The Third Annual Footwear Awards
GFA offers recognition in all footwear divisions, from Fashion to Sports, and at every stage of development, from design to the manufacturing process. GFA evaluates entries in 3 different levels: Brands, independent designers and students, in order to provide a fair opportunity to each level.
The Global Footwear Awards acknowledges ground-breaking footwear designs with the highest global recognition across different business entities, including professionals and emerging young designers.
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MISSION
The Global Footwear Awards recognizes the efforts of talented footwear designers around the world and aims to celebrate their exceptional creations at a global scale while honoring sustainable practices that will inspire the industry as a whole.
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OBJECTIVE
The Global Footwear Awards honors the best in the industry, addressing creativity, innovation, sustainability, and social impact. GFA’s ambition is to provide the highest recognition to footwear designers in all levels, from emerging designers to design professionals, and to corporations. The award offers global visibility to designers, providing greater opportunities in the footwear business and beyond. The GFA also provides an international platform, generating a network of leading professionals in the support of moving the industry forward.
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WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT
The Global Footwear Awards acknowledges the best footwear designers from all over the world with international recognition. The GFA Jury Panel consists of leading professionals, across the globe, coming from different disciplines within the footwear industry, including major publications, retailers, institutions, and influencers.
GFA offers recognition in all categories from Fashion to Sports, and at every stage of development, from design to manufacturing and technology. Moreover, GFA evaluates entries in 3 different levels: brands, independent designers, and students, in order to provide a fair opportunity to each level.
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AWARD CATEGORIES
Performance, Fashion, Kids, Sustainability, and Special Awards
– BEST OVERALL WINNERS –
(ACROSS ALL LEVELS: BRANDS, INDEPENDENT AND STUDENTS)
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – SPORTS PERFORMANCE
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – SUSTAINABILITY
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – FASHION SNEAKERS
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – MEN’S FASHION
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – WOMEN’S FASHION
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – UNISEX
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – KIDS
- FOOTWEAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR – SPECIAL AWARDS
- EMERGING FOOTWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
- BEST FOOTWEAR BRAND OF THE YEAR
- BEST INDEPENDENT DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
– CATEGORY WINNERS –
SPORTS PERFORMANCE
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
SUSTAINABILITY
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
FASHION SNEAKERS
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
MEN’S FASHION
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
WOMEN’S FASHION
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
UNISEX
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
KIDS
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
SPECIAL AWARDS
- CATEGORY WINNER – BRAND LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – INDEPENDENT LEVEL
- CATEGORY WINNER – STUDENT LEVEL
– SUB – CATEGORY WINNERS –
(ACROSS ALL LEVELS: BRANDS, INDEPENDENT AND STUDENTS)
PERFORMANCE
- RUNNING / TRAIL RUNNING
- BASKETBALL
- FOOTBALL/RUGBY
- OTHER INDOOR SPORTS
- OTHER OUTDOOR SPORTS
SUSTAINABILITY
- NATURAL MATERIAL / VEGAN FOOTWEAR
- BIODEGRADABLE FOOTWEAR
- RECYCLED MATERIALS / CLOSED LOOP MANUFACTURING
- OTHER SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
FASHION SNEAKERS
MEN’S FASHION
FASHION WOMEN’S
UNISEX
KIDS
- INNOVATIVE KIDS FOOTWEAR
- KIDS FASHION FOOTWEAR
SPECIAL AWARDS
- BEST FOOTWEAR COLLABORATION
- BEST FOOTWEAR INNOVATION
- BEST MEDICAL FOOTWEAR
- BEST ARTISTIC FOOTWEAR
- BEST 3D PRINT FOOTWEAR
- BEST GRAVITY SKETCH FOOTWEAR
- BEST SOCIAL IMPACT FOOTWEAR
- GFA x SBW UP-AND-COMING FEMALE SNEAKER DESIGNER
- GFA x SHOE GIRLS UP-AND-COMING FEMALE FOOTWEAR DESIGNER (NON-SNEAKER)
Entering a project is completed online in a simple 4-step process. Designs can be from anywhere in the world. The design must be completed within recent years (5 years). It can be a product in-store, a project in development, or conceptual.
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EVALUATION PROCESS
The Jury panel evaluates entries based on creativity, design, and innovation. The Jury members cast their votes individually and anonymously as opposed to in a group forum to ensure unbiased and impartial judging. Jury votes are tallied and the highest overall scoring entries in each category are selected as Winners.
The design must be completed in recent years (5 years). It can be a product in-store, a project in development, or conceptual. We reward excellence in footwear design, so the presentation of the design is an important part of evaluating the work. It needs to generate consumer desire and provide a better experience for consumers. Great designs are those that demonstrate innovation and embrace new technologies, set new trends, and push the boundaries of human ingenuity. We are also interested in designs with high regard for sustainable practices, social impact, and humanitarian issues, for which we have set up special awards.
Please ensure you provide sufficient and persuasive detailing and make your presentation as convincing as possible, as this will enable the jury to make the best possible evaluation of your design.
Click here to submit your project.
