The hair accessory is a timeless staple, whether it’s a hat, head scarf, headband or barrette. With so many styles of expression, it’s no wonder they’re considered top-tier. Here are a few of the trending hair accessory brands, identified by the Accessories Council.
Dara Senders
Dara Senders, the bi-continental founder behind the designer label Dara Senders, strives to combine the ease and refinement of American dressing with the chic and whimsy of Parisian culture to create sophisticated and beautiful clothing and accessories for all women. The fit, fine lines, femininity, exquisite fabrics, enduring colors and couture-like craftsmanship are all hallmarks of the seasonal collections Senders designs. She is determined to redefine the fashion industry’s notion of the “standard fit” sizing rule; believing all shapes and sizes require stylish, exquisite and high-quality clothing — in contrast to what the current designer market sizing specifications offer. Senders is passionate in the reality that fuller-figured women should be able to shop the same, dress the same, look and feel as wonderful and glamorous as their fellow “straight size” women can and do.
darasenders.com
Deepa Gurnani
The Deepa Gurnani brand was conceived by husband and wife Deepa and Jay Lakhani. After their marriage, the two designers collaborated and launched their label. The duo combined their talents to create a line of unique and distinctive embroidered accessories. Their first line was launched at Henri Bendel in New York City in November 2006 and subsequently sold in various stores across the globe. After 10 years in business, the brand has grown in a constantly changing industry. Though exquisite craftsmanship and luxury is always in demand, a challenging world economy presents a growing need to satisfy a more price-conscious customer. In 2016, Deepa Gurnani launched two separate ranges to satisfy the needs of its global customers. Deepa Gurnani remains a luxury brand, focused on limited edition trend-led capsule collections made with Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones. The second brand, Deepa by Deepa Gurnani, is a more accessible collection, creating beautiful and easy-to-wear pieces for all occasions.
deepagurnani.com
Echo
When Edgar and Theresa Hyman founded Echo Scarfs in the early 1920s, they set up shop in the heart of New York City, capturing its vibrancy in gorgeous colors, patterns and textures. Today, that rich heritage of timeless quality, craftsmanship and integrity lives on in every new line of fashion accessories, bags, beachwear and home design. Still located within a block of the original showroom, Echo continues to draw inspiration from the vitality and diversity of the city. All the while, it holds onto the idea that a single accessory can possess the power to transform an outfit or a room, a mood or a perspective.
echonewyork.com
Epona Valley
Epona Valley is a New York City-based luxury hair accessory brand with a modern take on heirloom style, showcasing nature-inspired, museum-worthy pieces. Each piece is handmade by artisans in New York City. The pieces represent an endless array of leaves, flowers, birds and creatures with real branches and every Swarovski stone set by hand. Materials are locally sourced, and every piece is made by the hand of an artisan using brass, 14-karat gold plating, silver plating, silks, leathers and/or Swarovski stones.
The brand was founded by Rachel Celia Gittler. A New York native, Gittler started her brand in 2013 after she began creating bird headpieces for fun and was photographed by Bill Cunningham in one of her own. Her pieces garnered attention and, after being offered a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman, she knew it was her calling.
eponavalley.com
Eugenia Kim
With an innovative approach to luxury, Eugenia Kim marries clean, classic shapes with fresh, feminine modernity and a playful sense of wit. Bold colors, unexpected trims and high-quality materials are the signature elements that define the collection every season.
After a cafeteria-tray ride down a snowy hill landed her a month-long stay in the hospital, Kim’s dislike for the medical establishment did not agree with her pre-med track at Dartmouth University. Following graduation in 1996, she moved to New York to explore a different career path. She took a position at Allure magazine while simultaneously taking a millinery class at Parsons School of Design. In 1998, after a bad haircut, Eugenia created a feathered cloche to wear as a disguise. Boutiques in her downtown New York City neighborhood immediately took notice of the inventive design, and soon after, Barneys New York placed its first order. As a result, the Eugenia Kim brand was born.
eugeniakim.com
HairZing
HairZing is a small, women-owned and -operated company based in Oakland, California. Founder Francesca Kuglen invented HairZing because nothing existed to hold her fine hair without damaging it. As it turns out, millions of women had the same problem, and the team was soon joined by women with long, short, thick, textured, sleek and coily natural curls, too.
