For 38 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.
On Dec. 4, 2024, in New York City, the star-studded red carpet and gala honored Kenneth Cole with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden as Person of the Year, and New Balance as Company of the Year, among others.
The evening was filled with joy, appreciation and a touch of drama. Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden stirred the crowd with a light jab at Nike while accepting the 2024 FN Achievement Award for Person of the Year.
“As I said last year when Nike was here — they’re not here this year, which is funny. It was a joke, it was a joke,” he quipped during his speech.
As the night unfolded, memorable moments like this continued to make the 2024 FNAA an event to remember. Here are the five best moments from the evening.
Rihanna’s Surprise Appearance
Rihanna attended the 2024 FNAA to support her partner, A$AP Rocky, who was honored alongside Puma as Collaborator of the Year. She graced the red carpet in a white dress paired with matching white gladiator sandals, turning heads with her effortless style.
It’s inspiring to see the couple continuously pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves. Rihanna, who previously won Shoe of the Year with Puma in 2016 for her Puma Fenty Creeper, has now passed the torch to Rocky, who is following in her stylish footsteps.
As one of entertainment’s favorite couples, Rocky and Rihanna were photographed together on the carpet, chatting about their children, their relationship, and the seamless connection between music and fashion.
Throughout the evening, Rihanna was a constant presence, cheering Rocky on from the background and allowing him to bask in his moment. She was the ultimate supportive cheerleader, ensuring he received his well-deserved flowers.
Law Roach Presents On With Brand of the Year Award
Law Roach was given the opportunity to present Trailblazing Brand On with the Brand of the Year award, bringing his signature humor to the stage. “Why is the glamorous Law Roach here — someone who has never run a marathon and doesn’t plan to — presenting an award to a sportswear brand?” he mused, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Before Roach took the stage, a promotional video played, showcasing the Swiss brand and its partnership with multi-hyphenate Zendaya, alongside other athletes wearing and running in On sneakers.
Zendaya, a Billboard Hot 100 artist, led Roach to the brand, sharing, “Zendaya, my muse, who is now their brand partner, as they have been creating inspiring campaigns that bring together community, movement and storytelling.”
Roach’s collaboration with Zendaya began in 2011, and he is now celebrated as the architect of her red carpet style. Their close connection adds to the authenticity of his role in presenting On with the prestigious award.
On, known for its innovative designs and high-performance footwear, has gained widespread appeal both in the athletic community and among fashion-forward individuals. Its ability to seamlessly blend function with style has made it a standout brand, especially in a footwear space traditionally dominated by older, more established companies.
Angel Reese Gets Honest
One of the best moments of the night came when Chicago Sky forward and WNBA All-Star Angel Reese took the stage to accept the award for Style Influencer of the Year. While Reese is often seen at her very best, that night, she decided to be vulnerable with the room full of style stars, footwear icons, and industry veterans.
“I’m 22 years old, I’m still figuring life out, but this is just the beginning,” she shared. She went on to explain that her first-ever signature sneaker with Reebok would be coming in 2026.
Reese took a moment to thank her family and team for their unwavering support, as well as her fan army, the “Reese’s Pieces,” and Reebok for helping bring her dreams to life.
“I want to give a huge shoutout to Reebok for just believing in me and bringing my visions to life. Everything I ever wanted with them — and I am continuing with them — my dreams have already come true. They’ve given me the platform to be myself, unapologetically myself, and I really love that.”
Snoop Dogg Surprises Martha Stewart with Icon Award Presentation
Martha Stewart was honored with the Icon Award, but little did the room know, it would lead to the surprise of two icons in one moment. To everyone’s surprise, a video began playing, and it was none other than Snoop Dogg himself introducing his good buddy Martha Stewart as the recipient of the 2024 Icon Award.
“My friend Martha Stewart is the ultimate boss,” Snoop began, sitting comfortably in his The Voice chair. “She’s an amazing footwear ambassador for the brand, expanding it for women along with her empire.” He continued, “Now it’s my honor to present my friend, the one and only, the diva, Martha Stewart with the Footwear News Icon Award.”
Martha took the stage and shared a story about asking Siri what an icon was. Siri responded, “A small on-screen picture that represents an app, a file, or a folder, on a computer or other device,” she read aloud. Martha jokingly expressed confusion about the kind of award she was receiving, bringing laughter to the crowd. Her speech was wholesome and funny, and the audience loved every moment of it.
A$AP Rocky Accepting Collaboration of the Year
A$AP Rocky is truly one of a kind. Only he could “talk a lot of s—t” while still giving everyone who deserves it their flowers.
“Yo, this is nuts,” he began. “Initially, I just wanted to come up here and talk a lot of s—t about how lit, how handsome I am, how we’re the best, but honestly, I’m very humbled by this whole experience. I would rather just speak from the heart and be genuine.”
We knew it was going to be a great night when Emory Jones, Head of Lifestyle at Roc Nation and co-founder of the Paper Planes apparel brand, introduced him.
Pretty Flacko’s speech was heartfelt, and he described the honor as “one of the best accomplishments ever.” He then shouted out his lady, Rihanna, who was also honored by FN in 2016. “I was inspired, I saw my lady receive this thing almost a decade ago.” This was definitely a full-circle moment for the couple.
