He’s got sole. At the 38th annual FN Achievement Awards ceremony, to be held Dec. 4 in New York, veteran footwear designer Kenneth Cole will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor that has previously been bestowed on designers and executives including Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Sam and Libby Edelman, Bruce Nordstrom and Vince Camuto.

Cole and his namesake company have been an industry fixture for more than 40 years.

Throughout his career, Cole has used his platform to support a range of social justice movements, most recently focusing on ending mental health stigmas. In 2019, Cole helped to found The Mental Health Coalition, a large-scale effort aimed at bringing together influential nonprofits, businesses, brands, celebrities and influencers in a coordinated effort to destigmatize mental health conditions. The company has prioritized wellness outside its business with charitable collection drops, as well as internally through employee programs.

The designer has also been known for his eye-brow-raising ads that have tackled controversial topics such as gun reform, the Iraq war, AIDS epidemic, climate change and much more. “You can change your outfit, you can outfit change,” has been one of the brand’s go-to taglines, for instance.

“That’s the ultimate challenge,” Cole told FN in September 2023. “How do we do what we do in the ordinary course and connect it to something bigger? And that’s something I’ve tried to do for 40 years, and still try to do.”

It’s a big year for Cole. Earlier this month, his documentary, “A Man with Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole,” premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The doc explores his life, career and activism.

In 2019, Cole and Donna Karan were honored with the Icon Award for Social Impact winners at the FNAAs for their philanthropic work with Haiti. Through Karan’s Urban Zen retail concept and Cole’s Gentle Souls footwear label, the duo debuted a shoe collection featuring 10 Haitian-inspired looks made by a group of the country’s artisans.

Cole will join more soon-to-be announced winners at the 2024 FNAAs on Dec. 4 in New York.

For sponsorship and ticket information, contact Samantha Rumsky at srumsky@fairchildfashion.com.

Just in time for spooky season, Dr. Martens has launched its first collaboration with ‘Wednesday.’

The line is inspired by the iconic Addams family character, played by Jenna Ortega in the hit TV series produced by MGM Television for Netflix.

The 6-piece collection — seen in her signature midnight black hues — offers an array of footwear and accessories, celebrating the unordinary, unconventional, and unashamedly stylish Wednesday.

Fans of the show will notice Easter eggs, including embroidery mimicking the stained glass window in Wednesday and Enid’s dorm room.

One standout is the Jadon Wednesday boot, which was designed with the Nevermore Academy logo; the boot’s sock is also purple with a print of Wednesday with her umbrella, and the boot’s heel is marked with an embossed version of the Wednesday title treatment. The style retails for $210.

Another statement shoes comes in the 1461 Bex Wednesday shoe, which is made with smooth leather, a gloss stripe print, and a plain toe cap with stitch detailing. Purple accent details are throughout the shoe, including in the heel loop, the lace aglets, and the removable “Snap Twice” lace charms. The heels are printed with white text that reads “Outcasts Are In,” and the Bex sole is secured with Dr. Marten’s classic yellow welt stitching.

More styles in the collection include the Mini Wednesday backpack, knee-high Wednesday Socks, the Corran Wednesday Loafer, and the Ramsey Quad Wednesday Creeper.

Dr. Martens x Wednesday lands today, Oct. 23 and is available to purchase at
Drmartens.com and in select Dr. Martens retail stores.

See more from the collection here.

Dr Martens x Wednesday Corran Loafers

$170 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Dr Martens x Wednesday Ramsey Quad Shoes

$190 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Dr Martens x Wednesday Knee High Socks

$26 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Dr Martens x Wednesday Mini Backpack

$140 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

About Dr. Martens Shoes

Dr. Martens boots and shoes are timeless and stylish in any season, but they’re especially ideal for the fall. The cult-favorite brand has transcended several decades and style eras, from its roots in workwear to its adoption by the punk-rock elite and to today’s eclectic Gen Z fanbase including trendsetters like Olivia Rodrigo and Alix Earle.

The 1460 boots, Dr. Martens’ first famous combat boot, arrived in the 1960s with innovative heat-sealed Goodyear Welting, durable leather uppers, and lug soles. It’s one of the Greatest Shoes of All Time according to Footwear News, and has served as a time-tested blueprint for the brand’s wide range of shoe styles, from winter boots to Mary Jane shoes. Dr. Martens’ new Wednesday collaboration exemplifies the edgy and cool attitude synonymous with the brand — including the bold Jadon Boots that launched over 10 years ago alongside “indie sleaze” trends, punk-forward platform Bex oxford shoes, and gothic Corran loafer heels.

Shop More Dr. Martens Shoes

Dr. Martens Jadon Smooth Leather Platform Boots

$200 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Dr. Martens Vegan 1460 Lace Up Boots

$170 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Dr. Martens Anistone Hi Leather Biker Boots

$200 Buy Now at Dr. Martens

Amina Muaddi’s latest collection is here. On Tuesday, the designer dropped new styles of shoes and handbags.

