It’s the biggest night in footwear. FN on Wednesday is celebrating the 38th FN Achievement Awards (FNAAs), the industry’s most-anticipated event of the year. Best known as the “Shoe Oscars,” the star-studded red carpet and awards gala recognizes footwear’s most influential names, standout moments, biggest brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans.
The 38th annual awards ceremony were held Dec. 4 in New York.
Read along to see a full list of winners — and some of their most notable quotes — from the biggest night in shoes.
Company of the Year: New Balance
Presenter: Gabby Thomas
New Balance couldn’t miss in 2024. Both its heritage and collaboration sneakers topped every must-have list, it scored major Olympic moments with partners like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas, and now, thanks to a new WNBA deal, New Balance will take a key role in one of the hottest sports leagues in America.
Quote for the event: “The teamwork that is exhibited across our company is the key reason why we are here tonight,” Preston said. “It’s a fearlessly independent mindset that we operate from being privately held that we think allows us that opportunity.”
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Brand of the Year: Larroudé
Presenter: Emily DiDonato
During a time when many independent designers have closed or scaled back their businesses, Larroudé has defied the odds, racking up $30 million in sales in 2023, less than three years since its launch in 2020. Chief creative officer Marina Larroudé and her husband, chief executive officer Ricardo Larroudé, honed a successful strategy built around buzzy collaborations, product freshness and a faster DTC model.
Quote from the event: “I want to celebrate that theres a way to do things differently,” said Ricardo Larroudé, financier and business operator of Larroudé. “There is a way to do shoes yourself. If you do that, you can take care of the people who are doing the shoes for you.”
Emerging Talent Award: Philéo Landowski
Presenter: Alissia
At just 22 years old, French designer Philéo Landowski has quickly established a reputation as a go-to creative voice in footwear, collaborating with Comme des Garçons, Salomon, Adidas and many others. Additionally, his namesake unisex brand has grown over 10 seasons, now distributed in 14 countries with close to 40 doors, including Kith and Dover Street Market.
Quote from the event: “Let’s make this world a better place, one idea at a time,” said Philéo Landowski.
Brand of the Year: On
Presenter: Law Roach
The Swiss athletic brand continues its strong standing in the ultra-competitive running market, growing global sales 24 percent in the first half of this year to 1.08 billion Swiss francs (or $1.24 billion at current exchange). And its already red-hot fashion cred got an additional boost this year from its collaboration with Loewe and a new partnership with actress and style influencer Zendaya.
Hall of Fame: Dave Powers
Presenter: Jean-Luc Diard
Dave Powers retired from his role as chief executive officer of Deckers Brands in August, capping off an incredible 12-year run with the company. He joined Deckers as president of direct-to-consumer in August 2012, rising through the ranks to become CEO in 2016. Under his tenure, Deckers experienced explosive growth, led by its Ugg and Hoka businesses. For its last fiscal year, the company scored $4.3 billion in sales.
Quote from the event: “Stay hungry, stay humble and be kind,” Powers said. “And that formula works every day.”
Icon Award: Martha Stewart
Presenter: Michael Atmore
In 2024, Martha Stewart once again proved she’s unstoppable, from her starring role with Snoop Dogg at the Paris Olympics to the launch of her 100th book to her viral “Netflix” documentary. Stewart also has been expanding her partnership with Skechers. In October, she appeared on QVC to promote her new collection with the brand and regularly models the kicks on Instagram.
Quote from the event: “For me, it’s a good thing to be with a company that’s growing and expanding and becoming an important part of the footwear world,” Stewart said.
Launch of the Year: Sneex
Presenter: Amy Griffin
She already built a billion-dollar brand from the ground up. Now Spanx founder Sara Blakely is disrupting the footwear industry with her Sneex brand. The buzzed-about launch in August certainly got people talking. And the shoes gained a place on the coveted Oprah’s Favorite Things holiday list (likely with help from super fan Gayle King). Blakely’s patented design features a sneaker-stiletto hybrid (cheekily called hy-heels) that’s made in Spain and features a 78mm heel. The goal of the design is to address major pain points in a traditional high heel.
Quote from the event: “A thing or two I love about my mom is that she cares so much about other women, she also knows what to say when you are feeling down,” Tepper Itzler, daughter of Sneex founder Sara Blakely.
Style Influencer of the Year: Angel Reese
Presenter: Tobe Nwigwe
After a successful run playing college basketball at LSU that included a national championship, Angel Reese entered the WNBA in April to tremendous fanfare. Reese has also made inroads in the world of high fashion, attending industry events like the Met Gala, the CFDA Fashion Awards, a pre-Olympics event at Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Her love of fashion has manifested itself most notably with Reebok, the athletic brand she has been aligned with since 2023, when they launched the Reebok by Angel collection in August.
