A Day in The Life: 24 Hours with Lebanese Footwear Designer Andrea Wazen
Having been worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Jennifer Lopez the creative mastermind behind the region’s most coveted accessories shares insight into her family life, statement shoes and late nights spent working on eye-catching pieces
9:00am I tend to sleep late as I’m habitually active at night. I usually immerse myself in my work and design until late at night so you could say I’m a night owl. I have a fixed routine in the morning: I do my stretching first and then have breakfast with my husband in the living room while listening to music (I am a big fan of oldies from Elton John to the Bee Gees). I then go through my emails, jump in the shower and head to the office.
In terms of my morning beauty regimen, I tend to stick to a quick shower and I go for a fresh natural make-up look. My morning shower is my favourite part of the day as it boosts my energy and I always have a soundtrack in the background. When it comes to my hair, I use Kiehl’s Amino Acid Shampoo as it is so gentle yet effective. I pair it with their Rice and Wheat Volumizing Shampoo and I also love to use L’Occitane Almond collection for shower gels and oils. I have been using their products for as long as I can remember and they really keep my skin perfectly hydrated.
For my skin and face, I use a mix of several creams. Augustinus Bader’s The Cream is a miracle worker. I am truly a fan and have advised so many of my friends to use it too. The 111Skin range is just amazing. I would recommend the Celestial Black Diamond collection’s Retinol Oil (which I only use in the winter with SPF50), as well as the Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask.
I am a true Guerlain fan. I have been using their terracotta blush forever. For under-eye concealer, I rate Huda Beauty’s Overachiever which really lives up to its name. I always have black liquid eyeliner on; the one I use is from a super cool vegan brand called Tattoo Liner. I usually have my hair and nails done at least once a week at Laloge Beauty Salon. I absolutely love the staff there. They are so sweet and it really feels like home.
I’m usually quite quick when choosing my clothes in the morning. I have organised my closets according to what I would wear during the week and my outfits for the weekend. This makes the process much faster. As you can imagine I dress from the feet up! If I have to decide on one style that suits me, I believe it would be comfortable chic. I’m really into oversized pants and jackets. I love pairing this look with heels or sneakers. In general, when I see something I like, it’s hard for me to forget about it. Funny story, when my twin sister and I were still in school, my parents gave us money to buy our books. I convinced my sister to let me photocopy hers and used the money that I was given to buy my first ever pair of Miu Miu shoes. I had seen them once and it was love at first sight!
For all evening events, when high heels are a must, I wear only Andrea Wazen designs. This was a promise I made to myself when I first launched. As for non-evening footwear, I wear a mix of brands. This winter I’ve been loving Prada’s loafers and boots, and for sneakers, I’ve been enjoying sporting Alexander McQueen and Axel Arigato.
Many celebs have been spotted wearing my designs, like Bella Hadid, Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Dua Lipa and Jennifer Lopez. But my all-time favourite career moment was when Beyoncé requested 24 different colours of my Dassy pumps. She ended up wearing a silver pair for her birthday party on a private yacht as well as the red ones for Valentine’s Day.
I get to the office at about 10:00am and you’ll find us all working together, music playing in the background. There is never a quiet time as we’re always sitting together, discussing new topics and ideas. My team and I are super focused but we know how to balance work and fun! I always want my team to feel at home in the office – it is so important for me that they feel both inspired and ambitious.
1:00pm My favourite place to eat – day and night – is Basko. And that is not only because it’s owned by my husband. I love the food and the vibe. I can go at any time of the day; lunch, dinner and even for brunch on weekends. An added draw? My husband and I have collected over 300 vintage vinyl records over the years and we have them currently displayed in the library of Suave, on the top floor of Basko.
At about 7:00pm I try and leave the office. My evenings really vary night by night. As my husband and I are travelling and working most of the time, we love to spend our evenings and free time together – just the two of us. But we often go to my sisters’ and brothers’ during the week as they all live on the same street. It is so nice to spend time with family.
I’m not an early sleeper, never was. A camomile infusion before bed helps me unwind and relax. I sleep six hours at the most and it always takes me a while to drift off. I just keep thinking about the day I have had and my next one. But I make it a point to remember to count my blessings every night.
Images Courtesy of Amélie Huynh
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s June 2022 issue.