Founder of the luxury shoe brand that bears his name, Stuart Weitzman is, quite simply, a footwear legend. With a career spanning more than 50 years, Stuart famously said, ‘I’ve always believed that a beautiful shoe is useless unless it feels as wonderful as it looks,’ and his client list, which ranges from the late Queen Elizabeth via Aretha Franklin to Taylor Swift, is testament to his success. Not for nothing is he known as ‘shoemaker to the stars.’
Stuart is also passionate about supporting emerging talent and investing in people and educational facilities to ensure that design education can flourish. In high demand as a mentor and inspirational speaker, he is both an entrepreneur and an exceptional designer.
The Cordwainers have a very small number of honorary liverymen and the accolade is reserved for outstanding individuals, to recognise their significant contribution to the footwear industry, the community at large or for their philanthropy.
Stuart Weitzman is one of them: he shares many of the values that the Cordwainers hold dear. Like Cordwainers who traditionally made the finest quality shoes from the best leather, Stuart created beautifully made footwear that epitomised luxury.
Stuart Weitzman became an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers on 11 July 2024 in a ceremony that dates back to medieval times.
The Master, Judith Millidge said, ‘We are honoured and delighted that Mr Weitzman has joined our Company as an honorary liveryman. We extended this invitation in recognition of Stuart’s remarkable career and his legacy of developing and encouraging talent in the world of footwear design.’