NEW YORK — The Accessories Council Excellence Awards will have star power to spare this month.
Jennifer Lopez, Michael Kors and Tom Ford will be among the honorees as the awards turn 10 years old. Council president Karen Giberson said the celebration will reflect the continuing evolution of the industry advocate group.
“We’ve ratcheted it up at the Accessories Council recently, with more initiatives,” said Giberson. “And we on the board have been working on our lineup for the annual awards ceremony for months and months. We are thrilled with the final group of honorees and we believe that they will attract some surprise guests, who will present them with the awards.”
The ACE Awards are set for Oct. 30 at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan. Lopez will take home the ACE Award and Kors, Designer of the Year. Ford will be cited for Accessory Brand Launch of the Year, Fendi for Brand of the Year and Coach for Fashion Innovator. Retailers Bergdorf Goodman and Solstice also will take home prizes for Retailer of the Year and Specialty Store of the Year, respectively.
Other winners include Rachel Zoe, Fashion Influencer; Oprah magazine, Magazine of the Year, and Suzy Menkes, fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, who will receive the Mary Lou Luther Award for Fashion Journalism.
“It varies from category to category as to why we choose who we do,” Giberson said. “Overall, it is based on what’s buzz-worthy in the accessories industry. What are people talking about? What are people writing about? What do retailers say is blowing off the shelf? What is exciting, and so on.”
Giberson said she’s not planning to use the 10th anniversary as a theme, but to dress up the evening she and the Accessories Council have worked with accessories firm Leiber to create a new look for the award, which will be a large crystal minaudière with a sterling silver engraved plaque on the inside.
“I thought the awards before were beautiful, but maybe too traditional,” Giberson said.
The awards are expected to draw 650 guests.
“The event has grown every year in terms of attendance,” Giberson said. “It shows that the industry really believes in the accessories market and that the category is important in an overall fashion statement.”