From the Front Row to the DJ Booth: Isabella Massenet
We tune into the rhythm, references and cool-girl-cool style of fashion royalty Isabella Massenet, who is fast becoming a sound selector of choice for the city’s most discerning dancefloors.
Stories suggest you went from road trip playlist curator to full-scale DJ. Name three tracks from that original playlist you still return to.
- “Summertime Sadness (Asadhino Vocal Mix)” by Lana Del Rey
- “Toi et Moi” by Paradis
- “Superstylin’” by Groove Armada
Reading the room can feel just as crucial as prep. How do you build your sets while leaving space to go off-script when the moment calls for it?
Reading the room is the job. I used to plan sets meticulously and then abandon them the second I hit play.
Now I treat prep as a springboard: I build a playlist that sketches the vibe—with a few reliable starters—so if I need to pivot fast, I’ve got options without being boxed in.
Tell us about a moment of euphoria — a lyric drop, a bassline, a vocal — that’s hit you mid-set.
John Paul Young’s ‘Love Is in the Air’ is a cheat code. Drop it in the middle of a high-energy run and the whole room lifts—singing, dancing, hugging. It’s collective joy you can feel.
As fashion girl born and bred, how do runway trends shape your sound palette?
I’ve always clocked show music—the right track can say everything about the clothes. I was obsessed with Jacquemus 2018, La Bomba: the sound, the setting, the world he built. I went deep on samba-inflected French tracks for months… and eventually bought a dress from the collection. It’s like looping a beloved film soundtrack—except I do it with collections.
Conversely, how does your style — or a brand’s aesthetic — influence the mood you create behind the booth?
What I wear absolutely shifts my energy. I like to dress up for sets; it’s a kind of armour. Feeling put-together lets me focus on the music—and it signals ‘best foot forward’ to the room.
Do you ever turn down gigs when the brief doesn’t feel aligned with your style or ethos?
Sometimes, yes. I want to represent brands where I can see some reflection of my taste or values. Otherwise it doesn’t ring true
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned on set — whether during fashion week chaos or an afterparty with no plug adapters?
Always do a sound check. The nights I skip it are the nights something goes wrong
Music direction is increasingly key to a brand’s identity. What’s your philosophy when building a sonic world for a client or show?
Start with what the brand sounds like at its core—then push it a touch further. You anchor a signature and let it weave in and out of adjacent genres so the story feels bigger, not generic.
