Digital influencer and creative director of Happiness, but first and foremost a busy modern mum who splits her time between family and work, between America and Italy.
Eiman Hamza, an American of Egyptian descent, co-founded the Happiness brand together with her Italian husband Michael Scarpellini. Passionate about fashion – she studied at the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising – she was destined to become a social media star, where her personal blog, Instagram and YouTube channel all teem with followers. What do shoes represent for her? A real compulsive disorder!
Do you find New York and Milan inspire you to dress in different ways?
Yes, absolutely! New York is a big city, we walk a lot, we get into cabs and subways so my clothes, especially my shoes, are comfortable and a little more street style. In Milan, I try to be a little more chic, but that doesn’t always work out. No matter where I am in the world my style is still very “Los Angeles”. You can take the girl out of L.A. but you can’t take L.A. out of the girl.
The perfect look for New York….
Adidas “Falcon” sneakers with “The Malibu” sweat pants from Happiness Brand, a crop top, a vintage jacket and a really great handbag. That’s my “fall” look.
And for Milan…
A heeled boot with a short flowy dress with a vintage jacket and a beautiful handbag.
What is it that makes you buy a new pair of shoes?
I don’t know!!! It’s an illness. My shoe-buying addiction? I have always been obsessed with shoes. While going to university I worked in a high-end shoe boutique in Beverly Hills and Calabasas for 3 years and it just fed my addiction. Made it worse.
How many shoes have you got in your wardrobe?
In L.A, NYC, Rimini or Milan? Next question, please.
How many pairs of shoes do you buy each season?
I don’t know. I don’t buy shoes by season. If I see a pair of boots I really like, I’ll buy them even in summer.
I just buy whenever there’s real ‘feeling’ between me and the shoe. If it’s love, the season doesn’t matter!
Where do you get your shoes? Do you buy on line as well?
I will buy anywhere but I do prefer in-store. I still love that feeling of trying them on, having someone help me with my choices, walking around on a beautiful carpet to see if they are comfortable and fit perfectly. I never try clothes on and prefer buying online, but with shoes…. there is more of a feeling.
Which shoes would you never do without?
There are several. A pair of Nylon green and yellow Nike Cortez that I try to throw away but just can’t. The older they get the better they look. A pair of Chanel sandals that I held on to for years and then lost them. I’m still heartbroken over it. Lastly, a pair of iconic leopard-print Giuseppe Zanotti shoes with crazy high heels. I have had them for 7 years now and I still get complimented on them.
Which would you throw out, and why?
Anything that becomes “too trendy” like my Gucci loafers with the fur.
Which are the most creative shoes right now (sneakers, pumps or….)
Any shoe that connects people to a thought, a memory, a feeling is the most creative to me. I don’t think writing “boot” on a boot is creative, I think that is “hype”. Sneakers have made such a huge comeback and we have seen a lot of attempts to innovate them, but the classic models are still the real ‘killers’.
Italian shoes are…
The only shoes that don’t hurt or give me blisters! I visited the Sergio Rossi factory and saw all of the incredible shoes they make there by hand – I couldn’t believe how much work went into making a shoe. I have always loved Italian shoe designers but now I have a new-found respect for Italian shoes.
Italians have a prerogative for ‘good taste’ when they make things, which isn’t just about style, but quality as well.
Describe the identikit of your Happiness shoes
Happiness is for everyone. We don’t discriminate and neither do our shoes. We want to transmit a positive feeling that empowers people when they walk in our shoes. Life is already complicated enough so we want to keep things fun and easy.
