Designers Amina Muaddi and Andrea Wazen to be honoured at the 'shoe Oscars’

The Arab designers are being recognised for their unique and innovative creations

The Denver Tabaris heel by Andrea Wazen is inspired by historical houses in Beirut. Courtesy Andrea Wazen

Two female Arab designers are set to receive worldwide recognition for their shoes.

The annual Footwear News Achievement Awards (FNAA) – the shoe industry's equivalent of the Oscars – will take place on December 8, celebrating creatives' achievements over the past 12 months. This year, two designers from the region are being honoured.

Jordanian-Bulgarian designer Amina Muaddi will receive the Collaborator of the Year award for her work with Rihanna's brand Fenty.

After being introduced to each other by the star’s stylist Jahleel Weaver, the pair unveiled their first joint collection under the Fenty label in July 2020. The four-piece collection was widely acclaimed, paving the way for a second drop, which will arrive this month.

Lebanese designer Andrea Wazen will also be celebrated at the awards, having been named as Emerging Talent of the Year. Wazen's flagship store and office were destroyed in the blast that tore through Beirut on August 4, killing more than 200 people.

Unbowed, Wazen chose to set aside the spring 2021 collection she had already started work on, and instead start afresh, dedicating her new designs to the fabled – and now damaged – architecture of Beirut.

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