Who Is Amina Muaddi? 5 Things to Know About the Fenty Designer Amid ASAP Rocky Cheating Rumors

Credit: Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock

Who Is Amina Muaddi? 5 Things to Know About the Fenty Designer Amid ASAP Rocky Cheating Rumors

A name to know. Fenty designer Amina Muaddi was a major force in the fashion industry long before she found herself at the center of alleged drama with ASAP Rocky and Rihanna. Speculation that the rapper, 33, cheated on the "Work" singer, 34, surfaced on social media on Thursday, April 14, with many accusing Muaddi of being the reason the couple allegedly split. The following day, however, the footwear designer refuted the rumors in a statement shared via her Instagram Story. “I’ve always believed that an unfounded lie spread on social media doesn’t deserve any response or clarification, especially one that is so vile,” Muaddi wrote. “I initially assumed that this fake gossip — fabricated with such malicious intent — would not be taken seriously. However in the last 24h I’ve been reminded that we live in a society that is so quick to speak on topics regardless of factual basis and that nothing is off limits. Not even during what should be one of the most beautiful and celebrated times in one’s life." Though she wanted to ignore the headlines, Muaddi explained that she felt the need to speak out because the allegations were not just affecting her, but were also "related to people I have a great amount of respect and affection for.” The fashion guru concluded: “While Rih is continuing to live her serene, best dressed pregnancy life and I go back to my business — I wish everyone a beautiful Easter weekend." [jwplayer L58iNynl-zhNYySv2] Us Weekly broke the news in February 2020 that Rihanna was "hooking up" with the "A$AP Forever" rapper before he confirmed their relationship in May 2021. Earlier this year, the duo revealed that they're expecting their first child together after Rihanna was photographed showing off her baby bump during a walk in New York City. At the time, a source exclusively told Us that "ASAP is obsessed with Rihanna and feels he has never loved her more than when she’s pregnant." “They’re both very excited to be parents," the insider added. "Rihanna has wanted to be a mother for many years now and she’s so thrilled it’s finally happening.” Muaddi previously made a name for herself as one of the coolest shoe designers working in the industry, both through her eponymous line and her work with Fenty. “If I design a shoe, I want Rihanna to want to wear it," she told The Guardian in July 2020, describing the Fenty Beauty founder as "very warm and very sassy." In addition to Rihanna, Muaddi's designs have been worn by Beyoncé — both in the September 2021 issue of Harper's Bazaar and at the 2022 Oscars — Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa and Olivia Rodrigo. Through her "100 percent ethnic-minority female-owned luxury company," the Romania native has been fighting against fast fashion. "Everything was moving too fast. It’s not fair on the consumer if a luxury product is quickly out of date," she told the outlet while reflecting on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the fashion world. "Now we’ve had a pause and a reset, and fashion is starting up again almost from zero. That’s kind of scary. But it’s also an opportunity to do things differently." Keep scrolling to learn more about Muaddi: [podcast_block]

Credit: Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock

Who Is Amina Muaddi? 5 Things to Know About the Fenty Designer Amid ASAP Rocky Cheating Rumors

