Accessories Council president and CEO Karen Giberson welcomes guests to the ACE Awards.

NEW YORK—The Accessories Council hosted its annual Accessories Council Excellence Awards (ACE) Awards on May 7, 2024, at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. The organization also celebrated its 30th anniversary at the sold-out gala, marking three decades of recognizing individuals and companies who have made great strides in raising awareness of the accessories industry. The 2024 event honored ACE Award recipients across 11 categories, spotlighting global brands and pioneers and positioning them at the forefront of the fashion industry. In the eyewear industry, Foster Grant was awarded the Legacy Award.

Awards presented throughout the evening included:

● Brand of the Year:
Presented to Coach, and accepted by Todd Kahn
Presented by Sophie Thatcher

● Design Innovation:
Presented to Cult Gaia, and accepted by Jasmin Larrian Hekmat
Presented by Chrissy Teigen

● Designer of the Year:
Presented to Prabal Gurung
Presented by “The Slaysians” Laura Kim, Tina Leung, Phillip Lim and Ezra J. William

 
 

● Hall of Fame:
Presented to Fern Mallis
Presented by Tamron Hall

● Legacy Award:
Presented to Foster Grant, and accepted by Sal Mauceri
Presented by Kat Graham

● Operational Excellence:
Presented to Aria Logistics, and accepted by Arelis Bonilla
Presented by Karen Giberson, president and CEO, Accessories Council

● Rising Star:
Presented to Larroudé, and accepted by Marina Larroudé
Presented by Awkwafina

● Specialty Retailer:
Presented to Elyse Walker
Presented by Marni Senofonte

● Style Icon Award:
Presented to Linda Fargo
Presented by Michael Kors

● Style Influencer:
Presented to Dana Covarrubias (costume designer, Hulu’s "Only Murders in the Building")
Presented by Michael Cyril Creighton

● Retailer of the Year:
Presented to Jared, and accepted by Claudia Cividino
Presented by LaQuan Smith

Accessories Council president and CEO Karen Giberson said, “Through the years, our industry has seen seismic shifts in manufacturing, materials, marketing and technology. We are so proud to recognize this year’s ACE Award winners tonight as we celebrate not only the pioneers and icons of our industry, but the new leaders who are paving the way forward to ensure that our businesses thrive.”

The 2024 ACE Awards were sponsored by: Aria Logistics; Marchon, a VSP Global company; EssilorLuxottica; FashionGo; Informa; Judith Leiber Couture; Mercedes-Benz Manhattan; Nordstrom; Oracle NetSuite; Safilo, Signal Brands; Steve Madden; and The Jewelry Group.