Kanye West Is Crowned the ‘King Of Shoes’ for Yeezy Boost
West will take home the coveted FNAA “Shoe of the Year” award for his Yeezy Boost sneakers. Photo: Getty Images.
By Jennie Bell
The “Shoe Oscars” are back, and the coveted “Shoe of the Year” award will go toKanye West’s Adidas Yeezy Boost.
On Dec. 2, Footwear News, the voice of the shoe industry, will present the 2015 FN Achievement Awards live in New York City, recognizing the best and the brightest talents in the business.
This year’s Shoe of the Year honor recognizes the insatiable demand for all things Yeezy. The sneaker releases dominated the market in 2015 as demand for the product crashed servers, sparked extraordinary resale value and created a need for mob control in stores.
From the moment Kanye West unveiled the 750 high-tops on the Grammys, his Adidas sneakers have been the most-coveted, most-talked-about, most-recognized shoes this year.
The Yeezy Boost 350 style, in particular — a low-cut version of the original, featuring a Primeknit upper — has been a huge hit across a wide swath of influencers, from sneakerheads to stars, fashionistas and a wildly devoted public.
The Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 in black. Photo: Courtesy.
The original Adidas Yeezy Boost 350. Photo: Courtesy.
This summer’s releases of the first Yeezy Boost 350 colorways sent fans into a frenzy. Hordes of consumers lined up for days to get their hands on the all-black pairs. And the forthcoming beige version, hitting in time for the holiday season, will continue to drive the phenomenal demand for the shoes.
West’s connective power across multiple industries, combined with the giant force of his own fame — and his family’s — has propelled the silhouette’s media and retail dominance.
Kanye West wearing beige Yeezys, with wife Kim Kardashian West. Photo: Getty Images.
This marks Adidas’ second “Shoe of the Year” honor in as many years. The German athletic brand brought home the award in 2014 for its iconic Stan Smith court shoe, when the man himself took to the FNAA stage to wow the crowd of designers, retail CEOs, influential buyers, brand executives and Hollywood stars. Among those riveted to Smith’s every word: “Launch of the Year” winner Sarah Jessica Parker, “Style Influencer of the Year” Nicole Richie and “Designer of the Year” Giuseppe Zanotti.
Stan Smith signing sneakers after taking home the FNAA “Shoe of the Year”award in 2014. Photo: FN Archives.
Now in its 29th year, the FN Achievement Awards have recognized the biggest talents in the shoes business, including Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Stuart Weitzman and Pierre Hardy, as well as powerhouse brands like Nike, Under Armour and Prada.
Giuseppe Zanotti, with Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo, after winning the FNAA “Designer of the Year” award in 2014. Photo: FN Archives.
Stay tuned to Footwearnews.com to find out about the other 2015 FN Achievement Award winners, including Designer of the Year, Brand of the Year and Company of the Year.
More From Footwear News:
Yeezy Fans Camp Out For 48 Hours To Get The Black 350 Boost
Kanye West Creates Baby Adidas Yeezy 350 Sneakers For North
New Yeezy Boost 350 Beige Released Next Month
