Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 30 April 2024

GLOBAL footwear designer Rosemary Wright BEM, from Hinckley, who has created many shoe designs for leading popular brands, has been honoured by Doc Martens.

Her company, Antoinette Designs, was founded in 1973 and has designed award-winning shoes which are regularly in high demand in the UK, America, and EU.

She designed Doc Marten’s first welted footbed sandals introduced in the 1990s, named the ‘Open AirWair’ – and additionally originated the patent for their Soles.

And, as a result, she was recently invited down as a guest speaker to the Dr. Martens Global Headquarters in London for their International Women’s Month celebrations.

There, Rosemary addressed an audience of well-respected industry personnel, in which she discussed her 50-year resumé designing shoes and travelling the world introducing design trends, followed by a question and answer session, which was streamed and simulcast to all other Doc Martens’ factories and offices globally.

Also invited to this unique occasion was Rosemary’s husband Brian Wright, her daughter, lawyer Amanda Wright, and her grand-daughters Isabella and Madelaine, who are both pupils of Oakham School in the nearby bordering county of Rutland.

Introducing Rosemary, Chief Executive Officer, Kenny Wilson said: “It is a real honour to introduce the very distinguished International footwear designer Rosemary Wright who has had such a huge impact on the success of Dr. Martens over many years.

“Her experience and knowledge is vast and she has made a unique and lasting contribution to the Footwear Industry globally with her groundbreaking designs – especially in our case with the first Welted Dr. Martens Open Airwair sandal range, which continues to be highly sought after today.”

In a social media statement posted to LinkedIn, a spokesperson for Dr. Martens, said: “It was an absolute joy to welcome International footwear design consultant Rosemary Wright to our offices in Camden for International Women’s Month.”

Although recognised as an international shoe designer, Rosemary is better known by many across the county for her local interests.

She serves as Director and Co-Vice Chair of Hinckley BID, President of Hinckley and District Chamber of Trade, and Chair of the John Cleveland College Foundation Trust.

She has been bestowed with a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her services to the people of Leicester.