At the 2022 FN Achievement Awards tonight in New York, Amina Muaddi was recognized with the Designer of the Year award for her incredible success in the luxury business.

But as she took the stage to accept her award, Muaddi took a moment to remember a close friend and fellow FNAA honoree, Virgil Abloh, who was posthumously given the Shoe of the Year award for his Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneaker.

“The last time I was on the stage receiving an award, it was presented to me by my dear friend Virgil. So it’s a bit of a bittersweet moment tonight,” Muaddi said. “But I’m happy to share even this moment with him.”

Muaddi added that she was inspired by Abloh’s passion and commitment to his craft. “[It] was a constant reminder, not only of his humble spirit, but also of what really matters. I am so grateful to have the freedom to wake up every morning and to do what I do for work,” she said.

Muaddi’s Designer of the Year award marks her fourth FNAA honor in the four years since she launched her brand. (Most recently she received Collaboration of the Year in 2020 for her work with Rihanna’s Fenty label.)

Muaddi’s heels dominate the footwear landscape, defining the heel shapes, color palettes and overall sense of glam edginess tinged with Y2K nostalgia that has pervaded fashion recently. She also has become a pop culture force, with memorable name checks on “Euphoria” and “Insecure” this year, and a powerhouse social media presence that rivals the celebs who wear her heels.

And her business delivers in terms of sales as well. This year alone, global revenue will total 55 million euros.

To explain Muaddi’s meteoric rise, her friends point to the authenticity of her brand. “You may know Amina as a designer, a brand, a shoe icon, but she’s also the ultimate girls’ girl — like the kind who will literally take off her shoes and offer them to you if your shoes aren’t working for you,” said journalist Noor Tagouri, who presented Muaddi’s award. “I believe that this energy is experienced in her shoes themselves.”

For 36 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2022 event is supported by presenting sponsor Nordstrom, as well as Caleres, FDRA, Merrell, Vibram and Volumental.