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.
