Kate Upton rocks stunning all-black gown at 'Shoe Oscars' with Justin Verlander, joins elite guest list featuring Snoop Dogg, Shaquille O’Neal

Actress and model Kate Upton has an impressive rolodex. After years spent rubbing shoulders with some of the most influential names in many sectors of public life, the star once again showed off her glamor.

On November 29, Upton presented with her husband Justin Verlander at the Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City. Often referred to as the "Shoe Oscars", the ceremony celebrates emerging talents, philanthropists, and established names in the footwear industry.

"For the #FNAA "Shoe Oscars," Kate Upton recalled starting her modeling career in NYC in @Sam_Edelman boots. "My reliable companions for work, castings and countless adventures," she said presenting Sam and Libby with the FNAA Lifetime Achievement Award." - Footwear News

At the ceremony, Kate Upton was selected to bestow the Lifetime Achievement Award on Sam and Libby Edelman. The Edelmans founded Sam & Libby in 1987, a brand that has grown to dominate the luxury shoe industry.

A longtime model, Upton has modeled for some of the world's most famous publications, including Vanity Fair, GQ, and Sports Illustrated. She has also modeled for Sam & Libby during her early days working in the New York City fashion industry.

Alongside her husband Justin Verlander, who finished the 2023 season as a member of the Houston Astros, Upton dawned a jet-black gown. The event was well-attended, with big names like Snoop Dogg and former Boston Celtics icon Shaquille O'Neal in attendance.

In 2018, Upton and Justin Verlander welcomed their daughter, Genevieve. Since then, Kate Upton has been balancing motherhood with various public engagements. Additionally, she has served as a brand spokesperson for Vosa Spirits, a manufacturer of canned vodka cocktails based in her home state of Michigan.

"Gerrit and Amy Cole recently went sight seeing with Justin Verlander and Kate Upton" - Talkin' Yanks

Upton and Verlander have been married since 2017. The ceremony took place at a breathtaking church in Tuscany, Italy mere days after Verlander's Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win that year's World Series.

Kate Upton's connections appear to be endless

A socialite to the core, Upton has been able to leverage the relationships that she has forged over the past two decades to become one of the top names in the world of modeling. Often referred to as the most beautiful woman in the world, Upton lived up to that moniker at the FN Awards.