Cordwainers names winners of 2020 footwear student competition
The UK’s Worshipful Company of Cordwainers announced the winners of the Cordwainers National Footwear Student of the Year Awards 2020 at the start of June.
Now in its seventh year, the competition to design ‘an innovative and marketable shoe’, is open to students at the three universities in the UK that offer footwear design courses: De Montfort University, the University of Northampton and the London College of Fashion, which is part of the University of the Arts. This year, students submitted their portfolios digitally.
Clerk of the Cordwainers, Penny Graham, said on announcing the winners: “We were thrilled to welcome internationally recognised members of the footwear industry, Michael Atmore, Charlotte Olympia Dellal and Cordwainer Beatrix Ong MBE, to join Cordwainer judges, Katie Greenyer and Joachim Sedelmeier, on our panel this year. It is fantastic that such significant figures have been so generous with their time and expertise to encourage young talent and promote the future of British footwear design.”
The company gives away more than £100,000 in bursaries, scholarships and awards to students and makers of footwear and leathergoods every year. Prizes for the 2020 National Footwear Student of the Year Awards were worth £12,000 in total.
First prize for 2020 went to Clara Nordenhok from London College of Fashion, while the second prize went to Ellie Gray of De Montford University. Jiwon Joung, also from De Montford, was the winner of the third prize, while Liina Vreimann from London College of Fashion won a commendation.
