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.
