SCENE + HEARD ACE Awards Spotlight Accessories’ Influence By Staff Monday, November 17, 2014 12:00 AM NEW YORK— Fashion press, major and specialty retailers, senior executives, designers and celebrities were among those (glamorously) packing the house at Cipriani’s 42nd Street here for the 2014 Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Awards and dinner gala, an occasion which also marked the 20th anniversary of the Council, which advances the interests of all those connected to the fashion accessories field. Eyewear design once again took its place among the evening’s honors, with a 2014 Business Visionary ACE going to Oliver Peoples and the first ACE for Fashion & Technology going to Google Glass. Among the other honorees this year: Alex and Ani for Specialty Retailers, Bvlgari for the Legacy Award; rapper Flo Rida for Style Ambassador; Kate Spade New York for Brand of the Year; Lord & Taylor for Retailer of the Year; ‘Scandal’ star Kerry Washington and the show’s costume designer, Lyn Paolo, as accessories Influencers; Proenza Schouler for Designer of the Year; ELLE’s Robbie Meyers for the Mary Lou Luther Journalism Award; iconic brand marketer and retailer Rose Marie Bravo for Leadership; and Shinola for Brand Launch. Accessories Council president, Karen Giberson, thanked the Council’s board and platinum sponsors, Swarovski, Luxottica and Marchon as well as all the other supporters of the event. 1/11 A record crowd packs the hall for the 2014 ACE Awards. The event program. A dramatic room inside Cipriani 42nd Street. Accessories Council president, Karen Giberson (center, in red) with the board of directors, prepare for the crowd at ACE. Fashion and style editor, Hal Rubenstein, was the lively 2014 ACE Awards Host. Marchon’s Steve Wright, (l) and Mark Ginsberg (r) flank Google Glass’ Isabel Olson, who accepted the first Fashion & Technology award at ACE. Oliver Peoples was the 2014 ACE honoree as Business Visionary. Here OP’s David Schulte (l) and founder/designer Larry Leight (r) are with actor Jack Huston, who’s featured in the brand’s resort 2015 campaign. TV’s “Scandal” star, actress Kerry Washington (l) along with the show’s costume designer Lyn Paolo, both were honored with the ACE Influencer award. (L to R) Safilo’s Eden Wexler took a moment with Safilo USA’s Elisabeth Morikawa and Antonietta Rizzo. Actress Dakota Smith (r) presented the ACE Designer of the Year award to Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCullough of Proenza Schouler. Entertainer and rapper, Flo Rida, performed for the crowd. Earlier in the night, he took home the ACE for Style Ambassador.