Los Angeles, CA – Farmani Group launched The Global Footwear Design Awards (GFA) for the first time as a sister awards alongside IDA International Design Award. The GFA recognizes visionary design talent from around the world with an ambition to provide the highest recognition to footwear designers on all levels, from emerging designers to businesses and corporations. The GFA offers recognition in all footwear divisions, from Fashion to Sports, and at every stage of development, from design to the manufacturing process. The GFA winners were announced today.

“We, at International Design Awards (IDA), are very excited to create an awards specifically for footwear design as we see a tremendous design potential within this field. I see a fast growing momentum of young footwear talents that truly deserve global recognitions. There are many great works that bridges art, footwear and technology together, which is extremely exciting”, said Hossein Farmani, International Design Awards (IDA) president.

The GFA jury panel consists of leading industry professionals coming from different disciplines within the footwear industry, including publications, institutions, established designers and industry leaders providing an overall industry perspective towards the selection of the best design. Evaluating submissions from all over the globe, entries are evaluated at four different levels: corporations, small businesses, independent designers and students, in order to provide a fair opportunity to each level. Each design entry was evaluated by the professional GFA Jury panel on its own merit.

“The special part of the Global Footwear Awards is the way we evaluate designs, not by popularity, but through the lens of cross-disciplinary professionals, with a long experience within the footwear industry. The winning designs will truly make a mark and set examples of what true innovation and sustainability means in the footwear industry”, added Siramol On-Sri, GFA Project Manager.

The Global Footwear awards also honors strategic thinking and innovative solutions to medical footwear, sustainability and social impact to inspire many more social responsibility projects to come. Here are some of our jury’s words:

“Apart from enjoying the variety in creativity I was most happy to see that more and more designers start to think of footwear as an area to tackle socio-political issues and so plays a part in taking the discipline beyond only reproducing styles of fashion, and playing with technology, and engaging with real-life issues.” Eelko Moorer, GFA Jury and LCF MA footwear course leader.

“Having judged the awards and really investigated what each brand/trainer was about, it was so great to see a dedication to sustainability and ethical practices on so many fronts. It’s one thing designing and manufacturing great-looking shoes, but to do so and achieve a high-level of sustainable awareness at the same time is applaudable.” Zak Maoui, British GQ Style Editor.

“The GlobalFootwearAwards is a great competition for both, young and aspiring designers to showcase their concepts and also for established brands to let their work compete against each other.” Timon Kuhlenkamp, On Running Footwear Designer.

Congratulations to all winners on their outstanding works!

Check out https://www.globalfootwearawards.com/winners/gfa/2020/ to view all winning projects.

Here are the 2020 GFA ‘Best Overall Winners’

The ISPA Road Warrior

Nate Jobe Jobe
Fashion Sneakers – Brand level

Natural Selection – The Objectification of the Shoe

Liz Ciokajlo
Fashion – Brand level

Futurecraft.Strung

Fionn Corcoran-Tadd
Performance footwear – Brand level

Hi-tech footwear skin

MgA. Zuzana Oharek Bahulova, Ph.D.
Medical footwear – Brand level

Silent Runner

Benjamin Thomas
Sustainability – Brand level

THE NEXT

Kui Cai
Special Awards – Brand level

Sonic IQ 1.0 (Hearing Impaired Assistive Footwear)

Jaden Zhai
Kids – Independent level

Safa Sahin Sneaker

Safa Sahin
Fashion Sneakers – Independent level

Bloom Foam

Olly Saunders
Fashion – Independent level

City Glider – Next Gen Footwear

Phua Wei Qiang Frederick
Performance footwear – Independent level

Walking in Silence

Maria Bika
Medical footwear – Independent level

Voronoi Runners

Rik Olthuis
Sustainability – Independent level

mutualism

Chiyang Duan
Special Awards – Independent level

Congratulations to all winners on their outstanding works!

The  2^nd Annual GFA will be open for submission in the coming month, stay tune via globalfootwearawards.com or @globalfootwearawards

To learn more about GFA’s submission criteria and award structure, winner benefits, and more, click here. For any press enquiries, email siramol@globalfootwearawards

About Farmani Group

Established in 1985, Farmani Group is responsible for many successful awards program around the globe, including the International Design Awards (IDA), Architecture Masterprize, DNA Paris Design Awards, London International Creative Awards, Prix de la Photographie in Paris, and the Annual Lucie Awards for Photography, which has emerged as one of the world’s most prestigious awards.