Designer Amina Muaddi among star-studded Fashion Trust Arabia panel
Jordanian Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi has joined the starstudded judging panel for this year’s Fashion Trust Arabia.
The awards ceremony will be held in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 26.
The designer to the stars will be joined by Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad, French designer Olivier Rousteing and Italian designer Pierpaolo Piccioli to determine this year’s winners.
The judges will select six winners across five womenswearfocused categories: Evening wear, ready-to-wear, accessories (shoes and handbags), jewelry (fine and fashion jewelry), and the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award (Arab Fashion Design Graduate), along with the guest country award.
The distinguished judging panel also includes Ruba Abu-Nimah, creative director of Tiffany &
Co.; Yoon Ahn, the designer behind Yoon Ambush; Imran Amed, founder and chief executive of The Business of Fashion; Gherardo Felloni, creative director of Roger Vivier; Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, creative directors at Oscar de la Renta; Camille Miceli, creative director of Pucci and jewelry designer Lorraine
Schwartz, among others.
Muaddi is at the helm of one of the most in-demand footwear labels in the industry.
She launched her eponymous footwear line in August 2018, approximately one year after departing from her role as co-founder and creative director of luxury footwear label Oscar Tiye.
In 2021, she went on to land a spot on Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News’ 50 Most Powerful Women list.
Last month, she gave her fans insight into her career highs and lows in a telling interview with Footwear News.
“I was so passionate, so I was willing to go through any hardship,” she told the publication. “There’s a reason why only so many people get to this point, because you get tested a lot.
“Many times, I was close to giving up. I had to part ways with my partner, with producers; I’ve had (orders) canceled. It’s not about what you go through, it’s how you survive the situation and how you thrive after it. It’s a never-ending lesson,” she added.
The designer told the magazine that this year alone, her brand’s global sales revenue will total
$55 million but added that after becoming an established shoes and accessories maker, her hardships have changed.