Amina Muaddi on Rihanna, Her Relationship With Scent, and Why It’s a ‘Kitten Heel Summer’

In her new campaign with Lancôme, shoe designer Amina Muaddi calls fragrance “the cherry on top” of every outfit. It’s particularly apt, considering the brand’s newest scent, La Vie Est Belle Very Cherry Eau de Parfum, is cherry-forward: It’s a juicy and hypnotic blend of black cherries, oud, and violet leaf. The scent is girlish while still being mysterious, something that resonates with Muaddi. “It’s a very sensual fragrance, and I think this is why I relate to it the most,” she says. “It brings that dash of femininity that I love in my style and in my work.”

It makes sense—Muaddi’s shoes are known for striking a balance between elegance and sexiness. Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Beyoncé, and Vittoria Cerretti have all worn a pair. Below, Muaddi talks about her yoga practice, her hack for beating jet lag, and why it’s officially a “Kitten Heel Summer.”

What does scent mean to you?

My first memory of a perfume is my mom’s scent. 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.

What does this scent remind you of?

It brings me back to my childhood in different ways. 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.

What is your beauty routine like?

I always joke that I’m a serum addict. 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.

Do you have a wellness routine?

Especially when I travel, I like to do yoga because I get to do it in special places that also feel very spiritual. 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.

Do you have any travel hacks that you swear by?

My travel hack is overpacking. 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.

What are some recent celebrity looks that have incorporated your shoes that you loved?

It’s always Rihanna for me. 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. I saw today that she wore my kitten-heeled Juliette Thong, and she made them look so effortless. 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.”

Is there a celebrity or public figure that you would love to see wearing a pair of your shoes?

There are so many. I love Nicole Kidman, and she recently wore my shoes for a couple of editorials. I was really happy to see her in them because I’ve always loved her. There are so many women that I’ve already had the pleasure to dress that I admire.

How do you approach the design process?

It always starts with ideas for a new season. 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? 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.

What’s your biggest fall fashion styling tip this season?

Layering. 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. 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. 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.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.