Meet New-York based designer Anissa Aïda

In the middle of the busy fashion week, we met up with the Tunisian designer Anissa Aida who chose New York as her playground.

Hello Anissa! How long have you lived in NYC and for what reason(s) did you choose this city?

Since 2011, I have chosen this city to study Fashion Design at the Parsons School, and since then I have become addicted .. and I have stayed there.

What are your favorite neighborhoods in NYC, and where do you live?

My favorite neighborhoods in New York are China Town and the Lower East Side, for their cosmopolitan dynamism and for the incredible discoveries you can make there.

I moved to Chelsea, Midtown West because it is Central in Manhattan.

What do you like most about this city?

Its exceptional energy!

What are your 3 must go addresses?

On the shopping side, without hesitation Dover Street Market opened in New York right after London. I find there all the designers that I appreciate: Junya Watanabe, Rei Kawakubo, Eckhaus Latta, Jacquemus, Maison Martin Margiela …

Source: Mister Purple

For dining or drinking, Mister Purple, located at the roof top of the Indigo Hotel

Finally the new Whitney Museum, in the Meatpacking, down the outstanding High Line walk.

Picking only three addresses  in New York is almost impossible!

And your 3 must-have to adopt the style of the New Yorker?

1. drink your coffee La Colombe “on-the-go”
2. eat your salad from Sweet Green in a park,
3. have your Outdoor Voices sports outfit in your bag!

What does your typical day look like?

I do not really have a typical day. My days vary according to the fashion calendar and the progress of my collections.

How do your cities and / or travels inspire you to create your collections?

I lived mainly in three cities: Tunis, New York and Paris. Each one of them brings me so much inspiration.

New York prints its rhythm, Paris its elegance, and Tunis its authenticity.

The foundation of my collections is the dialogue of cultures and the mix-and-match ways of dressing and know-how.

Your top 3 destinations to go on holiday?

1. Clearwater, Tampa, Florida.
2. The island of Djerba in Tunisia.
3. Banff Park in Alberta, Canada.

Your next destination of your dreams?

Kyoto