Executive Overview
In the fast-paced ecosystem of contemporary fashion, few footwear designers have captured the cultural zeitgeist quite like Amina Muaddi. Celebrated for her signature flared heels and an aesthetic that effortlessly marries classic elegance with modern sex appeal, Muaddi’s creations have become a fixture on red carpets and high-fashion runways alike, championed by style icons ranging from Rihanna and Beyoncé to Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber.
Now, Muaddi is expanding her creative footprint beyond footwear through an unexpected yet deeply aligned partnership with beauty titan Lancôme. Serving as the face of the brand’s newest olfactory creation, La Vie Est Belle Very Cherry Eau de Parfum, Muaddi describes fragrance as "the cherry on top" of every outfit.
In this exclusive interview, the visionary designer opens up about the sensory memories that inform her work, her rigorous wellness and beauty routines, her strategies for combating chronic jet lag, and why an endorsement from Rihanna has officially certified this season as "Kitten Heel Summer."
Detailed Chronology: From Childhood Memories to High-Fashion Collaborations
The partnership between Amina Muaddi and Lancôme is rooted in deep personal history and a shared appreciation for sensory storytelling. When approached to collaborate on the campaign for La Vie Est Belle Very Cherry, Muaddi immediately connected with the fragrance’s complex and seductive profile.
Composed of a juicy, hypnotic blend of black cherries, rich oud, and crisp violet leaf, the scent bridges the gap between youthful playfulness and deep, enigmatic sensuality.
A Tapestry of Scent and Childhood Memory
For Muaddi, perfume has always been an intrinsic part of identity and emotional recollection.
"My first memory of a perfume is my mom’s scent," Muaddi shares. "My mom loved perfume and makeup. I used to watch her do everything and just be in awe of her. My love for perfume also means identifying a certain smell with a place, person, or memory. It has the power to become a part of your identity or become a feeling of nostalgia."
The fragrance’s unique composition acts as a bridge to her multicultural upbringing. The inclusion of oud—a traditional, highly prized component in Middle Eastern perfumery—resonates deeply with her paternal heritage. Meanwhile, the dominant cherry note evokes vivid snapshots of her youth.
"It brings me back to my childhood in different ways," she explains. "When I heard about it, before I even smelled it, I was attracted to the idea because it has a component of oud, which I grew up with. On the Arabic side of my family, which is my dad’s side, it’s a traditional component of scents. I also identify cherries with my childhood because I used to climb cherry trees and steal all the fruit and eat them with my friends."
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Anatomy of a Modern Style Icon
While Muaddi’s name is synonymous with statement footwear, her influence extends far into the lifestyle, beauty, and wellness sectors. Her footwear label has achieved rare commercial and critical success, maintaining a delicate balance between trend-driven innovation and timeless collectibility.
The Design Philosophy: Reinventing the Icons
Approaching her collections with a restless creative energy, Muaddi relies on a dual-track design process that honors her brand’s established identity while continuously pushing boundaries.
"It always starts with ideas for a new season," Muaddi notes on her design methodology. "My collection is also very carryover-driven. How do we reinvent the icons first, then how do we make them feel modern and new and fresh every season? But also, how do we find that balance between newness and iconic styles for us?"
Avoiding creative stagnation requires cast-net inspiration drawn from everyday life in fashion capitals like Paris.
"I’m someone who gets bored very easily, and I always want something new. Everything I do that inspires me in my life, I bring to my collections. It can be an exhibition, a trip, photography, vintage, or people-watching in my neighborhood in Paris. It can be something that I see or read. It’s never the same inspiration, and that’s what excites me."
The Celebrity Effect and "Kitten Heel Summer"
Muaddi’s footwear occupies a coveted space in the celebrity wardrobe, characterized by an effortless transition from daywear to high-octane evening glamor. While global superstars like Nicole Kidman have recently embraced her designs for major editorial spreads, no figure is more intertwined with the brand’s narrative than Rihanna.
"It’s always Rihanna for me," Muaddi says of her permanent muse. "She’s obviously a permanent muse of my brand. Whatever she wears, she’s going to style it in a way that’s so personal to her, and it’s always fun to see how she’ll wear any type of shoe."
Recently, Rihanna’s style choices inadvertently sparked a seasonal footwear movement.
"I saw today that she wore my kitten-heeled Juliette Thong, and she made them look so effortless," Muaddi recalls with a laugh. "I was laughing with my friend who does not like kitten heels. I was like, ‘Aha! You see, she’s wearing the kitten heel, so it’s now certified Kitten Heel Summer.’"
Official Lifestyle & Wellness Routines: Behind the Scenes with Amina Muaddi
Balancing the demands of running a global luxury footwear brand while taking on high-profile global beauty campaigns requires rigorous discipline, physical maintenance, and tactical self-care. Muaddi shares an intimate look into the daily habits that keep her grounded amidst a grueling international schedule.
The "Serum Addict" Beauty Regimen
Skin health is paramount for the designer, who approaches skincare with enthusiastic curiosity.
"I always joke that I’m a serum addict," she admits. "Every time there’s a new serum, I like to try it. I love a many-step serum routine. I like my skin to be glowy and moisturized. I also think it starts with the inside, so I try to always stay hydrated. Moisturization is a big part of my beauty routine."
Holistic Wellness and Travel Hacks
Travel is an inescapable reality of the fashion calendar, presenting unique hurdles for health and rest. Muaddi relies on a combination of holistic practices and strict scheduling to maintain her equilibrium.
"Especially when I travel, I like to do yoga because I get to do it in special places that also feel very spiritual," she explains. "I try to eat quite healthy, but I’m a big foodie, so I like delicious things that don’t feel like I’m doing something bad. I love to have seven to eight hours of sleep. You can immediately tell when I don’t sleep because I have dark circles. It’s genetic for me. They become way more prominent when I don’t sleep."
When it comes to conquering international time zones, Muaddi relies on a mix of humor and tactical endurance:
"My travel hack is overpacking," she jokes. "Besides that, I really try to time my travel in a way that I don’t get jet lag. I’ll try to land at a specific time and push it through the day and not sleep, so that I can sleep throughout the night and immediately recover. I hate feeling like I’m wasting my time because I’m jet-lagged on a vacation, or on a work trip is even worse."
Future Outlook: Fall Styling and the Evolution of Personal Style
As the fashion calendar shifts toward cooler temperatures, Muaddi offers her expert perspective on navigating seasonal wardrobe transitions—a task she admits presents challenges for a designer whose heart firmly belongs to summer.
Mastering the Art of Layering
For Muaddi, the secret to surviving and thriving in autumn fashion lies in textural play and foundational staples.
"I’m a summer lover. I love summer shoes. I love doing summer collections. Fall becomes a struggle for me, and layering is what makes it more effortless," she advises. "You start from something easy, and then you add layers on top. An amazing pair of boots can take you anywhere. If you have a pair of nice boots, you can wear the simplest look."
Her go-to seasonal formula embraces ease and versatility, drawing inspiration from legendary design houses:
"I love a silk slip skirt, and you can style it with boots, T-shirts, and a sweater on top. I saw this interview with Miuccia Prada saying that for her, a skirt is like a T-shirt, and I feel the same way."
Looking Ahead
With her collaboration with Lancôme hitting the market and her footwear empire continuing to define the parameters of modern luxury, Amina Muaddi proves that her creative vision is boundless. Whether she is bottling the nostalgic warmth of childhood cherry trees into a Parisian fragrance or engineering the next defining red-carpet silhouette, Muaddi remains a definitive architect of modern desire—ensuring that whatever she touches will always be the ultimate cherry on top.
