Global Footwear Awards (GFA) Category winner Dempsey Pauwels discusses his Vision for the  VOLT Collection.

Dempsey Pauwels is a multi-talented professional with a passion for both design and Law & Economics. Born in 1998 in Ghent, Pauwels began his journey by studying Business Management. In the meantime, during his final year, he decided to pursue his passion for shoes and enrolled in a four-year course at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium for footwear design.

Pauwels excelled in their studies and graduated as a skilled shoe designer. In parallel, he continued his education by pursuing a master’s degree in Law. The two fields complemented each other, with Pauwels specializing in Fashion Law to further their expertise in the fashion industry.

In their penultimate year of Law school, Pauwels successfully completed his shoe design degree. He went on to further refine their techniques and deepen their knowledge of shoe design by studying for an additional two specialization years at the academy. During this time, he also decided to start his own footwear brand for men, together with Marlou and Evelien, called L’EDGE.

After completing his Law degree, Pauwels fully committed himself to his shoe design brand and took on the role of both designer and managing partner. The combination of his skills in design and law made him an asset to the brand, as he is able to navigate the legal and economical complexities of the fashion industry while creating unique and high-quality shoe designs.

Dempsey Pauwels is an accomplished shoe designer and legal expert. The brand L’EDGE has gained a reputation for its innovative and stylish designs, and Pauwels has become a well-respected figure in the fashion industry. This is thanks to the credibility built up by winning design competitions and famous people wearing the shoes. With his combined knowledge of design and law, he continues to make significant contributions to the world of fashion and beyond.

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How did you come up with the vision for the VOLT Collection? How did cable management and nightclub interiors come together as sources of inspiration?

As a defence against covid isolation, I chose nightclub interiors as my colour inspiration. Neon lights and vibrant colours take centre stage. This in combination with cable management which represent the order source of inspiration

Is there a philosophy, a vision, or a special process that influences how you approach design? Would you say that you apply it to your life as well?

I always choose as a source of inspiration a method that ensures efficiency and order. They give me peace of mind and originate in my basic law studies.

What kind of feedback have you received and how do you deal with it?

The feedback was constructive and forward-looking. I will continue to follow my own path and take the feedback with me.

What did you find most challenging while working on the collection and what did you enjoy the most?

The hardest part of the collection was measuring the lines in the correct way, drawing them out and translating them from 2d to 3d and then assembling the shoe so that all the lines came out perfectly. The most fun part of making the collection is playing with colour and seeing all the colours come together into a whole.

Which designers do you admire the most? Do you take inspiration from their work when diving into a new project?

I admire safa sahin as a designer, what he is doing with balmain’s sneakers and his designs are really in the future.

What does winning the GFA Award mean to you in terms of validation and recognition of your work in the footwear design industry?

It indicates that we are walking the right path and will continue to work hard in this way.

Are you currently working on something new that you can tell us about?

All my designs currently go directly to my men’s shoe brand L’EDGE. I am currently building this brand further.

How do you want people to feel when wearing your designs?

I want to convey the feeling of exclusivity and statement. There is still so much possible in the niche of men’s shoes. I want to make them feel like they are wearing something that has not yet been seen.

Do you find sustainable design important when developing your pieces?

I try to take it into account as much as possible.

How do you see your work evolving in the future, and what new sources of inspiration do you hope to explore?

I hope that my work evokes through the shoe brand L’EDGE. that we can scale this brand and make it better known to the public in order to send more designs into the market. New sources of inspiration will always link with subjects that I find aesthetically pleasing and provide peace of mind and efficiency.

What advice would you offer to aspiring designers who dream of creating meaningful designs such as yours?

Be guided by your vision and not by what is going on at the moment. work towards where you want to get to and include everyone in your thoughts. sail the ship yourself.

Global Footwear Awards 2022 Category winner Marjolijn Van Agt discusses her vision for the SPLIT Collection.

