Isabel Llanza

I started studying Interior Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, but ultimately decided to dedicate myself to fashion and moved to Paris to work in the Saint Laurent press showroom. After completing my Fashion Styling degree at the Marangoni Institute in London, I began working as a stylist at Vogue Spain, where I stayed for five years. At the end of 2020, I left to become a freelance stylist and focus on Isita.

Biography

What is Isita? And where does your passion for the world of decoration come from?

Isita is a digital platform for home decor. At Isita, we create a universe, editorials, and aim to inspire people to buy a feeling: it might land on a napkin, a glass, or an antique. My interest in aesthetics comes from my family. We're a family that's very interested in and concerned with things, and that's reflected in my work: first as a fashion stylist and now launching Isita with my mother, Isabel López-Quesada (an interior designer). Everything I know, I know from her. She's taught me to have a critical eye, to appreciate beautiful things, to see the world with a different perspective… I've always accompanied her on many site visits, work trips, and to meet with suppliers… I'm curious, I've always asked a lot of questions, and she tells me about her projects, her ideas, and how everything works, and I try to give her my opinion. My mother has always told me that it's important to keep your eyes open, that you can find inspiration in a smell, a pattern, a color, a painting… In everyday life, she makes everything pleasant and beautiful, making you want to stop time, and with Isita I try to find that feeling: lighting the fireplace in winter and feeling that cozy feeling, or that it smells good when you enter the house, always having fresh flowers, pleasant background music or simply the sound of the fountain in the patio while having dinner with friends at home.

What role does your mother play in this project? And what does it mean to you to work with her?

My mother is one half of Isita. No product, editorial, or article is published without her input. Working with her means learning something new every day; we're constantly sharing ideas and figuring out what we can do next. "My mother makes everything beautiful. She makes you want to stop time. I try to create that same feeling with Isita."

What values ​​define the brand? And what is their relationship to timelessness, craftsmanship, and sustainability?

We are a responsible brand concept; we want to be as transparent as possible with our suppliers, our product, where we make it, and how we make it. We seek out authentic, local, artisan suppliers. Environmental responsibility is very important to me, and we are trying to minimize the use of plastic at Isita. This applies from the moment the products are sent to us, through our packaging, to our choice of shipping company. We want Isita to be a brand that lasts forever, for our products to be timeless and have a second life. For example, the glass from our candle can be reused as a drinking glass, a pencil holder, or in the bathroom. The candle sleeves are made from fabric scraps and can then be used for travel, to store jewelry, and more.

What or who inspires you when creating new designs? And what is your most special piece and why?

In everything, really! From pieces we've always had at home, to those in films, travels, textures, and colors… Each product has a different process! My favorite pieces are the vase collaboration we did with Ladio Ceramics. It's a collection of 33 unique pieces that can be used every day or displayed as works of art! They have an incredible and special design. The home fragrance collection is also amazing; the process is very different from what we're used to, and I love how a scent can transport you. In November, we launched our second fragrance, called Biarritz.

What qualities must a piece have to be part of Isita?

Isita's products are elegant and timeless, yet we strive to keep up-to-date with materials and styles. We play with prints, colors, scents, textures… Each piece must have a story and personality…

“We want Isita to be a brand for life, for our products to be timeless and have a double life.”

Relationship with beauty:

What is beauty to you and what connection does it have with your creative side?

I'm a Libra, so beauty in all its forms is very important to me, from my personal life to my professional life. Aesthetics are very important to me, and I try to take good care of myself personally (exercising, eating well, following a beauty routine, choosing my clothes, etc.). But even when I host a dinner party or invite friends over, I want everything to be as perfect as possible. All of this is then reflected in my work at Isita and in my work as a freelance stylist.

How is beauty reflected in Isita? And in your daily life?

The truth is, everything. From the brand identity, which Wozere created for us, to the website design, the art direction of the photos, and finally, the product design. We take care of every last detail: from the packaging to the flowers we have in the office... Isita's office is in my mother's interior design studio, so beauty is a constant presence. We work with the windows open in the summer to listen to the fountain, to nature... We're always updating our workspace to keep up with the latest products we receive.

Who are your beauty icons?

I don't have a specific beauty icon; I admire many people for different things! I try to learn and surround myself with people who inspire me. My mother is my general beauty role model; she's taught me to take care of myself inside and out, but above all, to love myself as I am and to be confident. I admire my friends Pino and Isabel from Plantarse when it comes to nutrition, my aunt Sofia López-Quesada recommends new products or treatments, and I have many friends I admire in the world of sports.

What's the best beauty advice you've ever received?

You are what you eat. Since I was little, my mother instilled in me that nutrition is very important for looking and feeling good, inside and out. For the past few years, I've done a 10-day cleanse twice a year with a macrobiotic diet and try to stay healthy the rest of the year. Over the years, I've realized that everything is connected; everything you give your body will be reflected in it, for better or for worse, so I try to take the best possible care of myself.

Beauty Questionnaire:

What is your morning routine?

I wash my face with soap, then use a lotion and toner to balance my skin's pH. After that, I apply serum, eye cream, and moisturizer: I use Schrammek's Special Regulating Cream. Every morning, I apply moisturizer all over my body and oil to any marks or scars. If my face looks tired, I use flash ampoules. I also do a 20-minute stretching routine and take my dog, Juana, for a walk.

- A foolproof trick or product

This summer I discovered Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream and I can't stop using it! For lips, cuticles, knuckles, elbows… I'm obsessed with having well-groomed hands and feet, so I try to get them done every two weeks.
I try to eat as healthily as possible. I do intermittent fasting for 14-16 hours, 4-5 days a week, and at home we follow a very macrobiotic diet. For the past few years, I've hardly eaten any meat or dairy because it doesn't agree with me, and I try to limit my coffee intake. Like everyone, I have my guilty pleasures, but I try to limit them to weekends or special occasions. I have a sweet tooth!

A subject that needs addressing (in terms of beauty)
Back to my exercise routine: yoga at Ferchi de la Puente's studio, Asana Groove, and boxing at Fabela Boxing Club. I'd like to take better care of my hair and skin with natural products and get facial and body treatments! I keep forgetting to drink water and have to force myself.

an Isabel favorite:

Our recommendations for Isabel: