This category is open to all footwear retailers, brands and pureplay etailers operating in the UK and/or Irish markets. Judges will be looking for a campaign that has made a quantifiable impact by driving sales, brand awareness and messaging, regardless of the size of the budget. Campaigns must have run in the 2023 calendar year until the entry deadline in 2024.

This category is open to fashion retailers and brands with a footwear offering operating in stores in the UK and/or Irish market. Entries can be a full store or a specific department in the UK or Ireland. Images or a video of the store design are required. If it is a redesign, please send images or a video showing the original store. Design must have been implemented or renewed in the 2023 calendar year until the 2024 deadline.

If you are shortlisted you will be required to supply a short video (no more than two minutes) showing the interior of your store (this can be filmed on a mobile phone– it is merely used to give the judges an idea of the interior and bring it to life)

This category is open to wholesale and direct-to-consumer footwear brands trading in the UK and/or Ireland for between one and three years at February 2024. The judges will be looking for a strong business plan, a unique selling proposition and robust financial performance. Website design, UX, product offer, customer service, marketing initiatives, stockists (if relevant) and customer engagement will all be taken into account.

This category is open to any multichannel or pureplay footwear retailer or brand that operates in the UK and/or Irish markets. This award recognises the strategies that fuel online growth and demonstrate strength of the supply chain. Judges will be looking for an operator that can prove it is leading in the digital space and explain how digital is transforming the business. Please note initiatives and strategies must have been established in the 2023 calendar year until the entry deadline in 2024.

Sustainability is a business necessity, and this award will go to a UK or Irish footwear brand, retailer, etailer or supplier that has improved its environmental impact or launched an impressive product during the year. This must have sustainable production methods or components. The product or operations must have been launched in the 2023 calendar year until the entry deadline in 2024.

This category is open to all footwear retailers, pureplays and brands operating in the UK and/or Ireland. Judges will be looking for a company that can demonstrate a strong understanding of social media either through an ongoing or one-off activity. Whether through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok or any other social media channel, the business should show how the media have been harnessed to drive sales, brand awareness and messaging during the past year. Activity must have started within the 2023 calendar year until the entry deadline in 2024.

Open to any footwear brand, retailer or manufacturer that operates in the UK and/or Ireland, this award recognises the role technology plays in bolstering a footwear business. It is open to retailers, brands and manufacturers that can demonstrate how technology has improved their business within the 2023 calendar year until the entry deadline in 2024. This can include: aiding in design; forecasting consumer demand; minimising the returns process; assisting fit; or improving the store experience.

Please note that if you are a technology or software supplier, you must ask a partner retailer or brand to enter the project on your behalf. Drapers will not accept entries made solely by technology or software suppliers.

This category is open to footwear designers operating in the UK and/or Irish markets. The designer can be part of a design team within a brand or multiple, or an independent footwear designer. Entrants will be required to send in three product designs.

This award is for footwear specialists only: independent retailers operating in the UK and/or Irish markets with fewer than 12 stores and/or concessions. The winner of this award will have shown resilience and agility during the current challenging economic conditions, while working with and supporting its suppliers, partners and local community.

This award will go to the best wholesale or direct-to-consumer children’s footwear brand or department operating in the UK and/or Irish markets. The winner will prioritise kids’ foot health, and will have shown resilience, agility and innovation in the current challenging economic climate, while working with and supporting its suppliers and partners. Improvements must have been made in the 2023 calendar year until the deadline in 2024.

This award will go to the best wholesale or direct-to-consumer men's footwear brand operating in the UK and/or Irish markets. The winner will demonstrate a flair for design and understanding of its customers’ needs. Entrants should show resilience and agility within in its operations and will have supported its suppliers and partners. Improvements must have been made in the 2023 calendar year until the deadline in 2024.

This award will go to the best wholesale or direct-to-consumer women's footwear brand operating in the UK and/or Irish market today. The winner will demonstrate creativity, a flair for design, and will have shown resilience and agility in the current challenging economic conditions, while working with and supporting its suppliers and partners. Improvements must have been made in the 2023 calendar year until the deadline in 2024.

This category is open to footwear teams in fashion retailers, footwear specialists, brands and suppliers operating in the UK and/or Irish markets. Judges will be looking for a team that can demonstrate how they have contributed to the overall objectives of the business.

Entrants must outline their exceptional understanding of the market and the customer, and explain why the team stands out above the rest and how it achieved measurable results, and give evidence to support this. Entrants must outline the size and roles within the team, how it engages with the rest of the business, and how it innovates to drive the overall business strategy.

This category is open to footwear designers currently studying in the UK or Ireland. University lecturers can nominate up to three students, or students can enter themselves. Please submit one project only in a single PDF of up to 10 pages, including supporting imagery.

Store colleagues are the lifeblood of bricks-and-mortar businesses. This award will recognise an outstanding store staff member who makes an impact, and goes above and beyond to help customers, colleagues and the wider business. 

Judges will want to hear about their accomplishments, and see their personality shine through in their entry.

Nominated by the Drapers team – to be announced on the night

Judged by a consumer poll - to be announced on the night