A name to know. Fenty designer Amina Muaddi was a major force in the fashion industry long before she found herself at the center of alleged drama with ASAP Rocky and Rihanna. Speculation that the rapper, 33, cheated on the "Work" singer, 34, surfaced on social media on Thursday, April 14, with many accusing Muaddi of being the reason the couple allegedly split. The following day, however, the footwear designer refuted the rumors in a statement shared via her Instagram Story. “I’ve always believed that an unfounded lie spread on social media doesn’t deserve any response or clarification, especially one that is so vile,” Muaddi wrote. “I initially assumed that this fake gossip — fabricated with such malicious intent — would not be taken seriously. However in the last 24h I’ve been reminded that we live in a society that is so quick to speak on topics regardless of factual basis and that nothing is off limits. Not even during what should be one of the most beautiful and celebrated times in one’s life." Though she wanted to ignore the headlines, Muaddi explained that she felt the need to speak out because the allegations were not just affecting her, but were also "related to people I have a great amount of respect and affection for.” The fashion guru concluded: “While Rih is continuing to live her serene, best dressed pregnancy life and I go back to my business — I wish everyone a beautiful Easter weekend." [jwplayer L58iNynl-zhNYySv2] Us Weekly broke the news in February 2020 that Rihanna was "hooking up" with the "A$AP Forever" rapper before he confirmed their relationship in May 2021. Earlier this year, the duo revealed that they're expecting their first child together after Rihanna was photographed showing off her baby bump during a walk in New York City. At the time, a source exclusively told Us that "ASAP is obsessed with Rihanna and feels he has never loved her more than when she’s pregnant." “They’re both very excited to be parents," the insider added. "Rihanna has wanted to be a mother for many years now and she’s so thrilled it’s finally happening.” Muaddi previously made a name for herself as one of the coolest shoe designers working in the industry, both through her eponymous line and her work with Fenty. “If I design a shoe, I want Rihanna to want to wear it," she told The Guardian in July 2020, describing the Fenty Beauty founder as "very warm and very sassy." In addition to Rihanna, Muaddi's designs have been worn by Beyoncé — both in the September 2021 issue of Harper's Bazaar and at the 2022 Oscars — Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa and Olivia Rodrigo. Through her "100 percent ethnic-minority female-owned luxury company," the Romania native has been fighting against fast fashion. "Everything was moving too fast. It’s not fair on the consumer if a luxury product is quickly out of date," she told the outlet while reflecting on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the fashion world. "Now we’ve had a pause and a reset, and fashion is starting up again almost from zero. That’s kind of scary. But it’s also an opportunity to do things differently." Keep scrolling to learn more about Muaddi: [podcast_block]

Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock

1. She Has Jordanian and Romanian Heritage

Muaddi's father is from Jordan and her mother is Romanian. As a result, she spent her childhood in both of the two countries. Born in Romania, her family later moved to Amman, Jordan. Her parents divorced when she was 6, and she returned to her mother's home country.

Muaddi's heritage has has influenced how she views her place in the fashion industry. “Look, I’ve been talking about diversity from when I was able to talk, because that’s me – I am diverse. Brown people like me have always known how important diversity is," she told The Guardian in July 2020. "But I’m not trying to lead, I’m just trying to do the right thing in my business, and that means having diversity in my team and in my campaigns."

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2. She Has Serious High Fashion Cred

After studying at the European Institute of Design in Milan,  Muaddi worked as an assistant stylist for magazines like Vogue Italy, L'Uomo Vogue and GQ before she decided to focus on designing shoes. Her first line, Oscar Tiye, was featured at Milan Fashion Week in 2013, and she worked for Alexandre Vauthier before launching her own company in 2017.

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3. She's Collaborated with Both Rihanna and ASAP Rocky

In addition to working with the "Umbrella" singer on the footwear for Fenty, Muaddi also collaborated with Rocky's creative agency AWGE. "We’ve been working on this collab for more than a year. We’re so excited to finally share it with the world," Muaddi wrote via Instagram when the collection was released in December 2020.  

Credit: Cornel Cristian Petrus/Shutterstock

4. Her Shoes Have Appeared on 'Euphoria'

One pair of shoes designed as part of the AWGE drop was actually worn by Alexa Demie's character, Maddy, during the season 2 premiere of Euphoria. "Maddy the Baddie," Muaddi wrote via Instagram in January 2022 alongside several snapshots of the actress in the sparkly, lace-up stilettos.

Credit: Cornel Cristian Petrus/Shutterstock

5. She Once Appeared on the Cover of ‘Vogue’

For the publication's fifth anniversary, Vogue Arabia highlighted three of the biggest names in fashion for "taking Arabia" global: Huda Kattan, Nadine Jjeim and Muaddi. "I’m honored to be featured on this special 500-page issue, the biggest ever produced alongside these gracious powerhouses. A brown Jordanian Romanian girl with an Italian background doing what she loves, trying to make women a few inches happier and sassier," she wrote via Instagram in February 2022.

When the issue hit stands in April 2022, Muaddi reflected on the full-circle moment in her career via Instagram. "I was once a fashion assistant at the italian edition of the magazine and for my university graduation project I created the first issue of Vogue Romania so this is a full circle moment for me."