A highlight in the drop includes the Anok line — named after supermodel muse Anok Yai — featuring sleek patent leather mules, ankle-strap pumps, slouch boots and jewelry.

Muaddi also makes a statement with white lace this season, seen on the Ane square-toed flat, and on the Camelia lace sling, adorned with an art-deco crystal buckle.

For the campaign, Muaddi utilized male model as accomplices, while shoes and handbags stood as the focal point. The goal of this line was to celebrate “women who embody strength, grace, and soft power,” according to the brand.

Another standout in Drop 24/25 is the Jerry sandal with dramatic black feathers. Plus, Muaddi’s signature flared heel — made popular on the Begum heel — can be seen on new silhouettes, such as the Veneda boot, Lilia slipper heel and on the Iris pump.

New styles are introduced as well — as seen in the Barbara line featuring pumps and fitted below-the-knee boot in croc and python print leather, polished patent and soft Nappa.

Drop 24/25 is available now at aminamuaddi.com and select luxury retailers and on Amina Muaddi’s official website.

Ballerina Farm and Cecelia New York have teamed up on the ultimate farm boot. Out now is a collection of Western-inspired boots seen in range of colorways that are meant to blend “homestead practicality with unapologetic femininity.”

The collab is a family affair, too.

Cecelia New York founder Ashley Cole partnered with her sister-in-law Hannah Neeleman — the influencer behind Ballerina Farm’s 10 million Instagram following — for the capsule.

Colors in the line include taupe, forest green, maroon, and cream and red, and the shoes feature floral embroidery with a two-inch heel.

Other key design details include the leather shoe’s pointy toe, 10-inch shaft and 4mm padded insole for added comfort.

The Ballerina Farm x Cecilia New York collection is sold exclusively at cecelianewyork.com and ballerinafarm.com. It retails for $300.

Cole’s brand also keeps family in spotlight as the women’s footwear company is named after one of her daughters. She launched the label in 2015 and is focused on luxury materials and comfort.

Anna Sui and John Fluevog have reunited once again.

Designed for Anna Sui’s upcoming resort ’25 collection, the two designers have remade a pair of boots they originally created in the early ’90s together.

Fans of Anna Sui will remember the butterfly appliqué boots made in collaboration with Fluevog for her spring 1993 show. “It was instantly a hit,” Sui said. “And it just came up again organically because so many people saw the picture in my book and said, ‘Why don’t you do these again? They’re so fantastic.’ Then when I was working on my resort’ 25 collection, it just kind of clicked with what we were doing.”

This time around, Sui and Fluevog created the Memento Chrysalis, which is out today, seen in blue and black denim. They also have launched the Softly Pirouette Mary Jane flats with embroidered butterfly appliqués. The shoes retail for $799 and $349, respectively.

“We speak the same language and John is so innovative with his materials and what he’s capable of doing,” added Sui. “These shoes become like treasures, and people keep them for years. They make you feel special. And I think that’s so much about why we get dressed and why we choose what we do. It’s our language, it’s our vocabulary, it’s our way to express ourselves without saying a word.”

Fluevog is ramping up his collaborations by also releasing a new collection with musician Olivia Jean today. The zip-up, platform ankle boots are inspired by Jean’s love of combat boots and go-to pink and black colorway.

“The name of those boots is called Stand Up,” explained Fluevog. “Because it’s for women. It’s a sense of empowerment. It’s stand up. Be counted. You are worthy. You are who you are. Stand up. You can move forward in them, and they just give you a lot of energy.”

The style, available now, retails for $499.

In August, Fluevog expanded his assortment by launching sneakers for the first time in his 50 years in business. “I sell a feeling and emotion more than I sell categories of shoes,” Fluevog told FN on why he’s waited to design sneakers. “The biggest driver was price point. It’s important for me to have more accessibility. I don’t really like to think that they’re a sneaker category, but I like to think that they’re a price point category.”

Since then, she has also made a name for herself in the fashion world for her unique style that has grown and evolved with her over the years. Whether she’s on the stage, front row at a fashion show or releasing her own footwear and clothing collections, Ciara understands how to express herself through style.

See her shoe style evolution over the past 15 years.

The Two Ten Foundation‘s Women in the Footwear Industry (WIFI) community came together for their final event in the 2024 WIFI Virtual Series this week to talk effective delegation and how it can empower teams.

Featuring Julie Barr of Rack Room Shoes, Sandra Colon of Birkenstock USA, Debbie Donohue of Steve Madden, and Amanda Kirchoff of Wolverine Worldwide, the women leaders spoke on importance of trust, empowerment, and letting go.

Effective delegation, for instance, involves assigning responsibilities rather than tasks, aligning those with team members’ skills and interests, and providing support and guidance.

