NEW YORK—The Accessories Council has launched its 4th annual Design Excellence Awards (DEW), which celebrate outstanding new and innovative products offering finalists and winners an exciting platform to celebrate their products. All accessories companies, including optical and sunwear and eyewear accessories firms, can enter their products for consideration. Entries close Tuesday, Aug. 30. Finalists will be announced Thursday, Sept. 8, and winners will be announced Nov. 9. Karen Giberson, Accessories Council president, told VMAIL, "The Accessories Council is thrilled to be hosting the 4th annual Design Excellence Awards. The event has been very popular with our members and we have been proud to have optical winners in many categories beyond the expected, including sustainability and tech. This year, the winners will be announced in early November, at the kick off of the holiday shopping season, and our goal is to use this opportunity to help our industry celebrate its outstanding designs and inspire sales.”

The Accessories Council points out the benefits of entering:

  • Finalists and Winners will receive recognition for their product and brand.

  • Each finalist and winner will receive an “AC Seal” that can be used on the product for the life of the item.

  • Finalists featured in the Fall issue of AC Magazine (Out the first week of October).

  • Winners will be featured in the Winter issue of AC Magazine (out the first week of January).
In addition, the A/C "seal' can be used at trade shows, included on companies' websites, added to social media posts and email signatures, used to promote items to wholesale buyers, included in press releases and annual reports.

Early entry pricing, (ends Aug. 1), fees are $100 for A/C members and $125 for non-members. Standard entry pricing begins Aug. 2, $125 for A/C members and $150 for non-members.

Categories considered will include: Eyewear (optical), Eyewear (Sun) , Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Footwear (over $250 and under $250), Handbags (over $1,000 and under $1,000), Regular Accessories, Social Impact/Charity, Sustainability & Tech Innovation. Also to be announced in September will be the Hall of Fame, NPD Growth Driver, Saga Furs and Blackglama honorees.

Design Excellence Award sponsors include Marchon, a VSP Vision company, LIM College, Fashionphile and others.

More details about sponsorships, participation and DEW entries can be found here on the Accessories Council site.