DMU pair appeal for online votes in footwear awards
Two graduates from De Montfort University (DMU) are hoping that their online shoe boutique will be a winner at this year’s Footwear Industry Awards.
Lizze Leary and Beth Widdowson – who set up KindredSole.com after graduating from DMU in 2009 – are delighted that their business has been nominated in the ‘Footwear Brand of the Year’ category.
But in order to win the award, the pair now need their customers and friends to show their support by voting for them in an online ballot.
"As self confessed footwear fanatics it was such an honour to be told that KindredSole.com had been shortlisted for Footwear Brand of the Year," said Beth, 24.
“Since launching in 2009, we’ve gone from strength to strength, attracting loyal customers from more than 170 countries around the world.
“But now we need them all to vote for us before the online poll closes on Friday 27 January!”
Lizze, 23, said: "We set up KindredSole.com while studying fashion retail buying at De Montfort University and launched the brand as soon as we had graduated – in the middle of a recession.
“To be told that KindredSole.com is being considered for Footwear Brand of the Year just two years on is fantastic."
Amy Liddington from DMU’s Campus Enterprise Opportunities – which supported Lizze and Beth with a cash bursary and a dedicated mentor when they started up – is delighted with KindredSole.com’s success.
“Lizze and Beth have done amazingly well. To set up a business while studying for a degree, and to see that business nominated for a major industry award in just two years, is quite remarkable.”
Voting for the 2012 awards is now open. Add your own vote here.
The winners of the Footwear Industry Awards 2012 will be announced at an awards ceremony in Birmingham on 19 February. More information about Loughborough-based KindredSole.com is available at www.kindredsole.com.
