NEWS


Cordwainers Footwear Awards marks a decade celebrating future talent


T


he 2024 Cordwainers Footwear Awards will take place on 13 June at


Saddlers’ Hall in the heart of the City of London. Open to students of footwear


design across the UK, 16 finalists will compete to win the coveted Cordwainers Footwear Awards Trophy. This year’s awards mark a decade celebrating future talent, and Sophia Webster will be the keynote speaker. Her luxury brand, best known


for her signature butterfly motif, attracts a vast celebrity fan base including J-Lo, Michelle Obama, Katy Perry and Oprah. Barbara Hulanicki OBE, the iconic fashion designer and founder of Biba, will produce sketches of the winning designs, which will be auctioned in aid of Cordwainer charities. Established in 2014, the


Cordwainers Footwear Awards not only offer footwear design


students significant cash prizes and the chance to earn industry recognition for their work, but finalists are also given the opportunity to gain mentoring experience from some of the best and brightest names in the British footwear industry. “Through the Awards, we have seen the emergence of some


incredible talent, innovation and excellence over the last 10 years, not least our first winner, the sneaker designer Helen Kirkham,” said Judith Millidge, Master of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers. “In the last decade we have


given away over £100,000 of prize money and promoted


the careers of more than 150 students, helping them to achieve their dreams of working in the footwear industry or founding their own businesses.” As well as the main award, additional categories include the Sneaker/Athleisure Award and the Sustainability Award, which promotes the incredible work emerging to produce footwear designs that are environmentally sustainable. Inaugural winner Helen Kirkum


said: “Without the Cordwainers award, I wouldn’t have got where I am today. After graduating, I wanted to pursue a Master’s at the Royal College of Art, but I had no way of funding it – until I won the award. The prize money set me on my path.” This year, the Sue Saunders


Award for Excellence, awarded by nomination to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the footwear trade, will be presented to Sophia Webster. A graduate of the Cordwainers course at the London College of Fashion, Sophia is an entrepreneurial footwear designer with an outstanding global reputation.


Sports footwear market forecast to surpass $200 billion by 2033 It reported that the expansion of the sports footwear market is


predominantly propelled by several pivotal factors, including the evolution of fashion trends, heightened global awareness of health and fitness, and a surge in physical activities. Technological advancements in footwear design and materials, with a particular emphasis on elevating comfort, support, and performance capabilities, also play a significant role in driving this growth. The market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5 per cent during the forecast period (2023 - 2033). This is attributed to the growing participation in outdoor recreational activities like rafting, skiing, trekking, and more. Elsewhere, football’s massive popularity in Europe is a key driver of


growth in the European sports footwear market, spurring demand for high-quality shoes among players and fans alike. Technological advancements in footwear design, increasing health


T


he global sports footwear market is poised to achieve a total valuation of $208.7 billion by 2033, which demonstrates a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.4 per cent.


This is according to the latest data from Fact.MR, a provider of market research and competitive intelligence.


and fitness awareness, and the expanding middle-class population in emerging markets are the three main factors driving the market – said a Fact.MR expert. Leading footwear manufacturers are prioritising the expansion of their product range tailored to meet the changing preferences of consumers. Top players include Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma and Under Armour. The Fact.MR experts also said that in this industry it is important to


combine online platforms with physical stores… “This way, you can cater to a wide range of customers and make shopping easy and convenient,” they said. “By offering both options, you reach people who prefer browsing in-store and those who like shopping online.”


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