HairZing helps women by designing healthy hair options. The team talks to women around the globe to find what is distracting and frustrating them with their hair and designs the most effective solution to solve it. The women who love HairZing have more important things going on than fussing with their hair all day, the company said. It will dig to find the challenges and frustrations customers are experiencing. HairZing puts simple, healthy, unique options at buyers’ fingertips so they can look their best, feel confident and create whatever it is they bring to the world.
hairzing.com
Kate Spade
Since its launch in 1993 with six essential handbags, Kate Spade has always stood for optimistic femininity. Today, it’s a global life and style house filled with handbags — of course — and clothes, shoes, jewelry, home décor, tech accessories and so many other items. Kate Spade values thoughtful details and thinks a layer of polished ease looks (and feels) chic. Modern, sophisticated colors make a personal style statement all their own. It’s these founding principles that define the brand’s unique style: something synonymous with joy. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands.
katespade.com
Lele Sadoughi
With over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, Dallas native Lisa “Lele” Sadoughi has made a name for herself creating trims, accessories and apparel. After studying at Central St. Martins in London, Sadoughi moved to New York City to manage pattern makers and design trims at Rebecca Taylor. She then began designing jewelry at Ippolita’s private label collection and designed for clients including Banana Republic, Anthropologie and Neiman Marcus. Sadoughi was then recruited to conceptualize, create and launch J. Crew’s jewelry division in 2006.
In 2012, she launched her namesake jewelry collection, Lele Sadoughi, and held the post of jewelry design director at Tory Burch. Now in its seventh year, Lele Sadoughi has expanded categories from costume jewelry into headbands, hair jewels, sunglasses, handbags, hosiery, belts and home decor. The company has grown with the support of more than 75 global retailers including Saks, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, ShopBop, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges and Lane Crawford.
lelesadoughi.com
Lizzie Fortunato
Twin sisters Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato founded Lizzie Fortunato in 2008 with the intent of creating unique accessories that use unexpected materials and championing handicrafts from a breadth of places and cultures. Lizzie designs the line while Kathryn, who got her start on Wall Street, oversees sales and operations. Lizzie studied Art History and English at Duke University (where Kathryn majored in Economics), and her interest in “dressing to tell a story” is reflected in the pieces she creates. Lizzie constructs a distinct narrative with each collection, naming each style and often drawing on historical, artistic and architectural references as she goes. Her designs marry found, reclaimed and precious materials in fashion-forward silhouettes, and the sisters’ brand has become synonymous with unique, ahead-of-the-curve accessories that are influenced by fine art, travel and artisanal craftwork. The Lizzie Fortunato collection is produced in New York by a team of skilled metalsmiths and seamstresses.
lizziefortunato.com
Loeffler Randall
Loeffler Randall is a majority-female team of 35 people creating products for and by women. From its office in Soho, New York City, designers create the shoes and accessories they want to wear themselves. They design for women leading busy lives who want to invest in high-quality products that can take them from school drop-off to a meeting to an evening event — and everything in between. These products are meant to be loved and lived in for seasons and years to come. For over 15 years and over 50 seasons, the team has been honing its accessory-making expertise and expressing creativity through signature designs that convey a unique aesthetic. They believe in creating products that are deeply personal, have a distinct point of view and allow customers to confidently express who they are inside.
loefflerrandall.com
Marlyn Schiff
Marlyn Schiff began her career in the early 1980s working for several major fashion houses in New York City. After five years of serving as an account executive, Schiff turned her focus to designing jewelry, her true passion. In no time, her designs were in high demand. In 1989, Marlyn Schiff LLC was established. In 1992, Schiff chose to return to her roots, moving her company to the Philadelphia area, where it is currently based. Schiff’s collection has always consisted of hundreds of styles, from semi-precious pieces to casted metals. On trend, Schiff designs fashionable jewelry with unique and distinctive mix of textures, materials and stones. She is best known for her custom charm necklaces and mix and match bracelet stacks. Whether she is traveling with family or collecting vintage finds, Schiff draws inspiration from a multitude of inputs, which are reflected through all of her unique pieces. Marlyn Schiff is available in more than 500 national and international boutiques and retailers.