Marjolijn completed her studies in Industrial Footwear Design at d’Academie Beeld Sint-Niklaas (formerly SASK/Academy of Fine Arts Sint-Niklaas). In 2021, she founded Vanagtshoes, a handmade shoemaking business where she designs and creates shoes for a diverse range of customers.

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Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional journey? How did the design come to have such an important role in your life?

Ever since I was little I liked making things ‘pretty’. First I studied visual merchandise but missed the aspect of craftsmanship, especially working with my hands and creating things out of nothing. I’ve always loved shoes and I would go out and buy shoes that didn’t even fit just so I could display them in my home as artwork. So after I graduated from both industrial footwear design and the shoe design program at the Academy of Fine Arts Sint-Niklaas I started my own business in shoemaking.

Is there a philosophy, a vision, or a special process that influences how you approach design? Would you say that you apply it to your life as well?

Whilst designing I like to go with the flow because only then do new ideas come to me. It’s a good idea to have a design set on paper to start with, but I love that during the process of making, the materials get a life of their own, creating new shapes and styles. I try to apply this in my life as well but unfortunately ‘going with the flow’ isn’t always possible with a newborn baby.

How did you come up with the vision for the SPLIT Collection? Have you always wanted to incorporate the duality of femininity and edginess in your designs?

Absolutely! I’ve always been attracted to things that are edgy and unique. Dark but feminine. The SPLIT collection was designed with my personal style in mind. In school, I learned that whenever you design your ‘final design’ you can always take it one step further! That’s how I came up with the heel shape. You would think this is the easiest collection to design because it’s everything I love, but it’s not easy to stick to just one of the many creative ideas, create a coherent collection, and don’t deviate from this track of mind.

What kind of feedback have you received and how do you deal with it?

The people around me and my loved ones are always very supportive. Obviously, not everyone likes everything as much as I do and sometimes people don’t understand but that’s ok. Life would get very boring if we all liked the same stuff!

What did you find most challenging while working on the collection and what did you enjoy the most?

I’m impatient so molding and sanding five pairs of heels wasn’t the most fun. I had no idea how to make them since I had never done such complicated heels before and they all needed to look the same. I’ve learned so many new tricks for making these heels. The moment they were sanded, coloured, and covered in glitter I was very proud of myself.

Which designers do you admire the most? Do you take inspiration from their work when diving into a new project?

There are so many great (shoe) designers it’s hard to choose. Personally, I love the designs of Carolin Hulzhuber. Her shoes are equally beautiful and eccentric. Wearable pieces of art!

What does winning the GFA Awards mean to you in terms of validation and recognition of your work in the footwear design industry?

I’m very honoured the GFA jury chose my brand as Brand of the Year. It is wonderful to see that even though my brand is still small I get validation for the work I put into it so far.

Are you currently working on something new that you can tell us about?

Currently, I’m working on three pairs of shoes I drew when I was around 16 years old. I’ve always held onto the drawings but never had the time to bring them to life.

How do you want people to feel when wearing your designs?

Empowered, sexy, edgy. The right pair of shoes can make you feel confident and strong even if you’re in your PJ’s. I encourage people to be exactly who they are and express themselves.

Do you find sustainable design important when developing your pieces?

It’s always important to have the future in mind when creating anything but it is not something I’m actively working on when making shoes from scratch. On the other hand, my business is about creating timeless pieces, repurposing materials, and repairing goods so I guess that’s the sustainable part!

What led you to start your own handmade shoe-making business?

I like the way I can express myself creatively through my work. It calms my mind to work with my hands and create something out of nothing. It’s what I like doing most. Nowadays most fashion is fast fashion, it’s cheap and accessible. With my business, I would like to encourage people to create a timeless piece themselves or bring in their old (leather) goods and bring them back to life instead of buying new items.

How do you see your work evolving in the future, and what new sources of inspiration do you hope to explore?

