For 39 years, the annual Footwear News Achievement Awards (FNAA), known as the “Shoe Oscars,” have celebrated style icons, compelling brand stories, dedicated philanthropists, rising talents, and seasoned industry leaders. This year stood at the intersection of fashion, culture and innovation, as the FNAA’s highlighted individuals who reshape how the world walks, performs and expresses itself.
On Dec. 3, 2025, in New York City, the star-studded red carpet and gala honored Pharrell Williams, Tommy Hilfiger, Ronnie Fieg, Pete Nordstrom, Coco Gauff, Jordan Brand, among others.
The red carpet buzzed with designers, athletes, musicians and industry leaders, all arriving with their favorite footwear on feet and to acknowledge the impact that sneakers and footwear have on identity, economy and global storytelling.
Footwear has evolved far beyond utility, sneakers are statements, boots are narratives, heels reflect eras, slides, clogs, and slip-ins are proof of how comfort is shaping the modern marketplace and bleeding into everyday life. Last night’s honorees and award recipients demonstrated that craft is no longer confined to factories, it lives in the communities built around product, in the campaigns that resonate, and in the conversations that challenge tradition.
The night had everything, acceptance speeches that sparked dialogue, heartfelt acknowledgments of family and friends, to comedic moments that reminded the room not to take itself too seriously, but there were five core moments that stood out as defining touchpoints that captured the spirit of the evening.
Below you’ll find the highlights from a night that celebrated more than footwear, it celebrated the people, stories and ideas pushing the industry forward.
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Kith Received Its Flowers (Again)
Ronnie Fieg, founder, CEO and creative director of Kith took home Person of the Year, marking a milestone moment for the kid from Queens who reshaped lifestyle and fashion culture on a global stage. The award was presented by television host and former NFL defensive end Michael Strahan — a fitting choice, given Kith’s unique ability to unite worlds once viewed as separate. Under Fieg’s vision, Kith has become one of the most influential brands of its era, bridging fashion, music, sports and film.
Reflecting on his journey, Fieg credited his drive to experiment to his mother, sharing, “The audacity that I have to try new things… I think that I got that from my mom growing up.” He then left the audience with some words of advice, “If you stay creative and stay humble you can go as far as you’d like to go.” It was a night of well-earned recognition for a brand and a visionary that continues to shape the culture, rather than reflect it.
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Lying Will Get You Ahead
When Skechers president Michael Greenberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he was honored by comedian Howie Mandel, who delivered a humorous speech. Mandel recounted the untraditional path that led to him partner with the Skechers. “I heard that Skechers had these slip-ins. I’m a germaphobe. I don’t like touching shoes, and I went to the store to buy slip-ins,” he remembered. When the store associate recognized him and assumed he was already an ambassador, he didn’t correct her. Instead, he leaned in: “I wasn’t, but I said I was because she said I’d get a discount.”
What began as a harmless attempt for a 50% off deal turned into something unexpected. After the employee sent a photo to corporate to verify his status, two weeks later Skechers called and wanted to make it official. The brand even turned his scheme into the campaign itself. “So I am now telling the world that I’m a liar — and lying will get you ahead,” Mandel concluded, “which I think is the underbelly of all retail.” The crowd erupted with laughter, but whether deception is truly the secret to success remains up for debate.
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40 Years of Greatness
The 2025 FN Achievement Awards seemingly paid tribute to four decades of impact as Jordan Brand was named Brand of the Year. Professional BMX rider Nigel Sylvester, whose own career echoes the brand’s connection to culture and sport, presented the trophy. The moment was heightened even further by the presence of filmmaker, longtime Jordan collaborator and devoted Jumpman fan Spike Lee, a figure whose partnership with the brand helped cement its place in history.
Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Jordan Brand president Sarah Mensah reflected on why the Jumpman continues to resonate across generations. “Self expression is actually power,” she stated, an idea that has been central to the brand long before sneakers became a global fashion language. After 40 years, Jordan’s influence remains unmatched — and you still “can’t ban greatness.”
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Coco Gauff Has No Lane
Coco Gauff received the Style Influencer of the Year Award, presented by actress and former honoree Storm Reid. This was Coco’s statement moment that stretched beyond the runway or the tennis court. She spoke about the misconception that sport should define every aspect of an athlete’s identity. “Being a female athlete often means being told to stay in our lane, to focus on the sport and nothing else,” Gauff shared. “But as I’ve grown in this sport, I realized that while it’s my passion, it isn’t my entire identity.”
Fashion isn’t simply an interest for Gauff, it’s a creative extension of who she is. “Fashion has become a way for me to express who I am beyond the court,” she said. “Through what I wear, I get to show a side of myself that shouldn’t be defined by a box, a rule or an expectation.” In a culture where athletes are often told to “shut up and dribble,” Gauff serves as a reminder that personal style can be a form of both expression and autonomy. To Coco, no one, especially young women in sports, should be confined to a single narrative.
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Sound Bite Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition
Pharrell Williams remains a voice of both artistry and advocacy. While accepting Shoe of the Year, introduced by friend and longtime collaborator Pusha T he wasted no time commanding the room as he opened with a line designed for headlines and social feeds alike: “Sound bite this. Since most people don’t like to read or do research anymore, sound bite this.” The delivery didn’t just bring the Pharrell Williams flair we’ve become accustomed to, it was highly intentional. His speech seemed to address the wave of criticism that followed comments he made last month during Black Ambition’s Demo Day in Miami, which many outlets reduced to a simplified claim that he “hated politics.” On the FNAA stage, Pharrell pushed back, calling that characterization just another misleading fragment pulled out of context, an incorrect “sound bite.”
He shifted the focus to identity and purpose, telling the audience not to mistake his refined aesthetic for detachment. “I’m proletariat,” he said, before driving it further: “In fact, I’m lumpenproletariat.” But the most resonant moment from Williams came when he spotlighted the mission behind his Black Ambition initiative, an effort built to fund and guide Black and Brown founders. The organization is allocating $85 million to help shape and support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Pharrell’s Black Ambition initiative serves as a direct response to the barriers that still exist for people who look like him. Pharrell vowed to “never stop fighting. I will never stop raising money to help level the playing field. Never.”