Yes, it is that time of year again in the fashion calendar, awards season. This time around it is the Accessories Council Awards that is handing out the awards for everything from Designer of the Year to Innovator of the year, and some nominations may surprise you. For Designer of the Year it is a no brainer with Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga, a man who continually modernizes the iconic brand while preserving its history. One of my favorites, Stella McCartney has been named Green Designer of the Year for her ongoing innovations with materials that are man-made, as well as her organic CARE skincare line, and her Organic capsule collection for Barneys New York. Then there is the ongoing love affair with the British brand Jimmy Choo, which is named Brand of the Year and is so ingrained in the British psyche that when ever the number 32 is called out in Bingo, it evidently means Jimmy Choo in England. Of course there are always niche brands that do a huge business without much advertisement and Lorraine Schwartz is one such brand that has been named Innovator of the Year, with the Emilio Pucci , the genius of prints, brand being named to the Hall of Fame for its enduring appeal, Banana Republic was named Retailer of the Year and costume designer for Desperate Housewives, Cate Adair, being named Influencer of the Year.
Of course this is not earth shattering news, nor does it change any of your economic woes, however, we here at Couture would be remiss if we did not keep you up to date on some of the fashion industry news, no?