​Jihee Ahn is 2021 Cordwainers Footwear Awards winner

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jun 14, 2021

Jihee Ahn has won first prize in the The Cordwainers Footwear Awards 2021. The De Montfort University student beat Kamile Peleckyte and Reuben Crabbe, both from the London College of Fashion, who were placed second and third respectively.

Meanwhile, this year’s special Sustainability Award went to Louise Pietrzyk, also from the London College of Fashion, while a Commendation award went to Maartje den Boer of De Montfort University.

Competing digitally for a second year for prizes totalling £12,000, Ahn joins previous winners including Helen Kirkum, Meta Cunder and Ganor Dominic.

Ahn said: “Due to the pandemic, it has been an unusual environment to design in, however winning this award has made me very proud of my designs!”

Katie Greenyer, judging panel member, Cordwainer Liveryman, and creative director of Pentland Brands, added. “The ambition of the Cordwainers Footwear Awards is to ensure that we give footwear designers the platform to showcase their work to industry experts. The students have had to be even more resourceful than ever with university workshops closed and virtual learning. I'm always totally blown away with the enthusiasm, talent, professionalism and most importantly originality of the work. I'm so excited that we are able to continue to nurture, nourish and support footwear design through these unique times”.

The judging panel this year was made up of footwear industry leaders, including Michael Atmore, Charlotte Olympia Dellal, Beatrix Ong, Joachim Sedelmeier and Greenyer.