Stepping Up
Designer Amina Muaddi is back with the launch of a namesake shoe line.
As biz continues to brighten, shoe players were upbeat at FN Platform.
Amina Muaddi is making a big statement with her new venture. After leaving the Oscar Tiye brand in 2017, the designer has revealed the launch of her new eponymous shoe label, and working under her own name means the stakes have never been higher.
“I had to start from zero again,” she told FN. “Everything had to be a perfect representation of me, from the image and the campaign to the logo and the product itself.”
Muaddi, who continues to design the footwear for French couturier Alexandre Vauthier, started working on brand identity last summer while on holiday in Ibiza.
“It was like I had to get naked, be aware of who I want to be today.” She hastened to add: “Not literally, though.”
The vibe she says is “modern and fresh,” with the DNA steeped in “simplicity and minimalism but with a luxury twist.” She’s also developed a new flared stiletto heel with a geometric base. It’s set to be her signature. “[It’s] very feminine but with an edge to it, so the result is very strong,” she said.
Muaddi added, “Doing something minimal is harder than working with a lot of ingredients. When [there] are few and the result delicious, it’s even better.”
A major focus for Muaddi is comfort, with the highest heel coming in at 95mm.
“I call them 9-to-midnight shoes,” she said. “You can wear them to work during the day, but also at night to go out and have fun without feeling that you’re making a sacrifice when it comes to style.”
Made in Italy, the collection comprises about 45 styles, including pumps, slingbacks and thigh-high boots. Fabrications run the gamut from holographic glitter to suedes, patents and laser-cut leathers. “Each had to be to die for,” said Muaddi. “There are no fillers.”
The line launched last week, with exclusives at Browns Fashion, both online and in store, plus Net-a-Porter, FWRD by Elyse Walker and Level Shoes. Ida Petersson, Browns’ women’s wear buying director, fell immediately under its spell, highlighting the line as one of her top emerging brands for fall. “It’s an extremely strong first solo collection,” she said. “I love how Amina plays with proportions. Her new heel designs feel fresh and give an edgier feel to classic silhouettes like the satin slingbacks.”