Best known for her kick-flare heels, a self-described force of beauty, passion, and desire, Amina Muaddi's eponymous footwear line features vibrant colours and holographic designs creating the brand's sultry and playful party-shoe aesthetic, and the designer's recognizable geometric heel has become a trademark for the brand.
While growing up between Jordan, Romania, and Italy, Amina developed an eye for what taste-makers around the world truly want - that perfect blend of effortless glamour, impeccable craftsmanship, and fashion-forward style. Something new and fresh, with its roots in timeless quality.
After studying at the European Institute of Design in Milan, and styling stints for L'Uomo Vogue and GQ US, she found that designing shoes was the perfect expression of her creative vision. She challenged herself to learn her new trade from the essentials, taking off to the Riviera del Brenta, Italy's storied shoe-making district. There, she worked with world-class artisans and suppliers to develop each and every one of her shoes' components.
She co-founded her first shoe brand, Oscar Tiye, in Milan, then moved to Paris, where she collaborated with French couturier Alexandre Vauthier on the launch of her eponymous shoe line, which she has continued to design to this day.
"I moved from New York back to Italy and started working with artisans in Riviera Del Brenta (in Venice) learning about each company, supplier and factory, for one year," she recalls. "I learned about all the components, the technicalities, the ideal height." Then, she co-founded Oscar Tiye, a Milan-based shoe brand, with a friend but she always had the concept for her own label at the back of her mind, and, at 31, she went solo. "It was my birthday gift to myself, being able to leave one chapter of my life, to start something new. I was going in a different direction from my partners, and I wanted to do something that fully represented me."
Muaddi launched her eponymous label in 2018. She was awarded the 2018 FN Achievement Award for Launch of the Year, giving an emotional speech at the FNAAs about what success has meant to her.
"For a girl who comes where I come from, to be here, to be able to live my dreams and inspire Middle Eastern women to live their own dreams and be able to dress women I could have never imagined I'd be able to dress, it's an honor," she explained at the awards show.
Anyone seeking statement shoes should turn their attention towards Middle Eastern designer Amina Muaddi's high-glamour footwear and her signature fluted heels - designed in Paris, produced in Italy, with an international heart. Muaddi usually only presents one collection a year, designs from which are drip-fed to select retailers, and her e-commerce every month. She has cleverly kept distribution of her shoes extremely limited, feeding the digital frenzy. Amina Muaddi's shoes are designed for today's stylish women who demand fresh inspiration and contemporary glamour, paired with a sumptuous dose of quality in all things. Amina Muaddi shoes combine centuries of shoe-making expertise with a modern global fashion perspective. They're the embodiment of contemporary luxury: timeless quality meets cutting-edge design. It's no surprise that she's been scooped up by everyone from Browns to Net-a-Porter - so expect to see plenty more of her in the near future. Muaddi, who is half-Romanian, half-Jordanian, but mainly grew up in Italy, is part of a new breed of influential creatives making their presence felt in the fashion industry. Her posse includes Attico's Giorgia Tordini and Gilda Ambrosio, the German influencer Caroline Daur and the designer Alexandre Vauthier.
Among her most famous customers are Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, and Dua Lipa. Another fan is Princess Rania of Jordan, who was seen wearing a mauve pair of courts on her diplomatic visit to London, to meet with the Queen.
As the designer says on Instagram: "I hope you like Amina Muaddi as much as I do, and I wish you enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed creating it for you, the amazing women of today."
@aminamuaddiofficial www.aminamuaddi.com
