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The Footwear News Achievement Awards — a.k.a. the “Shoe Oscars” — lit up Cipriani South Street in NYC last night (Dec. 4), bringing out the biggest names in the fashion game to celebrate trailblazers, tastemakers, and industry icons.
A$AP Rocky was the highlight of the night, as he snagged Collaboration of the Year for his game-changing partnership with Puma. Taking the stage with his signature charisma, Rocky didn’t hold back. “I thought there was something missing in the market—and it was me,” he joked, firing shots at brands still cashing in on his influence without cutting him a check. His playful confidence had the crowd in stitches, but he kept it real, giving credit to his team: “All jokes aside, I wouldn’t be sh*t without everybody in the team involved.”
Rocky couldn’t leave the podium without showing love to his better half, Rihanna. Shouting out the supermom of their two children, RZA and Riot, he shared how RiRi’s own FNAA win a decade ago inspired him. “Her doing that, she inspires me a lot,” he said before inviting her and the Puma squad to join him onstage. “This is one of the best accomplishments ever.”
Rihanna told ET on the event’s red carpet: “I left my kids to be here. I’m super proud of their dad. That’s my baby daddy. He’s always influenced the fashion game. He’s always had a unique sense of style that designers have honed in on and actually used as inspiration for collection, and he’s never gotten the amount of credit that he deserves. Being here tonight, it just feels great to see him, like, achieve something that we always knew that he was a part of and influenced. And I’m proud to be here by his side. And it’s a big deal.”
The 38th annual FNAAs celebrated more than just Rocky’s Puma collab. Donna Karan presented Kenneth Cole with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the designer cheekily called out Rocky for winging his speech. Martha Stewart scooped the Icon Award with a hilarious pre-taped intro from Snoop Dogg, and Edgardo Osorio of Aquazzura claimed Designer of the Year, with an intro by ELLE editor-in-chief Nina Garcia.
The star-studded evening also crowned Bjørn Gulden of Adidas as Person of the Year, Angel Reese as Style Influencer of the Year, and New Balance as Company of the Year. JD Sports snagged Retailer of the Year, while Skechers took home the Icon Award for Social Impact. From high fashion to dope kicks, the night was an unforgettable event honoring the culture-shapers and innovators of today.
Check out some snaps from the carpet to inside the venue below.
English (US) ·