden of Eden. Tiered full-length smocks could pass for rain-forest hostess wear. A gown draped over one shoulder and a halterneck jumpsuit were edgier—Sharon Stone inCasino, say. Another gown, also halternecked and printed in a negative image of dark green leaves, hinted at dramatic shadows in the eternal sunshine of Helayel's Edenic Brazil. It was all the better for such depth.
14 September 2012
Andy, is that you? For Resort, Issa printed its signature jersey wrap dresses and silk caftans with yellow-haired caricatures of Warhol in tribute to the hedonistic Studio 54 years. Designer Daniella Issa Helayel recently wore the collection-opening pleated silk gown—Andy pattern and all—to the Serpentine summer party. Other fun prints inspired by Warhol included a Technicolor zebra, tiny butterflies, and a miniature portrait of Elvis, which didn't make it into the lookbook but certainly made a splash on one of the label's bikinis. The most wearable and sellable pieces, however, were the simpler ones. Flattering knit dresses with kicky flared skirts and newly introduced stretch cotton jeans are the kinds of easy pieces that have earned the London label fans like Kate and Pippa Middleton.
28 June 2012
Marching in step with a couple of today's other shows that also plumbed the rich detail found east of Germany, Daniella Issa Helayel's show notes spoke of a Trans-Siberian journey from Moscow to Beijing. She began on a promising note, hitting the head-to-toe print trend—a touch on the late side, but it's still going—in dresses layered over coordinating leggings. Some models also had printed scarves tied around their heads like modernmatryoshkas. And when you added in sturdy navy ribbed knits and tall brown leather harness boots, it all had a horsey-chic snap to it. But back to the journey: This is an itinerary that's ripe for cliché and for confusion. For instance, Chinese model Liu Wen wore a swirly paisley-printed dress with kimono sleeves and a fur hat—a look that was telegraphing a mishmash of messages. And dresses with little caps of fur trim on the sleeves worn with the odd addition of velvet leggings seemed to take the idea of Siberian eveningwear a bit literally. That said, the model in the sheer black tulle flapper dress with only a handful of gold sequins for propriety certainly could have used a pair. In the midst of this theme turned slightly awry, a single unadorned princess coat looked out of place. You'd have to literally live on Mars to miss the way it evoked thoughts of Helayel's most famed client, Kate Middleton. Purpose served.
17 February 2012
Is Pippa coming? That was the burning question pre-Issa. (She wasn't, because she was reportedly at a wedding.) But along with the U.K.'s most famed sister and the new Duchess of Cambridge, there's another glossy Brit It girl attached to the brand—Camilla Al Fayed, who bought a majority stake in the label last summer and is now its chairwoman.Backstage, designer Daniella Issa Helayel gushed about the new management: "She's so inspiring. And she brings access to the best of the best." Truer words were never spoken. Al Fayed attended with her father, former Harrods' owner Mohamed Al Fayed, in tow. The Middleton-Al Fayed synergy means Issa could be poised for serious expansion, which makes the question of whether these perfectly nice, flattering dresses merit over 40 looks on a runway a moot point.This season's theme tapped into Helayel's native Rio de Janeiro, which gave you pineapple and palm leaf prints on little suits and dresses—some in crisp woven cotton, new ground for the jersey girl. The motif also decked out swimwear and cover-ups, the former a necessity if you're celebrating the international bikini capital. What Pippa-ites, Camilla-ites (and any girl looking for a well-priced pretty dress) will clamor to buy: those frocks in white eyelet and black and metallic lace.
16 September 2011
Daniella Issa Helayel was all smiles backstage before showing the collection she dubbed Celebration—a nod to the fact that it's been ten years since she designed her first print and dress. Helayel didn't say it, but there's also the good fortune of being spotlit by Kate Middleton inthat dress, i.e., the one the princess-to-be wore when announcing her engagement to Prince William. After being prompted, the designer related that Net-a-Porter sold out their 380-unit order of the royal blue frock, and that pre-fall sales were up 60 percent.And that's where Middleton Mania ends for Helayel. Her muses for this collection, possibly her best ever, have a more sensual and evocative approach to fashion. "It's Giovanna Battaglia meets Andrea Dellal," Helayel said. Both were literally present as well. Battaglia acted as stylist, bringing new refinement via her own quirky sophistication to Helayel's tried-and-true dresses, while Dellal triumphantly closed the show in a backless red column.Where last season Helayel swore off prints, here they were back in full force, many of them revivals of favorites from the past decade. But the jersey girl pushed her material of choice into new territory, adding a heavier-weight knit fabric that draped nicely in chic skater dresses and cigarette pants. When tailored into a lovely lipstick red fit-and-flare coat, it was royally good.
18 February 2011
With all respect to Diana Vreeland, pink is not the navy blue of India. A whole spectrum of saturated hues—fuchsia, turquoise, royal blue, emerald green, safety orange—hold near-equal status. For her Spring collection, Daniella Issa Helayel joined the crowded ranks of designers who've been inspired by the mythic colors of the subcontinent, using almost all of the above.This label built its buzz on prints, but there were few of those here. Instead, Helayel chose to build the collection, called Indian Summer, on solid silks in vaguely sari-inspired cocktail frocks and gowns. "You can't see the details if you have too much print," she explained backstage. Said details encompassed two kinds of drapes: either tightly gathered pleats that sometimes wrapped corsetlike around the waist, or a fluid variety that was tucked here and there to create various silhouettes—strapless, asymmetrical, halter, short, long.Helayel sought to underline her theme with turbans, jeweled sandals, and chandelier earrings, but after a few looks, the idea became repetitive. Dresses in white broderie anglaise and colored lace were a more welcome sight. Helayel's not John Galliano, and has no pretensions to such exotic realizations. But while she delivered her quotient of pretty, easy-to-wear dresses for the front-row crew of Lily Allen, Poppy Delevingne, and Amber Rose, the show didn't quite have the punch you'd expect, given its color scheme.
