Yasmin Le Bon and Andrea Dellal prove Issa's not just for young royals on the catwalk at London Fashion Week
She's a favourite with Kate Middleton and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but Daniela Helayel proved that her Issa label had a wider appeal at her London Fashion Week Show yesterday.
Veteran models Andrea Dellal and Yasmin Le Bon, 46, brought the house down as they took to the catwalk at Somerset House.
Both more than held their own next to the other girls on the runway, even though both are old enough to have grown-up model daughters of their own.
Mrs Dellal's red evening gown echoed the cut of the now-famous blue dress that Miss Middleton wore to announce her engagement to Prince William.Mrs Le Bon, who was supported by her Duran Duran star husband Simon and daughter Tallulah, 16, in the front row, showed two outfits for the designer - the first a silky tie-waisted brown blouse with a sexy plunging neckline with a printed pencil skirt.Her second was a floaty printed kaftan - perfect for Issa's privileged fan base that is more likely to spend autumn/winter 2011 in St Barts than Balham.Shoe designer Charlotte Dellal, daughter of Andrea, and model Josephine de la Baume, who recently got engaged to musician Mark Ronson, were also in the audience.
Speaking after the show, Ms Helayel admitted that she would gladly dress the royal bride-to-be 'for the rest of her life.'She also spoke of her pride at one of her dresses being chosen for the moment Kate and Prince William officially announced their engagement.'I was extremely flattered,' she said. 'I was very honoured that she chose to wear Issa on such an important day.'But the Brazilian-born designer remained tight-lipped on who would be designing Miss Middleton's wedding dress.All she would say was: 'She knows what suits her.' 
Her much-anticipated show opened to disco classic Young Hearts Run Free as models wearing sleek ponytails showed her Seventies-inspired collection, for which Ms Helayel said she raided her archives.
Her flirty, floaty signature frocks came in a fresh array of colourful prints in light-as-air fabrics.
Several models sported military-inspired hats designed by Stephen Jones.
Ms Helayel said she designs her clothes with a well-travelled woman in mind.
She said: 'The Issa woman travels a lot and moves and doesn't like to take care of the clothes - the clothes need to be ready always. They are clothes to go anywhere.'
Miss Middleton's endorsement of the Issa label has helped Ms Helayel to expand her British-based operation globally.
She is planning to open six stores in Brazil, with a possible expansion to New York as well.
Around 200 UK and international designers are taking part in London Fashion Week which launched yesterday.
Other high-profile designers to show include Burberry, Mulberry, Julien Macdonald and Vivienne Westwood, who is taking to the Royal Courts of Justice tomorrow evening for her collection.
Later in the week, Tom Ford will be showing his womenswear collection in London for the first time.
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