Rio de Janeiro is the ultimate summer city and so it made perfect sense for Issa designer Daniella Helayel to draw on her Brazilian roots for a samba-fuelled, sizzling Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The girl from Ipanema sashayed down the catwalk in a series of simple sundresses that fizzed with tropical colour – aqua blue, banana yellow, apple green – and lively prints. Short shorts and preppy sweaters, strapless sundresses and silky printed pyjamas all made for a relaxed, confident summer wardrobe that would be exactly what you’d want to wear on the beach or by the pool – and on into the night.
Luxurious flowing silk kaftans and evening dresses trimmed with gold and marabou had a touch of kitsch glamour about them – you could imagine Elizabeth Taylor wearing one while sipping a cocktail – but these were balanced by more demure, dainty dresses trimmed with broderie anglais and prim skirt suits. These are the pieces we could see Issa’s most famous fan, Catherine Middleton, choosing for official functions – the famous Issa wrap dresses, a sweet pink pleated tennis dress, neat little cardigans and a smattering of Stephen Jones-designed fascinators. A show highlight was a scribbled stripe sleeveless T-shirt dress in ice cream colours – it looked comfy and cute and perfect for throwing on after a day at the beach.
The models were styled like the ultimate Brazilian bombshell, Giselle, with big hair and tanned limbs and they worked the tiny printed bikinis and fringed mini dresses with confidence – eliciting a few cheers from the bank of photographers as they shimmied at the end of the catwalk. The audience seemed energized too – on a rainy autumnal night in London, this shot of pure Brazilian juice was just what the fashion pack needed.
Fashion Week 2011Jaeger Spring/Summer 2012
Ashish Spring/Summer 2012
