If you don’t know who Amina Muaddi is, then chances are you do know her shoes. It is nearly impossible to scroll through Instagram or Pinterest at the moment without coming across one of her signature hourglass shaped heel, or perhaps a bejewelled transparent pump.
All over social media right now the likes of Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Irina Shayk are wearing shoe designer Amina Muaddi’s innovative creations. Her heels even made it to Kris Kardashian’s annual Christmas Eve party.
We first became aware of the Paris-based footwear designer in 2019 when Muaddi launched her namesake solo brand which soon caught the attention of the fashion world. In 2020, word of her brand rapidly spread as Muaddi’s neon jewelled designs and attention-grabbing boots became Hollywood’s most coveted accessory.
Exclusively released and much anticipated, Muaddi managed to do the unthinkable and sell out a collection of heels during a pandemic. No one had anywhere to wear them and yet they still sold out everywhere – quite an accolade for any designer.
Raised between Jordan, Romania and Italy, Muaddi always had an obsession with shoes. Speaking to Vogue, Muaddi explained why designing footwear is her real passion: “The right shoes can make you feel cooler, sexier, edgier, or more feminine, depending on the style that you’re wearing. They have the power to change your mood and to alter, not your personality, but your persona at that moment. I think they’re the most powerful items in fashion”
“They have the power to change your mood and to alter, not your personality, but your persona at that moment. I think they’re the most powerful items in fashion”
Amina Muaddi
Coveted by anyone on Instagram who can get their hands on Muaddi’s elusive footwear, the revolutionary tapered heel is what the designer has become best known for. Combining the comfort of a wide base and the sexy feminine elegance of a stiletto, Muaddi’s heels are not only a statement talking point but also a practical heel which can be worn all day.
The popularity of Amina’s shoes on Instagram has, however, been no mere accident. The designer uses social media as a place to have fun – but primarily as a platform for her business. Interacting with customers and getting their feedback, Muaddi has gone on to create an air of exclusivity both through her social media imagery and controlled releases of stock. This has fed the media frenzy when it comes to her designs – they are hard to get hold of which has only made them more sought after.
Muaddi’s personal style is also something which has attracted the attention of her 722k followers, including the likes of Rihanna. Favouring contrasting pieces and combining elegance with edginess, Muaddi’s style epitomizes the modern woman, something she shares with the singer turned fashion mogul. Rihanna’s personal stylist is friends with Muaddi, so she was one of the first to wear her designs. This relationship led to a collaboration between Amina Muaddi and Fenty in 2020 which she described as a ‘marriage of their personal tastes’.
The first collaboration Muaddi launched with her own brand was with none other than the rapper A$AP Rocky. Featuring bedazzled chain accents, the pair came together to create four designs inspired by their similar aesthetic.
In October 2020, Amina brought out a collection of mini bags as her first venture outside of shoes. Dubbed the ‘Amini’s’ the satin and bejewelled handle bags have marked a diversification of Amina Muaddi’s brand journey, and we are excited to see what comes next for the inventive designer in 2021.
Words by Becca Seib, Graphics and Edits by Millie Pollok