I am nowhere near where I would like to be. I’m not a robot, I have flaws I need to work on like knowing when to start over instead of trying to fix something that I messed up. I try to get better with every pair of shoes I make. In the future, I would like to evolve in my craftmanship and expand my atelier. Hopefully, I’ll explore new materials and different ways to create my work.

What advice would you offer to aspiring designers who dream of creating meaningful designs such as yours?

Whenever you get stuck on your designs you need to unwind for a bit. Go outside to get some fresh air or dance to your favourite music. Whatever helps you to get your mind away from your work. When you get back you write down the first 10 things you can think of and merge those things into your designs. There are no wrong ideas! You’ll be surprised by the fresh designs you’ll get.

The Global Footwear Design Awards (GFA) is announcing winners for its 3rd edition, showcasing a variety of exceptional creative potential across 20+ categories in all levels: Brands, Independents, and Students. The GFA recognizes visionary design talent from around the world with an ambition to provide the highest recognition to footwear designers in all categories including sustainability and social impact.

The submissions closed at the end of January 2023, leaving the jury panel composed of 33 experienced designers, academics, retailers, and media representatives in the Footwear Design industry to select the winners in each category. The program received a record number of submissions from talented footwear designers, fashion enthusiasts and students from 35 countries, making the competition tougher than ever before.

The Global Footwear Design Awards 2023 winners are:

Brand of the Year: SPLIT designed by Marjolijn Van Agt, Netherland – Vanagtshoes

Independent Designer of the Year: AYUMA. designed by Catia Di Carlo, Italy

Emerging Designer of the Year: VOLT designed by Dempsey Pauwels, UK – Academy Of Fine Arts Sint-niklaas (sask)

Other winners receiving the “The Best Overall Design” included Timberland Timberloop™ Trekker by Chris Mcgrath, Global VP of Footwear at Timberland, AWAKENING by Ying Ou, a student of the University Of The Arts London, NIKE ISPA KIDS CONCEPT designed by Jianwei Sun, a student of the Artcenter College Of Design, BBLU – Printing The Future by Andrew Artajaya, a student of The Köln International School Of Design and many more.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the judges for their dedication and hard work in selecting the winners. They have been inspired by the level of innovation and design vision showcased by many young professionals and established brands:

“The Global Footwear Awards is a great competition for both young and aspiring designers to showcase their concepts and also for established brands to let their work compete against each other.” Timon Kuhlenkamp, On Running Footwear Designer.

“Apart from enjoying the variety in creativity, I was most happy to see that more and more designers start to think of footwear as an area to tackle socio-political issues and so plays a part in taking the discipline beyond only reproducing styles of fashion, and playing with technology, and engaging with real-life issues.” Eelko Moorer, LCF MA footwear course leader.

Congratulations to all the winners and their respective teams for their remarkable contributions to the design industry. The Global Footwear Design Awards will continue to provide a platform igniting creativity and showcasing the work of aspiring designers, professionals, and brands pushing the boundaries of Footwear design.

Here are the 2022 ‘Design of the Year’

VOLT

Dempsey Pauwels, UK – Academy Of Fine Arts Sint-niklaas (sask)
Emerging Designer of the Year

AYUMA.

Catia Di Carlo, Italy
Independent Designer of the Year

SPLIT

Marjolijn Van Agt, Netherland – Vanagtshoes
Brand of the Year

Here are the 2022 ‘Best Overall Designs’

Timberland Timberloop™ Trekker

Chris Mcgrath, Global Vp Of Footwear – Timberland
Best Overall – Sustainability

SPLIT

Marjolijn Van Agt – Vanagtshoes
Best Overall – Women’s Fashion

Gabriel Giordano

Gabriel Giordano
Best Overall – Sports Performance

VOLT 

Dempsey Pauwels – Academy of Fine Arts Sint-Niklaas (SASK)
Best Overall – Men’s Fashion

AWAKENING

Ying Ou – University Of The Arts London
Best Overall – Special Awards in Social Impact

NIKE ISPA KIDS CONCEPT

Jianwei Sun – Artcenter College Of Design
Best Overall – Kids

BBLU – Printing The Future

Andrew Artajaya –
Th Köln / Köln International School Of Design
Best Overall – Unisex Fashion

Royal Clash – part 1


Deborah Kiwi
Best Overall – Special Awards in Artistic Footwear

Wacky Pack: O-Snap

Ye Shen – Rhode Island School Of Design
Best Overall – Fashion Sneakers

View through the rest of the GFA 2022 winners 

Congratulations to all winners on their outstanding work!

“It’s been such an exciting journey seeing all the work this year. The level of creativity conjointly with innovation and sustainability made us realise why we do what we do. I hope that our platform encourages many more aspiring designers, professionals, and brands to continue pushing boundaries of design as we provide space and exposure for their creative visions to ignite.” Jennifer Cullera, GFA Managing Director. 

To learn more about GFA’s award structure and winner benefits, and more, click here. For any press inquiries, email. info@globalfootwearawards.

Benny Goldberg is redefining “peak” performance.

Goldberg (B.F.A., industrial design) has won the Global Footwear Award 2022 in Sports Performance, student division. His winning design, The Street Hiker, featuring colorways inspired by U.S. National Parks, is “designed to be worn by fashion and streetwear enthusiasts as they explore the urban world.”

“I set my alarm and woke up in the middle of the night to check the announcement,” Benny says, with a mixture of pride and disbelief. “To win is so sick.”

The highest global recognition for ground-breaking footwear designs, the Global Footwear Awards acknowledge both professional and emerging designers. Goldberg’s design was selected by an impressive panel of judges, including shoe designers, product managers, and style editors from powerhouses like Puma, Adidas, Hugo Boss, and British GQ.

Benny began designing his boot in The Development of Product Form (IDUS 250) with Professor Rafael Corazza in Spring 2021. As Benny recalls: “The project prompt was a mood board with luxury hiking gear. Some [of my classmates] designed flashlights, water bottles, and backpacks. I focused on footwear because that’s my passion.”

Benny sketched a boot with a rocky midsole, extending his concept to a plastic heel cup “like a mountain on the back.” He transferred early iPad sketches into Rhino and kept working.

“I saw Balenciaga and other companies making hiking-type boots, but people don’t really wear them to go hiking,” Benny says. “My idea was to bring the mountain to the street, so you’re literally walking on a mountain range as you walk down the street.”

Benny rendered the Street Hiker in Keyshot, selecting colorways eye-dropped from photographs of Glacier National, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. He refined his design and its presentation in Fall 2021, in Portfolio and Resumé Development (IDUS 316) with Professor Paul McGroary.

“From the beginning of portfolio class, Benny had a strong vision of what he wanted to achieve, and he worked tirelessly to make that happen,” McGroary says. “He took chances, made wonderful mistakes, and developed. The result is an edgy set of deliverables that ooze design poise and professionalism.”

“Designing a shoe is really fun because it’s problem solving,” Benny says. “You know what you want it to look like, you’ve done the sketches, but getting the shapes to work, getting the lofts and lines to come together, that’s the challenge.”

Were Benny solely focused on academic projects, his Global Footwear win would be impressive. Yet this artist-athlete is also the starting goaltender for the SCAD men’s lacrosse team, whose season is now in full swing.

Growing up playing lacrosse and ice hockey in and around Birmingham, Michigan, Benny says he always felt like something of an outsider—until his parents sent him to Savannah for SCAD Summer Seminars, the pre-college program for high school students.

“My Summer Seminar experience changed me,” Benny says. “From that moment I owned the fact that I wanted to do art. SCAD has always felt like home to me.”

Facing a rapidly aging society, two UNNC PDM Year 4 students, Menghao Yuan and Yanzhe Wang, designed “Smart Slippers” which are not only comfortable to wear but also provide a caring and personalised healthcare solution for the elderly.