Rihanna has certainly been leaving her print in the fashion industry. Two years after the Council of Fashion Designers of America presented her with the Fashion Icon award, the now Puma creative director gets another shot at the podium–becoming the first woman to win a prestigious Footwear News title.
Rih’s Puma Creepers have been dominating the streetwear market. Not only a top choice among consumers and celebrities, her take on suede-meets-platform exterior earned industry acclaim and top designer cosigns. Now, the Footwear News Achievement Awards [November 29] names the kicks as the 2016 Shoe of the Year and described her sneakers as “the only choice.”
The singer’s work with Puma put an end to the Adidas streak of the last two years: Kanye West’s Yeezy Boost win in 2015 and Stan Smith’s epic comeback in 2014. Rihanna’s Creepers also push women to the forefront of sneaker production—deconstructing the male-dominated list of past Shoe of the Year winners. She told Footwear News, “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.” The Bajan also took to Instagram to express her gratitude:
RFN