NEW YORK—In early August, The Accessories Council announced that its sixth annual Design Excellence Awards will take place on November 4, 2024, in New York City with a formal awards event at The Fifth Avenue Hotel. This year, most notably for lovers of independent eyewear, the awards have been expanded to include a number of new categories, including new entries for Independent Eyewear (1-2 brands) for Optical and Sun. Interested independent eyewear designers can apply for the Awards online here.

This year’s categories are:

Handbags: Over $1,000 Retail; Under $1,000 Retail
Eyewear (Optical): Independent (1-2 brands); Multi-Brand (3 or more brands)
Eyewear (Sun): Independent (1-2 brands); Multi-Brand (3 or more brands)
Footwear: Over $250 (SRP); Under $250 (SRP)
Jewelry (Fashion): Under $100 (SRP); Over $100 (SRP)
Jewelry (Fine): Under $1,000 (SRP); Over $1,000 (SRP)
General Accessories: Soft accessories, scarves, gloves, belts, hats and umbrellas
Tech & Innovation: Luxury and fashion watches
Social Impact: Charity, diversity and inclusion
Sustainability
Brand Collaboration

“The Accessories Council is thrilled to celebrate the 2024 Design Excellence Award winners with a formal Awards program at an incredible new venue," said Karen Giberson, president and CEO of the Accessories Council. "With expanded categories in eyewear, fashion and fine jewelry, we are excited to include and recognize the amazing work of more independent designers.”

The Accessories Council’s Design Excellence Award winners are representative of consumer tastes and trends that inform purchase power, the Council said. Winning products will be voted on by the public from finalist pools selected by the Accessories Council board of directors. Finalists will be 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.

Design Excellence Award winning products are available for purchase in the U.S. via retail stores, e-commerce, TV retail or direct marketing between September 1 and December 31, 2024. 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 2024 Design Excellence Awards include Marchon Eyewear, Fashionphile and FashionGo. Each of the winners will receive a trophy designed by Marchon Eyewear.