NEW YORK—The Accessories Council announced the winners for their 4th annual Design Excellence Awards at the Fashionphile offices late yesterday. Building on its history of honoring individuals and companies, the Accessories Council launched the Design Excellence Awards in 2019 to expand the recognition of outstanding products. The winner in the Sunwear category was The Oxford frame from American Optical. In the Optical category, the winner was Carolina Herrera Style 0080 from Safilo. The prestigious Hall of Fame/Founders Award, which recognizes one single iconic product, brand or person as determined by the Accessories Council Board, was awarded to Lanfranco Beleggia, president and CEO of Bros Manifatture.

The NPD “Growth Driver” Award recognizes the leading volume item in the top growth category. This year, the 12-month review period of July 2021 to June 2022, reflected a recovering travel industry where the suitcase category was the strongest in terms of dollar volume growth over the previous year. Within that category and that time period, the Travelpro Platinum Elite 21” Expandable Carry-On Spinner was the top item in the universe NPD Tracks based on dollar sales.  
 
Other winners included the Pologeorgis The Weekender who was the recipient of the SAGA Furs award while the Everina Sunny Bag was the winner of the first ever Fashiongo Best of Best Award.
 
 
 The Oxford frame from American Optical.
  
 
 Carolina Herrera Style 0080 from Safilo.
  
All of the category winners of the fourth annual Accessories Council Design Excellence Awards include:
 
Over $1000 Retail Handbags
Kimberly Pucci The Niccolo 
 
Under $1000 Retail Handbags
Hammitt The Allen
 
Eyewear Optical 
Carolina Herrera 0080 from Safilo
 
Eyewear Sun 
American Optical Oxford
 
Over $250 Retail Footwear
Mia Becar Allie Satin Lace-Up Sandal
 
Under $250 Retail Footwear 
Franco Sarto L-Dizzy Eco Conscious Hiking Boot
 
Jewelry Earrings Fashion
Anna Zuckerman Grace 40 
 
Fashion Jewelry 
Colette Malouf Jeweled Galaxy Barrette
 
Fine Jewelry
Shahla Karimi Cluster Ring No. 2
 
Soft Accessories
Gigi Burris Millinery IDA Raffia Crochet
 
Smart and Other Tech Accessories
Monica Rich Kosann Design Your Own Experience
 
Social Impact
R. Riviter The Corbin Convertible Backpack
 
Sustainability
KHB Magnum Wave Wrap Ring
 
Design Excellence Award winners are representative of consumer tastes and trends that inform purchase power. Winning products were voted on by the public from finalist pools selected by the Accessories Council Board of Directors. Finalists were chosen based on the criteria of excellence in design, unique appearance and/or function, consumer needs addressed by product, appropriate aesthetics, innovative materials or technology, market positioning and competitive performance, social images, emotional appeal and sustainability. It is this criterion in which consumers evaluate purchase and in which Design Excellence Award winners excelled.
 
Design Excellence Award winning products are available for purchase in the U.S. via retail stores, e-commerce, TV retail, or direct marketing between Oct.1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022. The Accessories Council provides category finalists and winners with promotional tools for use at the wholesale and retail levels to market their products to consumers.
 
Sponsors of the 2022 Design Excellence Awards include Saga Furs, Marchon, a VSP Vision company, Fashionphile, Market, LIM College, Insider Creations, Fashiongo and Philmar Fabrics. Each of the winners listed above received a trophy designed by Marchon Eyewear.