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NEW YORK—The Accessories Council (Ac) has announced the winners of its 7th annual Design Excellence Awards, following a formal awards ceremony at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City to celebrate the recipients. The Ac launched the Design Excellence Awards in 2019 to expand the recognition of outstanding products, awarding brands across categories including Handbags, Eyewear (Optical and Sun), Footwear, Jewelry (Fashion and Fine), Tech & Innovation, and more, according to the announcement from the Ac.
For 2025, Swarovski received the most prominent recognition, the 2025 Hall of Fame Founders Award honor, which awards one single iconic product or brand that has stood the test of time as determined by the Accessories Council Board. Other special awards included the Circana Growth Driver Award presented to baggallini for the Soho Backpack; the IFF Award/Furmark presented to Saga Fur Creative Hub Mittens; and the IFF Award/First Nations, presented to Atikus Coyote Trimmed Mittens.
The four eyewear categories winners this year were House of Modo’s Modo Eyewear (Eyewear, Optical, Independent); State Optical Co. (Eyewear, Optical, Multi-Brand); Selima x Nico (Eyewear, Sun, Independent); and Barton Perreira (Eyewear, Sun, Multi-Brand).
Sponsors of the 2025 Design Excellence Awards include Caleres, Circana, Fashionphile, Furmark, Philmar and Marchon Eyewear. Each of the winners will receive a trophy designed by Marchon Eyewear.
The Accessories Council’s 2025 Design Excellence Awards winners are:
Handbags (Over $1,000 Retail)
WINNER: (TIE) Siena Wolf & Rafe New York
FREE MAISON
Rafe New York
Siena Wolf
Sydnie Banks
Tyler Ellis
Handbags (Under $1,000 Retail)
WINNER: 8 Other Reasons
8 Other Reasons
Brahmin
Hammitt
Mustkies
Patricia Nash Designs
Eyewear, Optical (Independent)
WINNER: MODO Eyewear
MODO Eyewear
OLLU
RAEN
Silhouette
Tony Brown Design
Eyewear, Optical (Multi-Brand)
WINNER: State Optical Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Oakley
Pure
State Optical Co.
Tura
Eyewear, Sun (Independent)
WINNER: SELIMA x NICO
BIG HORN
Kazoku Lunettes
Rosa Rims
SELIMA x NICO
SOUL-A
Eyewear, Sun (Multi-Brand)
WINNER: Barton Perreira
Barton Perreira
Christian Louboutin Eyewear
Kate Spade New York
Miu Miu
Vera Wang Eyewear
Footwear (Over $250)
WINNER: Veronica Beard
Brave Pudding
Chris Donovan Footwear
Rex Shoes
Sam Edelman
Veronica Beard
Footwear (Under $250)
WINNER: Cole Haan
Cole Haan
Kenneth Cole
Merrell
Soléi Sea
Vince
Jewelry, Fashion (Under $100)
WINNER: Melinda Maria
Anne Klein x Anjelica Roselyn
Marlyn Schiff
Melinda Maria
Seville Michelle Jewelry Design Inc.
Wild Made
Jewelry, Fashion (Over $100)
WINNER: (TIE) Donna Karan New York Jewelry & Freida Rothman
Capucine De Wulf
Covet
Donna Karan New York Jewelry
Freida Rothman
Sophie Blake NY
Jewelry, Fine (Under $1,000)
WINNER: Cynthia Ryan
Alliyette
AMMA
Cynthia Ryan
Renn New York
Roseate
Jewelry, Fine (Over $1,000)
WINNER: Jane Win Jewelry
CADAR
Hearts On Fire
Jane Win Jewelry
LAGOS
Le Vian
NANIS
General Accessories (Soft accessories, scarves, gloves, belts, hats, umbrellas)
WINNER: Vera Bradley Designs, Inc.
Hymn
SMART CARRY
STORTO
Two Blind Brothers
Vera Bradley Designs, Inc.
Tech & Innovation (Smart and other tech accessories, including luxury & fashion watches)
WINNER: Hulken
Canada Goose
Hulken
Moncler Lunettes
PaprDoll Eyewear
STAYSON Eyewear
Social Impact (Charity, Diversity, Inclusion)
WINNER: ABLE x Leigh Ann Barnes
ABLE x Leigh Ann Barnes
Anwuli x UN-TI-TLED
ElyseRyan Jewelry
Jenny Lynn Eyewear
Lafonn
Sustainability
WINNER: Mela
Goldpoint Jewelry
IZIPIZI
Meertens Luxury
Mela
Via Gallo (formerly Jeane and Jax)
Brand Collaboration
WINNER: Cove Fine Jewelry
Cove Fine Jewelry
DESERT BLOOM
Lele Sadoughi x The British Library
Oliver Peoples Roger Federer
Stuart Weitzman
Millinery & Hair Accessories
WINNER: Deepa Gurnani
Binata Millinery
Clementine Sleepwear
Deepa Gurnani
Khia Tullaé
Vivian Blooms Millinery
The Ac’s Design Excellence Award winners are representative of consumer tastes and trends that inform purchase power, according to the Ac. Winning products were voted on by the public from finalist pools selected by The Ac board of directors and press; finalists were 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, 2025 and December 31, 2025. The Ac provided category finalists and winners with promotional tools for use at the wholesale and retail levels to market their products to consumers.
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