NEW YORK—The Accessories Council will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organization’s annual ACE Awards, honoring individuals and companies who have furthered the awareness and use of accessories. This year’s ACE Awards will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, a date change from its traditional early November timing. The red carpet/event/awards ceremony will be held at Cipriani 42nd Street here.

The initial roster of honorees for the 2016 ACE Awards include:

• Media Award – Marie Claire, accepted by Anne Fulenwider and Nancy Berger Cardone
• Trendsetter Award – MCM
• Business Leadership Award – Rosenthal & Rosenthal Inc., accepted by Michael Stanley
• Sustainability Award – Kering, accepted by Laurent Claquin
• Influencer Award - Jennifer Fisher
• Humanitarian Award – Vera Bradley, accepted by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, co-founder of Vera Bradley
• Retailer of the Year – Bergdorf Goodman accepted by Joshua Schulman

Platinum sponsors of the event include: Sunrise Brands, Marchon and Swarovski. Silver sponsors include: Judith Leiber Couture and LIM College.

The ACE Awards were created in 1997 to pay homage to those that have made great strides in raising the awareness of the accessories industry, the group said. The awards are presented to designers, brands, retailers, celebrities and media who have helped to enhance sales and promote accessories.

The mission of the Accessories Council, a not-for-profit international trade association established in 1994, is to stimulate consumer awareness and demand for fashion accessory products. The Accessories Council serves the industry globally, which generates over $54 billion dollars annually in the U.S. alone. Membership is represented internationally by the world’s leading brand names, designers, publications, retailers and associated providers for the accessories, eyewear and footwear industries.

More info about the upcoming ACE Awards, including ticket and journal details, is available from the Council at (212) 947-1135 or info@accessoriescouncil.org.