Having built her dream team, creative director Miriam Aldainy will shortly be launching her debut “Made in Italy” shoe collection in Dubai. Featuring a “modern arabesque” design, the shoes reflect Aldainy’s cultural background and provide a bridge between two worlds—one that we imagine many women will be keen to walk.
ON GROWING UP IN A MULTICULTURAL FAMILY
I’m one-half Saudi and one-half Swedish-American. I was born in Minnesota, but my dad is from Jeddah, so I grew up between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. I went to high school in Jeddah and then moved to San Francisco for university to study fashion and business.
ON REALIZING HER DESIGN DREAM
Designing really came into play in the last couple of years—though it’s always been a dream of mine. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been into fashion and I’ve always been very feminine. My mom had these pink satin heels in her closet that I would steal at every opportunity possible. I was obsessed with these shoes—I started trying to walk in them when I was three or four-years-old.
I moved to New York City a few years ago—after having lived for several years in glamorous Dubai, I was ready for something different. It was always a dream of mine to have a shoe label and because of my cultural background, I thought that my designs could showcase my unique voice. The first person I expressed this to was my brother and he said, “Really?” My mom said, “It’s about time. This is something that is so natural to you and something you’ve had such a passion for.” Everyone has been supportive.
ON SHOES AND THEIR REAL WORTH
In my eyes, shoes are investment pieces. I have a gallery of maybe 200 shoes that I stare at—like people who buy fine art. In Dubai, I had a whole room dedicated to shoes. I love Charlotte Olympia and Valentino; I love what they’ve been doing over the past two years—edgy but nonetheless classic designs. Louboutin is always a staple in every women’s closet. But right now, I’m focused on Nour Jensen.
ON THE MEANING BEHIND THE “NOUR JENSEN” NAME
My mom’s name is Kristin Jensen, but my father used to call her “my Nour”—my light. So when it came to naming my brand, I couldn’t think of anything better. It carries a personal story belonging to my parents, but it’s also exactly who I am…Middle Eastern and American-Scandinavian.
ON HER DEBUT COLLECTION
It’s based on architecture and Arabian shapes. I wanted to play with Arabian architecture, which is so historical and unique, but I wanted to bring a modern, lighter feel to it. Think of the Alhambra—it’s gorgeous, but I wanted to isolate the shapes. That’s my whole thing with this collection: it is shapes and patterns, doorways, and archways.
Discover the debut Nour Jensen shoe collection in the gallery above.
