Rihanna is reflecting on what it means to return to the Footwear News Achievement Awards — but this time around, in support of her partner A$AP Rocky, who received the Collaboration of the Year award alongside Puma at the Dec. 4 awards show in New York City.
The fashion mogul attended the 2016 iteration of the event, often dubbed the “Shoe Oscars,” when she was fêted with the Shoe of the Year award for the Fenty Puma Creeper. Now that it’s A$AP’s turn to be honored, Rihanna was right by his side throughout the night — laughing with him, applauding him, and even joining him and the Puma team on stage.
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On the red carpet at the FNAAs on Wednesday, Rihanna told Footwear News, “I always support Rocky. It’s not new for me to be here today, but I’m just so excited for him to have this achievement and have everyone revere him in the light that he deserves.”
Rihanna continued to laud A$AP, with whom she shares two young sons, saying, “He is such a creative and he creates all day, every day, in all different ways. He loves this. This is the thing that makes him so happy. The only thing that makes him happier than this is being a father. And to see him be honored for things that he truly loves — I’m excited to be here.”
A$AP Rocky certainly got creative when it came time to design with Puma, referring to his ideas as “audacious” in his acceptance speech. The rapper joined Puma in 2023 as creative director of the brand’s F1 line. In 2024, the partnership brought about multiple boundary-pushing shoe releases, including a 3D-printed version of the Mostro silhouette.
Rihanna appeared shocked when she was reminded her own FNAA win was nearly a decade ago. “Almost a decade — girl! You just aged me.”
Considering the achievement, the superstar recognized the significance of the moment and looked ahead to how her and A$AP’s children might view it in the future: “To be here by his side and see him win this it is a full circle moment. We’re excited, and I know our kids going to be proud one day when they think we’re not cool.”
