New Craft of Shoe Making Award sponsored by Carréducker

INTRODUCTION

The Cordwainers Footwear Awards (formerly the National Footwear Student of the Year Awards) were launched in 2014 to support the future of the footwear industry.

This year we are thrilled to be launching a new Craft of Shoemaking Award sponsored by bespoke shoemakers, Carréducker, to sit alongside the design awards.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony in London in June 2025. All shortlisted finalists will be invited to attend.

The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers is an inclusive organisation and welcomes submissions from entrants of all ages, backgrounds, faiths and cultures.

APPLICANTS

Applications are invited from:

  • Shoe making students – either current students or recent graduates (within 12 months)
  • Apprentices
  • Non-professional shoemakers – not selling their shoes at commercial prices

All applicants should be living in the UK. There is no age limit.

2025 PRIZE

The winning entry will receive a package of specialist training with the Carréducker Shoemaking

SCHOOL:

  • A two-day bespoke pattern making course
  • A three-day closing techniques course
  • A 12-day handsewn shoemaking course

COMPETITION BRIEF

  • To produce a PAIR of shoes or boots
  • For men, women or children
  • Made using any construction methods
  • The footwear must be functional AND wearable
  • Orthopaedic and athletic shoes are welcome

Emphasis will be placed on entries that demonstrate a high level of hand skills.

Submission

Entrants should submit:

  • A pair of shoes or boots that they have made
  • An A4 portfolio showing how the shoes or boots were made (max. 25 pages double sided) *
  • A short biography (200 words max.) or video (5 minute max. MP3 file) that sums up the entrant’s art, aesthetic, and approach; information about their personal background, influences on their work
  • Their name, a high resolution portrait photograph (2mb jpeg maximum) and their Instagram tag.
  • The biography will form the basis for press information issued to members of the media and the footwear trade.

* The portfolio must describe and include photos / images explaining:

– The material choices

– The techniques and processes that have been used throughout the production of the shoes

or boots (with an emphasis on hand sewing techniques, sustainability and repairability)

– A description of the tools and machinery used and how they were used

– Full credit and a description of any external help received at any of the stages of production

and cover the following stages:

– Concept and design

– Choice of materials

– Choice of lasts

– Pattern making

– Closing the uppers

– Making the shoes/boots

Information submitted will remain anonymous throughout the judging process but please note that the entrant’s name will be used on all official correspondence and announcements.

COMPETITION RULES

Entries must be received by Wednesday 23 April 2025 and sent by special delivery to:

The Craft of Shoemaking Award, The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, Saddlers House, Gutter Lane, London, EC2V 6BR.

Entrants and submissions

• Entrants must meet the full criteria as set out in the brief.

• Entrants are responsible for ensuring that their entry is received in time before the deadline

• Entrants are responsible for ensuring all entries are appropriately submitted.

• Entrants must provide a title and description for their entry which must be used consistently in any communication during the competition.

• Competition entries must NOT display the name of the entrant. This is in order to ensure fairness and complete anonymity when the judges review the submissions. Furthermore, no part of the entrants’ submission may appear on social media – in any form – before Thursday 15 May 2025. Entrants that disregard this rule will be disqualified.

JUDGING

The judging panel for the 2025 competition will be chaired by Deborah Carré and James Ducker of Carréducker. Judging will take place during early May and the judges’ decisions will be final.

Information submitted will remain anonymous throughout the judging process but please note that the entrant’s name will be used on all official correspondence and announcements.

All finalists will be issued with a finalist’s logo which can be used on social media, websites and printed materials, subject to the branding guidelines issued by the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers.

The Award Winner will be issued with a winner’s logo which can be used on social media, websites and printed materials, subject to the branding guidelines issued by the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers.

COPYRIGHT

By entering the competition, entrants agree and acknowledge that work submitted may be digitised/photographed and used in press releases/publications/social media by and on behalf of the organiser (The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers) and the award sponsor (Carréducker). A copy of the award winner’s work may form part of the ‘Cordwainers’ Collection’ at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and/or be put on display by the Cordwainers’ Company.

Footwear50 | 27 November

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