Nina Christen

Designer Nina Christen is the founder and creative director of luxury footwear label Christen and is design director of shoes at Christian Dior. Christen took up her role directing footwear collections for the French fashion house in June 2025, under the creative direction of Jonathan Anderson.

After earning a master's degree from the Institut Français de la Mode in Paris in 2011, Christen designed footwear at European luxury houses including Céline, where she worked with Phoebe Philo, as well as Saint Laurent, The Row and Dries van Noten.

Christen helped create several major runway moments in the late 2010s and 2020s. During Daniel Lee’s tenure at Bottega Veneta, Christen co-designed the biodegradable rubber Puddle boot as well as the top-selling Lido sandals, recognisable for their enlarged weave. She worked with Anderson at Loewe from 2022, designing the house's surrealist balloon pumps, deflated balloon heels and comic shoes.

In 2024, Christen launched her namesake label, producing Italian-crafted sandals with high heels, mules, boots and tabi-toed shoes. She opened her first flagship boutique on Rue de la Paix in Paris in March 2026.