Footwear News, the industry bible of the shoe business for more than 70 years, hosted its 30th FN Achievement Awards at IAC Headquarters in New York City last week and superstar Rihanna was a big winner and presented with the award for Shoe of the Year for the Fenty Puma Creeper.
The annual event, often referred to as the “Shoe Oscars,” recognizes and celebrates the best and brightest stars in the footwear industry including footwear executives, designers and consumers.
Rihanna, the first woman to win this coveted award, said it makes her “proud to be a woman and proud to be a young woman from Barbados, especially.” Also, “I didn’t expect people to love it the way I do and it means so much to me to be receiving this award tonight.”
The shoe has had incredible success since its launch in September 2015, selling out in hours every single time new pairs were released. Rihanna, of course, arrived to the FNAAs wearing a black and white pair of Creepers.
Kanye West won the award for the Yeezy Boost 350 in 2015 and Stan Smith won for the Adidas Stan Smith sneaker in 2014.
Also there: Cuba Gooding Jr., who presented John Varvatos with the Award for Social Impact.
Upon seeing friend director/writer extraordinaire Spike Lee, Cuba Gooding Jr., embraced him and exclaimed, “I thought that was you!”