The 39th Annual Footwear News Achievement Awards, held Wednesday evening at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York, brought together the worlds of fashion, sport, entertainment and music for a night saluting footwear’s best and brightest.
Pharrell Williams, Tommy Hilfiger, Ronnie Fieg, Pete Nordstrom, Coco Gauff, Jordan Brand President Sarah Mensah and the Foster sisters were among the big names who took the stage to receive the industry’s top honors, while presenters included Patrick Schwarzenegger, Gayle King, Jeff Daniels, Michael Strahan, June Ambrose, Howie Mandel and Olivia Palermo. Stars like Christie Brinkley — who came with her daughter Sailor — and Spike Lee were also in the house to celebrate.
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The annual event honors industry legends, rising talents and style stars as well as the most successful company and brand stories of the year.
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“Our 14 honorees are proof positive that trying times call for inventive leadership and laser focus. These shining success stories all have an interesting backstory that led them to the podium,” said Michael Atmore, chief brand officer of Fairchild Media Group and editor in chief of Footwear News and WWD.
Few people have a backstory like Williams, who created the bold Virginia Adistar Jellyfish sneaker that took home FN’s Shoe of the Year Award — an honor that has previously been given to Rihanna and the late Virgil Abloh, among others. In a captivating — and pointed — acceptance speech, the Louis Vuitton men’s creative director and longtime Adidas collaborator sent a big message about the proliferation of soundbites in the social media age — no matter how complex a topic might be.
“Sound bite this. Since most people don’t like to read or do research anymore, sound bite this,” Williams said. “God is the greatest. Sound bite this. I’m from Virginia. Sound bite this. You don’t know what I know. You ain’t seen what I saw. No, you ain’t been where I go. I’m from the mud. As a child, nobody’s been evicted more times than me. Lights turned off, water turned off, and at times, had to pump the water. And I didn’t have a name-brand sneaker until I was 16, when I could afford them for my first paycheck from McDonald’s. Sound bite this. They were Adidas low-top Instincts.”
Williams also seemingly responded — in his own way — to recent backlash over comments he made last month at the fifth annual Black Ambition Demo Day in Miami. At the time, several media outlets reported that Williams “hated politics.”
In his speech, Williams referenced the sound bite of him saying he hated politics was in response to the DEI support and donations drying up because of new policies. “So yes, I got frustrated, and the sound biters, they caught me lacking. But sound bite this: I will never stop fighting. I will never stop raising money to help level the playing field. Never.”
While accepting the award, which was presented by rapper Pusha T, the musician and designer also highlighted his Black Ambition initiative, a philanthropic effort to support and mentor Black and brown start-ups and that so far has contributed over $85 million.
For Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Tommy Hilfiger, philanthropy has always been an important part of his life and work. Over four decades, the legendary founder has built a brand powerhouse with his unique formula for success. “I’ve been able to stay on the cusp of pop culture. I always thought that if I were to stay connected to pop culture — and to fashion, art, music, entertainment and sports — it would power the brand.”
Actor and entrepreneur Patrick Schwarzenegger, who presented Hilfiger with his award, talked about how much he had learned from the “true gentleman and the visionary behind one of the most iconic and influential brands of our time.”
“Tommy has defined classic American cool style, and continues to revolutionize the fashion industry by building a global label that breaks boundaries,” said Schwarzenegger, who has been a Hilfiger campaign star.
Speaking of stars, tennis champ Coco Gauff not only took home the Style Influencer of the Year honor, but introduced the Collaboration of the Year Award, which went to two of her brand partners, New Balance and Miu Miu.
Throughout the evening, it was clear that Gauff understands the power of her platform — on and off the court. “To Coco, paying it forward to community is always in style,” said actress and fellow New Balance athlete Storm Reid, Gauff’s presenter. “And she consistently uses her influence for good.”
Other honorees, including Person of the Year Ronnie Fieg and Pete Nordstrom, who accepted the Retailer of the Year award, talked about the unwavering support of their families.
“This honor makes me think about my [late] dad [Bruce] and my brother [Blake] in particular, who were really into the shoe business,” said Nordstrom, the co-chief executive officer of the department store chain, said. “No matter what happened with the company, where we went and what we achieved, they always came back to shoes.”
For full coverage and more about all 14 FNAA winners, go to WWD.com
The 2025 event was supported by Caleres, Listrak, Nordstrom, Skechers, Vibram and Wolverine Worldwide.