20 September 2010
If one is to judge a label by its front row—which is, after all, the point of the front row—what on earth to make of Issa? Its prime seating section proudly showcased the likes of Peaches Geldof and Pippa Middleton, sister of Kate, girlfriend of Prince William. In other words, English girls famous for their relatives.Likewise, there is a distinct sense that Daniella Issa Helayel's label is struggling to find its own way—at least on the evidence of today's collection, which teetered between smart clothes for grown women and overly embellished flotsam and jetsam for It girls. The latter may have brought Issa initial attention in its early days, but Helayel should start focusing on the former, because, to go by what was on the runway, that is where her strengths actually lie.There was a lovely middle section of plain gray wool dresses that were a lot sexier and smarter than they sound. The quilted jackets with sequined shoulder pads on the outside, however, were not. Similarly, the best dress of the bunch was probably a long, plain deep burgundy number that came toward the end of the show. Yet the completely beaded version of the same style that followed nearly ruined the memory of its chicer predecessor. What's more, it was worn with ankle boots. Ankle boots? With a long dress? That suggested Helayel also needs to move on from her current stylist if she wants to take her label to the next, cooler, less Geldof-ed level.
22 February 2010
The ants that scurried around Daniella Issa Helayel's invitation to her latest show for Issa were a witty appetizer for one of the show's themes (tropical paradises), and they were also one of the key motifs running through the clothes. Those trails of ants were printed or embroidered on a handful of the party dresses that have made Issa the go-to label for good-time girls, Naomi Campbell included—she stalked the catwalk in a silk jersey halter. Rain-forest exotica also inspired an anthurium print, which Helayel covered with sequins. For the finale, she duplicated the flower in a green column lined in red. The designer's chiffon caftan, mini djellaba, and cape-backed shift dress were uncomplicated yet sophisticated shapes, tailored and colored for a glamorous life. Hey, the same notion built an empire for Emilio Pucci.
19 September 2009
Daniella Issa Helayel really knows how to make a splash: whether by casting the mercurial Naomi Campbell in her Spring 2009 show or dashing about London town in a customized black cab. It came as no surprise, then, that the expatriate Brazilian dived right into the swing of things when she arrived in New York to present Resort for the first time. Taking over a room with a view at the just-opened Standard, she set up a well-stocked bar as well as a DJ booth manned by Harley Viera-Newton."Cruise is perfect for Americans—they love holidays," explained the designer as models with aqua-lined eyes strode by in the mismatched bikinis that are one of Issa's personal favorites from the lineup. Recent trips to the Maldives and Tahiti inspired abstracted prints that mostly came in deep jewel tones. "I wanted it to be uplifting," Helayel said of her collection, and it was.
10 June 2009
The models' hair and makeup made them look like Roxy Music cover girls, but I dialed forward a decade to Duran Duran's "Rio," not just because Issa queen-pin Daniella Helayel is Brazilian, but because the clothes looked like the kind of easy, draped, dramatic pieces that might have been worn by party girls in the eighties. That decade's confident brashness could be traced through the zebra-print blouson, the fire-engine red blouse and cherry skirt, the jumpsuit with beaded zebra-patterned bodice and straps, and the graphic black and white tunic over leggings. So far, so logical. Except that Helayel had actually been looking at monks' robes! (Issa's always been a hard habit to break for Helayel's front row of firm, pouting beauties.) So the draped goddess dresses were, in fact, a carnal twist on the outfits worn by men of God. Likewise the black dress that gathered on one hip and the hood on a black velvet jacket delicately traced with beading. Any one of these outfits would turn the head of the local padre. A BrazilianThorn Birds? Well, that's one of the more intriguing narratives of the week.
22 February 2009
The front row wedged tight with actresses, heiresses, princesses, and the Dellal women immediately had the antennae twitching. What has Daniella Helayel been doing to snare such a constituency? One thing was immediately obvious: She hasn't been making too many demands on them. The Issa show offered a random grab bag of easy, fluid shapes in light, floating fabrics. The parade of girlishly sweet white dresses at the finale were Helayel's "lucky" dresses—her best-sellers—and they looked prepped for partying on Copacabana come New Year's Eve. That's what Issa is all about—feel-good clothes for the live-fast set.A broderie anglaise smock top, a royal-blue peasant dress, or a poufy-sleeved chiffon gown with an elasticated neckline somehow suggested something Zorro's gal pal might wear. Issa's roots are, after all, Latin. But Helayel also laid on an international gloss: a white halter-neck jumpsuit, a silver silk skirt with a banded knit top in the same shade. And was that the skort beloved of Marc Jacobs? As Helayel made her way down the runway at the show's end, the Issalites cheered. The secret of her success may simply be that she lives their life, knows their needs—and that's a business right there.
17 September 2008