“I definitely think that trust [is important],” explained Colon. “Do you realize that if you’re not really delegating effectively that your team is not feeling like it’s really productive, or that they’re learning and growing, and I think that’s what happens a lot, is that the people on the team, they really they don’t feel valued, and they don’t feel like they’re part of the team.”

The panelists also emphasized the benefits of delegation, such as increased productivity, team fulfillment, and leadership development.

“I start with my team’s development plan, and I think about what fulfills them, what experiences do they need to help grow and shape kind of them to be ready for that next step and match it up with their with their career aspirations,” said Kirchoff. “We have a leadership series here at Wolverine called the Harvard Leadership Essentials. And we have a course on delegation, and it teaches very similar concepts and thoughts, and allowing someone to own something from beginning to end and being there when they need you, it also helps them just build credibility.”

They also shared personal experiences and advice for overcoming delegation challenges.

Barr said her biggest challenge when delegating has been letting go of control.

“When you give it to someone else, they may do it differently than you, the end result is the same, but they do it differently, or do it in a different order, and it feels like you’re losing control of the situation,” she explained. “And that’s one thing that I had to learn. Even though it’s different than the way that I would do it, it’s okay.”

Next up, Two Ten’s Wifi will host a networking and cocktail event in New York during December FFANY.

Malone Souliers and designer Tabitha Simmons have reunited once again. For their second collaboration, the collection takes inspiration from British heritage with modern twists.

There are new designs this time around, too, featuring the Katarina heeled sandals and the Saffron espadrilles. Plus, the 90mm Liberty pump makes a return, seen with stud adornments and mesh detailing.

Other standouts include the nautical-inspired striped Isla wedge sandal, along with the Keke beige flat sandal.

“This collection is very fun, springtime and utilizes the fabrics that Tabitha loves — that was always a really important cornerstone for her,” founder and chief brand director of Malone Souliers, Mary Alice Malone, told FN at a party celebrating the launch on Thursday in New York.

“The synergy is amazing,” added Simmons.

For their first collab, which debuted in April, Simmons joined forces with Malone Souliers’ co-creative directors Coco Fong and Valerio Bava on a range of mules and strappy sandals, as well as ballet pumps and kitten heels.

“For this collection, I wanted to take some of my iconic shapes and some of Malone Souliers’ iconic shapes, and do something new, whether that’s through silhouettes or fabrics – bringing something new to both brands,” Simmons said previously. “My designs usually had a Victorian English whimsy, and we brought that together with Malone Souliers’ more timeless models and made something quite unique. It’s so great to see the final outcome.”

The capsule is now available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, on malonesouliers.com and at Harrods Shoe Heaven.

It’s all about craftsmanship and function for Birkenstock’s latest collab. The German-based brand has teamed up with Filson — the American heritage brand known for outfitting explorers, adventurers, ranchers, hunters, anglers since 1897.

The collection introduces three new styles: the London Methow, Lahti and Skykomish.

“We did not want to just re-scan an existing model. We felt that the opportunity for innovation was really ripe, given the end use, given the product premise,” said Filson chief creative officer Alexander Carleton, who found inspiration in rustic, primitive American footwear for this line. “It was really bringing that analog sensibility of a closed shoe, of a lodge boot, of a camp shoe, bringing those into our assessment of the models’ profiles while utilizing the Birkenstock footbed and frame.”

Designed as a low-top shoe, the London Methow is constructed with an adjustable buckled strap and unlined, malleable leathers. The Lahti, meanwhile, is a soft hunting boot with a cozy, collapsible upper in Filson’s signature Mackinaw wool, complete with an anti-slip outsole. And the Skykomish is a rustic utilitarian-style boot with a Filson tin cloth upper and a textured, rubber mudguard.

The line also includes Birkenstock’s signature Deep Blue footbed, which can be inserted and removed.

Filson and Birkenstock began working on the collab about a year and a half ago, according to Carleton, who discovered plenty of shared DNA between the two houses during the process.

“Birkenstock has leveraged its core proven shapes. Everyone around the world can recognize a Birkenstock. They have a specific design language,” he said. “Similarly, we have our Cruiser Jacket. It was patented in 1914. It still remains our number one selling jacket. It’s very different product categories, [but] both have legacy products. Both are innovating and modernizing in their own way.”

The collaboration will be available on Oct. 22 at Filson.com, 1774.com and select global retailers.

Shop Birkenstock Shoes

Birkenstock Boston Soft Footbed Shoes

$160 Buy Unisex at zappos

$160 Buy women’s at nordstrom

$159.99 Buy men’s At dick’s sporting goods

Birkenstock Papillio Fanny Buckle Clog

$160 Buy women’s at nordstrom

$170 Buy Now at zappos

Birkenstock Upsalla Genuine Shearling Boots

$195 Buy women’s at nordstrom

$195 Buy women’s at zappos