From Supermodel to CEO: Kristina Romanova Redefines Luxury with Aman Essentials

Kristina Romanova is the CEO of Aman Essentials, an offshoot lifestyle brand of Aman Resorts. She lives between Dubai and Ibiza, but most of her time might be spent on airplanes and the occasional yacht. Within the span of the last few months, she has been in London, Paris, Milan, New York, Courchevel, and Phuket. Wherever she is, however, she’s focused on making Aman Essentials a world-class brand.

From Scattered Souvenirs to a Singular Vision

Romanova joined Aman in 2019. (Her partner, Vladislav Doronin, acquired Aman Resorts in 2014 and serves as its CEO and chairman.) At the time, each Aman property had a boutique within a spa or small retail element with a disparate collection of skincare products or souvenirs. “There was no unified strategy on what the product should be,” Romanova says. She asked the team, “What do we represent as Aman retail?”

Zuac fragrance / Photo: Courtesy of German Larkin

The answer was skincare, perfumes, accessories, ready-to-wear and leather goods grouped under Aman Essentials. Many of them were used in the hotels and coveted by guests, who asked where they could purchase them. “That’s how the idea came: Why don’t we enable our beloved customers to continue Aman’s holistic lifestyle experience in the comfort of their homes?” Romanova says.

Luxury Beyond the Lobby

Since its founding in 1988 in Thailand, Aman has built a cult following among a well-heeled set who refer to themselves as Aman Junkies. They come for the brand’s Zen aesthetics, primal locations, and air of exclusivity. Romanova has extended that elevated ethos to Aman’s retail. While she continues to grow its online presence, her priority remains the physical stores in the hotels and at third-party retailers like Harrods, which opened an Aman Essentials space in 2022.

Aman Essentials boutique, Amanpuri, Phuket, Thailand / Photo: Courtesy of German Larkin

Romanova says she has met clients who were introduced to the hotel brand after buying Aman Essentials at Harrods and ended up staying at an Aman property. “Through this product, you can introduce more people to the brand, especially the younger generation,” she says. New retail partnerships launching this year include Australia and the Middle East.

Photo: Aman Boutique. Courtesy of Aman

Aman also has properties opening in Beverly Hills, Miami Beach, Mexico, Bangkok and Saudi Arabia, as well as a new sister brand called Janu, all of which will help expand the retail footprint and clientele for Ama Essentials.

Global Craftsmanship, Local Inspiration

Many products are inspired by a property’s location. “We try to pick the best in class because quality is the most important element of our products,” Romanova says, citing partnerships with skincare producers in Japan, leather goods artisans in France, and ready-to-wear fabricators in Italy and Portugal.

Romanova’s eye for luxury was honed thanks to a flourishing career as a model. Born in Volgograd, Russia, she signed with a modeling agency at the encouragement of a friend. Two months later, the 16-year-old moved to New York and became an in-demand model for brands such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Dolce & Gabbana.

Photo: Kristina Romanova. CEO, Aman Essentials

Romanova, 30, has semi-retired from modeling to raise her two children with Doronin and helm Aman Essentials. After five years on the job, she says she’s finally learned how to be a more confident leader. “The less experienced you are, maybe the more you listen to others and you doubt your instincts,” Romanova says. “But I eventually realized that every time I didn’t trust my instinct, it was wrong. Now I have the courage, experience and foundation to trust my instinct and lead the way.”