As 2014 winds down to a close, Footwear News has released exclusive video from the FN Achievement Awards, showing the people, companies and brands that shook up the shoe industry this year.
At the awards ceremony in New York earlier this month, honors were doled out to a number of hot fashion players, including Launch winner Sarah Jessica Parker, style maker Nicole Richie, savvy marketer Stuart Weitzman and Newsmaker Jimmy Choo.
Meanwhile, some huge awards went to the athletic guys as well, including Vans (Brand of the Year), Skechers USA Inc. (Company of the Year) and Under Armour founder Kevin Plank (Person of the Year). In addition, Adidas’ sell-out Stan Smith sneaker claimed the very first Shoe of the Year title, an honor accepted by its charismatic namesake.
The A-list event brought together two previously disparate groups — the sporty and the glamorous — which have grown closer throughout the year. The merging of fashion and athletic was a major trend story in the footwear world. It was dominant on the runways in Europe and overseas, and in retail stores across the globe, where sales blossomed for cool, comfortable kicks.
Watch on FN
But don’t just take our word for it. Check out the highlight reel from the awards ceremony to see this perfect pairing for yourself:
