LCF graduate Pranav Sudhir wins Portuguese Footwear and Accessories Design Award

The Portuguese Footwear Association (APICCAPS), in collaboration with the London College of Fashion, UAL, has named Pranav Sudhir from LCF as the winner of the second edition of the Portuguese Footwear and Accessories Design Award.

The award, designed to nurture emerging talent across both footwear and accessories design, was awarded to Sudhir, a BA (Hons) LCF Cordwainers Footwear graduate, in recognition of his “striking 3D experimentation,” and “the confident way he develops ideas through making, allowing a natural flow to emerge from his manipulation of materials”.

As winner, Sudhir will go on to develop a collection with suppliers from APICCAPS, with samples manufactured in Portugal and the opportunity to be showcased within future activations from the association.

Commenting on his win, Sudhir said in a statement: “I had expected to leave university and spend the summer searching for work, so to be able to start developing a collection immediately after graduating is something I feel incredibly fortunate about.

“The opportunity to have samples produced and gain exposure to the industry makes this a huge springboard for my career.”

APICCAPS described the level of submissions for this year’s prize as “exceptional,” and also named fellow BA graduate Yevheniia Mizevych as an honorary winner. The judging panel said that her work was repeatedly highlighted as one of the strongest in the group for being “eye-catching and visually impactful yet grounded in an aesthetic that remains believable and wearable”.

Cláudia Pinto, communications director at APICCAPS, added: “We remain deeply committed to investing in emerging international talent and creating meaningful connections between creativity and industry.

“Portugal offers world-class manufacturing capabilities, technical know-how, innovation, and a growing commitment to sustainability and technology, and by connecting these strengths with the vision and ambition of young designers, we can help shape the next generation of products, brands and ideas.

“The quality of this year’s submissions was so high that we chose to name an honorary winner alongside the main prize, recognising the outstanding work presented by the students.” As part of the collaboration between APICCAPS and LCF, the designers have been travelling to Portugal to discover its production ecosystem and building relationships directly with the region’s manufacturers.