Joel Isaacs and Caroline Banker have designs on the fashion retail market.

Douglas Elliman's new Retail and Office Group is the merger of three well-known entities in New York real estate: Joel lsaacs and Caroline Banker, top brokers with long-standing relationships in the fashion world, and Douglas Elliman, one of the leading real estate firms in Manhattan. The new group was formed to create a retail and office boutique that will carve a niche for itself by staying ahead of the curve in developing the fashion market in New York. By monitoring and researching the market trends, they have each developed proven real estate location strategies that support their clients' objectives.

Joel and Caroline bring to the new partnership a track record of introducing retail and fashion professionals to the hottest locations and succeeding in real estate transactions that meet the goals of tenants and owners. Joel joins the group after running his own New York-based commercial real estate firm for many years and Caroline hails from from New Spectrum Realty. As both landlord and tenant representatives, each possesses in-depth knowledge of the unique qualities necessary in today's competitive markets. They are familiar with New York's existing, developing and future retail neighborhoods and and use that knowledge to find the right match for a tenant. They are also tuned into such details as space aesthetics and accessibility, considerations paramount to fashion tenants.

As a team, Caroline and Joel share a deep respect for each other that has endured since they first met at teenagers in the 70's. Over the years, the companies they've developed relationships with have returned to them, resulting in numerous transactions for customers and landlords they represent.

Joel's most prolific association has been with Prada, for whom he closed nineteen different transactions since 1994 throughout North America. In addition to Prada, Joel has served many other retailers, including Tod's, Mato, Vera Wang, Jil Sander, Tommy Hilfiger and Rene Lezard, gaining a solid reputation as their real estate representative. According to Joel, "There is nothing more exciting than making a successful landlord-tenant match because you know it's going to impact both parties in a positive way.

Caroline has developed an international clientele of fashion merchandisers. In addition to helping pioneer new fashion neighborhoods (she's been working extensively in SoHo for over 15 years and, more recently, brought Comme des Garcons to Chelsea and Jeffrey to the Meat Packing district) she has brokered high-end fashion transactions for companies including Kenzo, Shisheido, Aveda and Helmut Lang. In recent years, a large portion of her business has been acting as leasing representative for a number of landlords in the SoHo area.

Caroline and Joel focus on the psychology of their clients, what makes them tick, what the client's goal is in establishing a New York store or showroom, and how best to approach and present each landlord and tenant. They have chaperoned and concluded a deal worked out in twenty-four hours, as well as those transactions that require months of research, diligence, and education.

Caroline and Joel's knowledge of the New York retail market is intimate and comprehensive, and they maintain a network that alerts them to new-developments, however small and seemingly inconsequential. Every business contact is important, leading them to focus first and foremost on putting people together, making the deal a win-win situation for merchants and building owner alike. The two have found success in focusing on the long-term, which has won Joel and Caroline a long list of new and repeat customers, landlords and tenants alike.

"The Douglas Elliman Retail and Office Group is very relationship oriented, and we pride ourselves on our responsiveness," says Caroline, "It's about being accessible - weekends, evenings, whatever it takes to meet a clients' needs."