NEW YORK—On Tuesday night, the Accessories Council hosted its 25th anniversary ACE Awards event at Cipriani 42nd Street, a star-studded New York City staple, which returned for a live, in-person evening. The night, an annual dinner and awards show gala to honor excellence in the accessories sector, was themed Honoring Our Industry’s Heroes, and spotlighted the ways in which the accessories sector has stepped up throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted by Karen Giberson, the president and CEO of the Accessories Council, and Frank Zambrelli, Design Quadrant chairman of the Accessories Council board, the 2021 ACE Awards also featured a series of celebrity speakers including Whoopi Goldberg, who presented an award to designer Christian Siriano, and Ciara, who presented an award to designer LaQuan Smith.

Vision Monday’s senior vice president and editorial director Marge Axelrad also spoke to begin the evening, to recognize the collective work that the optical industry has done throughout the pandemic to keep people safe and healthy. “With the advent of COVID, as the world was shutting down, eyewear and the optical industry revved into action,” said Axelrad. “Their dedication enabled them to reinforce their essential role: to treat urgent eyecare needs and prevent more crowding in ERs. To shift frame production to shields, protective goggles and face-protecting masks…Eyecare and eyewear people keep people healthy and make them look good. Never in my life could I have imagined being as moved and inspired as I have been by our industry over the past 21 months.”

The Accessories Council recognized the optical industry as a whole in its special edition of the Accessories Council's 25th ACE Edition Magazine, which every attendee received a copy of. “When COVID called, the optical industry answered. Loudly,” the editors wrote. “Their collective global contributions undoubtedly saved countless lives. We salute the entire industry for their commitment to excellence.”

Industry members named in the story were: Charmant Group, ClearVision, ICU Eyewear, L’Amy America, Luxottica, Marchon, Modo, Oakley, Safilo USA and Global, Studio Optyx, Tura and VSP Global. The Council further honored Essilor, Zeiss, Shamir, Hoya, OptiSource, Safety First, Santinelli/SOS, Hilco Vision, U.S. Ophthalmic, Walman and ABB Optical Group, as well as MyEyeDr., National Vision/America’s Best/Eyeglass World, Walmart Vision Centers, Costco Optical, LensCrafters, Target Optical and Warby Parker.

Other ACE honorees awarded at the event were Carolina Herrera and Wes Gordon, creative director, Christian Siriano, LaQuan Smith, Crocs. Shopbop's chief marketing officer Stephanie Roberson, Caleres/Allen Edmonds, Qurate Retail Group, The NPD Group and Karyn Schoenbart.

Nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack, which donates meals to keep students from going hungry on weekends when school meals are not available, was also honored with an ACE Award, as voted by council members. In addition, Frank Zambrelli and Qurate Retail Group presented Blessings in a Backpack with a check for $25,000.

Sponsors of the event included Coach, Caleres, Informa, Judith Leiber, Marchon, Safilo, Signal Brands, and Vera Bradley.

The Accessories Council is a not-for-profit, international trade organization established in 1994 with the mission to stimulate global consumer awareness and demand for fashion accessory products.







Iris Apfel attends the 25th Anniversary Accessories Council Awards. Apfel was honored with the Council’s first-ever Superhero Award. Image via Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images.

Accessories Council president and CEO Karen Giberson speaks at the ACE Awards. Image via Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images.

Vision Monday’s Marge Axelrad honors the optical industry at the ACE Awards.











Whoopi Goldberg presents an award to designer Christian Siriano at the ACE Awards. Image via Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images.

Whoopi Goldberg and Christian Siriano pose at the ACE Awards. Image via Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images.

Ciara with designer LaQuan Smith after presenting him with an award. Image via Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images.











(L to R) Marchon Eyewear’s Amy Robbins and Nicola Zotta pose with Safilo Group’s Victoria Halberg, VM’s Marge Axelrad, Accessories Council board member Mark Ginsberg and Tura’s Jennifer Coppel at the ACE Awards. Image via Andrew Werner

Marchon Eyewear’s Lloyd Gittler and Andy Skitmore at the ACE Awards. Image via Andrew Werner

(L to R) Marchon Eyewear’s Thomas Burkhardt, Accessories Council president Karen Giberson and Luxottica’s Alessandro Mariani at the ACE Awards.











(L to R) Safilo’s Alessandro Tropeano, Janet Unger, Victoria Hallberg, Elena Amadini and Mark Ugenti at the ACE Awards. Image via Andrew Werner















Vision Monday's Gwendolyn Plummer attends the ACE Awards.

20/20 Magazine’s Jillian Urcelay (l) and Victoria Garcia at the ACE Awards.

20/20 Magazine’s Christine Yeh attends the ACE Awards.