Rihanna is a singer, songwriter, actress and designer, and she can now fulfill another role: “The Queen of the shoes”. Footwear News, which hosts the annual “Shoe Oscars” and is considered the industry bible for footwear, announced that she will be honored with their “Shoe of the Year award” for her highly coveted Fenty Puma by Rihanna creepers.
This is the first time that a woman has ever won this prize. Past ‘Shoe of the Year’ winners include Kanye West for his Yeezy Boost 350 sneaker in collaboration with Adidas, and tennis legend Stan Smith, who was honored for his signature shoe designed with Adidas in 2014.
After the Creeper sold out in a mere three hours last fall, it has continued to sell out throughout the year. Footwear News reported there really was no other choice for the coveted title. They select the shoe of the year based on retail sales, consumer feedback, social media and overall buzz
“In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined an honor like Shoe of the Year. It means so much to me to make a mark like this in the shoe and sneaker industry and to have so many people share my love for the Creeper,” Rihanna told Footwear News.
This is Rihanna’s first introduction as PUMA Women’s Creative Director, and she clearly did the brand justice with “The Creeper”. It remixes the iconic PUMA suede style and an unmistakeable NYC punk rock aesthetic. The tennis shoe has a platform (or “creeper” sole) and is available in a variety of fresh colorways and material combinations.
The annual award ceremony recognizes the best in the footwear industry and is hosted by the Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) and the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA). Rihanna will receive her prize on 29th November in New York.
The singer also made a post on Instagram celebrating the award. “To God be the Glory! What a blessing to be honored with this prestigious award, and to be the first woman receiving “Shoe of the year” at #FNAA !! Never could I have imagined the amount of support and love we got from around the world for #THECREEPER !!! Thank you to everyone who represented and made the movement!!! One love.#FENTYxPUMA”.