EXCLUSIVE: Interior Designer Nina Magon on Becoming a Global Brand
PARIS — Houston-based designer Nina Magon is aiming high — up to 40 stories high to be exact. Her design firm recently purchased a three-acre parcel of land that lies within the 42-mile loop formed by the city’s Interstate 610 freeway. Magon told WWD that her team is working on a project for the development of what could be her first branded high-rise condo building that would bring fashion and luxury to the forefront.
“By integrating local art and sustainable practices, I want to create a landmark that resonates with the community, fosters social interaction and elevates the standard of luxury living. This project will not only redefine the skyline but also offer a unique lifestyle experience that reflects the vibrant spirit of Houston,” she contended.
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At a Women&Design dinner hosted by Maison&Objet under the chandelier ceilings of Paris hot spot restaurant Baronne, Magon talked about the challenges women face in juggling family and running a business and how a development project of this magnitude is unique for a female-led business. Earlier that day at a talk on retail spaces during Maison&Objet, she told the crowd that the industry needs to change its narrative.
“Development in the U.S. is kind of a big boys club. It’s very difficult for a female to enter in as a developer in the U.S. and I don’t think I can name one woman who leads a very strong development company in the U.S.,” she said.
In June 2024, Magon was appointed U.S. ambassador for top French design fair Maison&Objet, pinpointing her as an industry figure who helps propel women in design.
Magon, who founded her studio in 2008, said she has had to break down barriers one at a time: first because she’s a woman and second because she hails from a minority — Indian — background, which has been an uphill climb in arenas where European males dominate the interior design industry.
Today, her diverse roster of clients ranges from high-end residential firms, big companies like Saks Fifth Avenue, Martha Stewart, Bergdorf Goodman and Balmain Paris, to heritage artisan brands like Sahrai, a luxury rug-maker in Milan founded in 1830.
Currently in the throes of rebranding Nina Magon Studio as a global firm, she recently cut the ribbon on her first residence project, a $20 million luxury townhomes project fully developed and designed with the studio’s modern-meets-old-world flair from start to finish. Four units have already been completed and listed on the market. The residences are located in Houston’s Memorial area.
The townhomes are the first residences developed by a design firm to hit the city’s landscape. Prices start at $1.2 million. There are many opportunities in Houston. The city is currently awaiting its first branded residential project, the St. Regis residences, which broke ground in 2023. The property on 102 Asbury Street will feature 93 homes starting at $2.4 million.
“This rebrand goes beyond a new logo, it will impact the design industry as a whole, redefining what it means to be a luxury design firm,” she claimed, noting that the town houses marked a major shift in the studio’s development capacity.
Magon was born in Canada and raised in Houston, and hails from a traditional Indian family. After graduating from Southern Methodist University with a degree in finance and economics, she opened an exclusive lingerie store. “I wanted to compete with Victoria’s Secret,” she reminisced, adding that she began embarking on private interior design projects for friends before opening her own design studio in 2008.
At Maison&Objet in Paris, Magon said all Nina Magon Studio’s designs are unique. “None of them look the same,” she said adding that she has consistently pondered how to make spaces different for each of her clients from the start.
“Bold means doing something very different than everyone else is doing, pushing the edge,” she said.
She currently has her eye on home collection collaborations with fashion brands, as well as hoteliers in global cities where she hopes to open offices: Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In particular, she has already embarked on private projects in Abu Dhabi, the world’s richest city when measured by the assets held by sovereign wealth funds.
“Things are booming there,” she said of Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh. “Additionally, a diverse clientele comprised of expatriates and affluent locals creates varied design opportunities, and the increasing focus on eco-friendly practices aligns with global trends, appealing to conscious consumers.”
Last year she combined the worlds of high fashion and interior design in the Mandarin Oriental Residences in Beverly Hills when she, furniture expert Adrian Duenas, owner and chief executive officer of luxury furniture showroom BeDesign, and Balmain decked out a penthouse apartment. This highlighted her fashion potential, especially in key design markets like India.
“We want to unite our brand with the biggest names in fashion in every country where we have a presence,” she said.
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