The Accessories Council announced the winners of their second annual Design Excellence Awards for 2020. Created by the Accessories Council in 2019 to expand the recognition of outstanding products across categories as determined by vote, the Design Excellence Awards signify industry-wide recognition ahead of the critical Fall/Holiday 2020 selling season.
The prestigious Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes one single iconic product that has stood the test of time as determined by the Accessories Council Board, was announced today and was awarded to the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.
Additionally, announced were the NPD Growth Driver Award, a statistically-driven star item identified by the team at The NPD Group, awarded to the Adidas Prime V Backpack, and the first-ever Saga Furs: Best Runway Fur Accessory Award, awarded to the Saga Fur Handbag by LaQuan Smith.
After sorting through hundreds of entries and receiving over 14,000 votes on winners, the Accessories Council is pleased to announce the category winners of the second annual Design Excellence Awards are as follows:
| Category | Brand | Product & Price |
| Handbags Over $1000 Retail | Etoile | Lucille Mini Tote, $1195 |
| Handbags Under $1000 Retail | Bentz | Rainbow Baby Jewel Belt Bag, $950 |
| Eyewear Optical | Longchamp | Longchamp LO2670L, $238 |
| Eyewear Sun | Jimmy Choo | Shine/S, $570 |
| Footwear Over $250 Retail | Lori Silverman | ROSE Slingback Pointy-Toe Pump, $1160 |
| Footwear Under $250 Retail | Dr. Scholl’s | Sweet Kicks, $75 |
| Jewelry Fashion | BaubleBar | The Bauble BAR Bracelet, $32 |
| Jewelry Fine | MarinaB | Trisolina Diamond 10 Row Bangle, $27,500 |
| Personal Accessories | Hammitt | Levy, $245 |
| Tech & Innovation Smart and Other Tech Accessories | PopSockets | PopGrip Lips x Burt’s Bees Bee Logo, $20 |
| Social Impact | TAARACH | Tsawan, $85 |
| Sustainability | Charles & Colvard | Forever One Moissanite Emerald Cut Ring, $8,699 |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Pac Team America | Comforband, $6.50-$9.50 |
Jimmy Choo ShineThe Jimmy Choo Shine sunglasses are a glamourous pair that captures the playful spirit of the Jimmy Choo woman. The black ruthenium oval-shaped pair is characterized by a clip-on chain, complete with hand-applied Swarovski crystals and a signature JC emblem.
Design Excellence Award winners are representative of consumer taste, trends, and considerations that inform purchase power. Winning products were voted on by the public from finalist pools selected by the Accessories Council Board of Directors. 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. It is this criterion in which consumers evaluate purchase and in which Design Excellence Award winners excelled.
Design Excellence Award-winning products are available for purchase in the U.S. via retail stores, e-commerce, TV retail, or direct marketing between October 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The Accessories Council provided category finalists and winners with promotional tools for use at the wholesale and retail levels to market their products to consumers.
Sponsors of the 2020 Design Excellence Awards include QVC/HSN, Adorn, Marchon Eyewear, NY NOW, and Saga Furs. Each of the winners listed above received a trophy designed by Marchon Eyewear. For more information on categories and finalists, please visit: https://accessoriescouncil.org/design-excellence-awards.
