The Accessories Council hosted the 2025 Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Awards on May 6 at The Pierre hotel in New York City, gathering fashion industry leaders and innovators for an evening of celebration—including musician and actor Jaden Smith, actress Laverne Cox, and executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fern Mallis.
The evening’s Legacy Honors were notable for the eyewear industry, as VSP Vision was recognized for 70 years of service in vision care. Oakley was honored for its 50-year contribution to performance eyewear, and Tom Ford Eyewear was celebrated for two decades of luxury eyewear design. Additionally, Marchon Eyewear, EssilorLuxottica, and Marcolin played a prominent role as sponsors, supporting the event alongside other fashion industry leaders.
In total, the 2025 ACE Awards presented nine awards, including to Movado for Brand of the Year and to Reed Krakoff for Designer of the Year. Bethann Hardison was inducted into the Accessories Council Hall of Fame, and Betsey Johnson was the inaugural recipient of the Iconoclast ACE Award. Rounding out the 2025 ACE Awards honorees are Stuart Weitzman, Brand Collaboration; New Balance, Brand Innovation; Staud, Emerging Designer; Nordstrom, Merchant of the Year; and Printemps, Retail Innovation.
