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.