Quote from the event: “I’m 22 years old, I’m still figuring life out, but this is just the beginning,” Reese said. “I’ll be having a signature shoe with Reebok coming out in 2026.”
Hall of Fame: Susan Itzkowitz
Presenter: Marc Fisher
In 2004, Susan Itzkowitz partnered with Marc Fisher to launch a new shoe venture, which has grown into a powerful player in the fashion footwear business, encompassing 14 brands, including licensed collections for Calvin Klein, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger, Hunter and others. And as a longtime board member for Two Ten Footwear Foundation, she has spearheaded efforts to increase representation and opportunities for women in the industry.
Quote from the event: “Iv’e learned that while hard work is absolutely essential, striving for balance, however elusive it may seem, is just as important,” Itzkowitz said.
Designer of the Year: Edgardo Osorio, Aquazzura
Presenter: Nina Garcia
In an era when many independent shoe designers are facing significant challenges and have scaled back, Aquazzura founder and creative director Edgardo Osorio is forging ahead. His 12-year-old brand continues to drive growth with retail expansion in key markets. And Aquazzura has become a red-carpet mainstay, with everyone from Beyoncé and Meghan Markle to Angelina Jolie wearing the brand this year.
Quote from the event: “We might just be creating shoes, but we can make someone smile, one step at a time,” Osorio said.
Retailer of the Year: JD Sports
“Bigger is better” seems to be the approach for U.K.-based retail company JD Sports. In addition to opening 85 new stores in the first half of this year, it completed its acquisition of American chain Hibbett in July, which added 1,179 stores to the total portfolio and made North America its largest geographic market. As it works to transition Finish Line stores to JD Sports locations, the company is poised to grow its U.S. mindshare even further.
Quote from the event: “We will do $6 billion in the U.S. this year from nothing in 2018,” said JD Sports CEO Régis Schultz.
Collaboration of the Year: A$AP Rocky x Puma
Since Rocky joined Puma late last year as the creative director for the brand’s F1 partnership, the rapper has incorporated motorsport design elements across all of his offerings. In a series of releases this year, A$AP Rocky and Puma delivered multiple sell-out distressed versions of the Inhale sneaker and a highly imaginative, 3D-printed edition of the Mostro shoe.
Quote from the event: “The thought of me being with Puma and making collaboration of the year, I didn’t think that was really possible. And look at us now,” said A$AP Rocky.”
Icon Award for Social Impact: Skechers
Presenter: Brooke Burke
The company will be honored for its multi-faceted philanthropic efforts, most notably the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, which has made an incredible impact on the lives of children with special needs and the broader public education sector over the past 16 years. In addition, Skechers has been a huge supporter of animal welfare, donating millions through the Bobs brand to help shelter pets. And, of course, there’s no bigger supporter of the Manhattan Beach community than Skechers.
Quote from the event: “We know we compete with a number of you on a large scale,” said Skechers COO David Weinberg. “We’d like to cooperate and offer anybody the opportunity to partner with us to do more to give back to the community.”
Lifetime Achievement Award: Kenneth Cole
Presenter: Donna Karan
For more than four decades, Kenneth Cole has been committed to fashion with a mission. Using his eponymous brand’s powerful platform, he has tirelessly championed numerous social justice movements, including HIV/AIDS awareness, gun control, climate change and, most recently, ending mental health stigmas. His early efforts created a model that others have since followed.
Hall of Fame: Tacey Powers
Presenter: Jamie Nordstrom
Tacey Powers joined Nordstrom in 1981, starting on the sales floor and working her way up to the executive level, where she now serves as executive vice president and general merchandise manager for shoes. In addition to overseeing the retailer’s stores in the U.S., she also has been committed to mentorship and giving back to the industry as a board member for Two Ten Footwear Foundation and Footwear Retailers and Distributors of America.
Quote from the event: “To my Nordstrom team: I work with a group of amazing people who bring joy and their special talent to work everyday,” Powers said. “I believe we have some of the best merchants in the business.”
Person of the Year: Bjørn Gulden, Adidas
Presenter: Billie Jean King
Since rejoining Adidas in early 2023 as its chief executive officer, Bjørn Gulden has helped steer the German athletic giant through a remarkable turnaround. An inventory cleanup and new hyperlocal strategy helped improve financials faster than anyone expected. And when its “terrace shoes” exploded in popularity, the company was ready to capitalize on the demand
Quote from the event: “As I said last year when Nike was here — they’re not here this year, which is funny; It was a joke, it was a joke — I said we had a lot in the pipeline,” Gulden said. “And when you have 75 years of history, you have a lot in the pipeline. So to the people in the US, China, in Mexico and wherever, they should have the prize.”
For 38 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 2024 event is supported by sponsors Listrak, Marc Fisher, Nordstrom and Vibram.