marlynschiff.com
Mignonne Gavigan
It all began with a spontaneous New York moment that forever changed the course of Mignonne Gavigan’s career. Fresh off her days at Parsons Paris, the young fashion designer was experimenting with a beaded vintage gown when an embellished piece of fabric fell to the floor. She picked it up and fastened it around her neck. After a walk home through Soho and a handful of compliments, the first Mignonne Gavigan design was born. Over the next seven years, the (foot) traffic-stopping scarf necklace became the downtown girl’s best-kept secret. On the cusp of clothing and jewelry, it was everything a woman on the go needed: a perfect jean-and-tee accomplice, an instant outfit reviver, a dopamine boost for the day-to-day. The Mignonne Gavigan accessory is a promise of an adventure. It is a testament to how the modern woman explores the world — unabashedly, confidently, making it her own. It is a morale booster and a catalyst for the unpredictable.
mignonnegavigan.com
Sorrelli
Sorrelli is a family-owned jewelry design company founded in 1983 and based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Sorrelli jewelry is handcrafted from genuine semi-precious stones and high-quality Austrian crystals. Sorrelli’s pieces are designed to be heirlooms. It is handcrafted, so there will be slight variations from piece to piece. By treating Sorrelli jewelry with the utmost care, customers will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. As a Swarovski crystallized elements brand partner, Sorrelli uses genuine Swarovski crystals in the majority of its jewelry. Semi-precious cabochons, like desert jasper, reconstructed turquoise, freshwater pearls and tiger’s eye, are also used in Sorrelli’s bold, beautiful pieces.
sorrelli.com
Vera Bradley
Best known for iconic prints and smart styles, Vera Bradley is a leading designer of women’s handbags, travel items and accessories. It designs thoughtful solutions filled with special details that make each day a bit more beautiful. At its very core, Vera Bradley is an innovative brand for women. The team has always been inspired by the needs of customers, and their proudest moments have been when they can bring communities of women together through their shared love of beauty. Vera Bradley has multiple distribution points throughout the United States and Japan and sells directly to the consumer through full-price and factory stores, e-commerce and an annual outlet sale. In addition, it sells indirectly through department stores and special boutique partners.
verabradley.com
Violet & Brooks
While its designs are vintage inspired, Violet & Brooks’ culture is straight-up modern. The team is a community of creatives committed to continuously improving what they do and how they do it. They engage with the client community, pay attention to what’s important to them and do their best to respond to their needs. Violet & Brooks believes that in this ever-changing retail environment, great product on its own simply won’t change retailers’ bottom line, and it wants to help change that. Today’s consumers are savvy, and it strives to be worthy of their support. Thirty years of experience suggest that creating an elevated customer experience that includes packaging that delights, programs that support retailers, seamless delivery and responsive service make a difference.
violetandbrooks.com
Zaxie
What started as a small family business designing tiaras for Miss America has led to three generations of passion and exceptional work in the accessories business. The name is new, but the brand has been supplying accessories to America’s biggest retailers for over 35 years. Today, by delivering products directly to consumers, it can offer a value better than ever before — without sacrificing the design extras that make an accessory special and unique. The Zaxie team believes trends come and go, but fabulous is forever. The right accessory makes all the difference in how someone feels. All Zaxie jewelry includes unique, sparkly details, like micropavé lobster claws and embellished post backs, and so much more. Zaxie believes the details matter and that they should be covered in cubic zirconia, crystals and other brilliant stones. It uses grade-A cubic zirconia, high-quality crystals, metals and finishes to create better fashion jewelry that sparkles.
zaxie.com
