We thought we'd start this week in the chicest way possible – by featuring Tank magazine's Chief Executive and Fashion Director Caroline Issa. We caught up with Issa during her latest visit to New York for NYFW. Giving us the inside scoop about her new line at Nordstrom, having breakfast in Singapore and the future of e-commerce, Issa continuously reminded us why she's a street style star and a force to be reckoned with in fashion. She also continent-hopped for her ideal food day – need we say more?
Breakfast in Singapore, lunch in Beirut, afternoon tea in London and dinner in Tokyo.
I have my ups and downs. The thing that sets me up for the year is a one week detox at Viva Mayr in Austria – they serve delicious but seriously healthy, stripped back food that recalibrates your diet. And despite all the chocolate and coffee I have, I try to drink a lot of water.
I always do a full facial cleanse and long brushing of teeth – call it my Canadian ways. I love moisturizers and face oils so I spend a lot of time cleansing rather than putting make up on!
Could you tell us a bit about your new collection with Nordstrom?
We've just launched a collaborative line called Nordstrom Signature and Caroline Issa, full of accessible luxury essentials for your wardrobe – you'll find great tailoring, beautiful cashmere knits and fun patterned blouses and skirts – but it'll be a four-time-a-year collection drop, so something new is always around the corner!
There's a lot of talk about e-commerce versus brick and mortar retail. What are your thoughts on the future of retail?
I'm excited by the integration of print, digital and retail spaces! A few years ago we launched a visual recognition app called Fashion Scan that allows print magazine readers to scan ads, and get all of the content of print magazines and amazing editorial content on their mobile, or directed to the e-commerce link. And we've just used it on all our Nordstrom Signature and Caroline Issa labels, swing tags and posters in-store, so if you scan a label, you can get video and website content directly on your mobile device. It's an exciting time to integrate all three worlds seamlessly!
What do you think stores will look like in twenty years?
How do you personally like to shop?
Both in-store and online. And mainly via magazines – I still tear out pieces I want to buy!
As an editor, in an age of so much information, how do you sift through all the noise and decide what's relevant?
That's why I still love magazines. I rely on tastemakers and people with a point of view to guide me to new designers, new brands that I should be looking into. I find magazines and some key websites do this well.
What do you think the future of print is?
Exciting – scannable and shoppable and full of extra mobile content!
Something that is engaging, that I watch to the end and feel like I didn't waste my time on it.
If you could switch closets with one woman in the world, who would it be and why?
Jenna Lyons, because she always looks incredible! Jenna, are you reading this?!
Advice to women getting up, looking in the mirror and getting dressed?
Leave the house feeling great in whatever you have on. And bring some red lipstick with you!
It will ALL work out. Just keep working really, really hard for it.
In Seattle, Westward or Bar Sajor. In Tokyo, Tsukiji Jisaku. In Singapore, any food in Hawker Centre. And in Istanbul, The Adahan rooftop bar for breakfast.
Red lipstick, my kindle, gum, almonds and my Smythson little diary.
What designers would you like to see more of on the red carpet?
Christopher Kane, Emilia Wickstead, Tome, Barbara Casasola, Nicholas Oakwell and Jason Wu.
Furniture from 1stdibs.com, anything from Sacai, a Tod's leather jacket, a weekend in London and not on a plane, and a two-hour massage and facial. Much needed.
I can't cook, so I'd get my other half to cook. Pankaj Mishra, Corinne Bailey Rae, Anya Hindmarch, Alessandra Facchinetti and Paul Smith.
*Caroline Issa, photographed in at the Greenwich Hotel in New York, NY by Danielle Kosann. Caroline wears pieces from the Nordstrom Signature and Caroline Issa collection.