Shopbop Fashion Director Kate Ciepluch wearing the Nightcap Clothing Victorian Lace Dress.
Wednesday night I had the pleasure of attending the AAFA 32nd Annual American Image Awards at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in NYC, where Shopbop was recognized as E-tailer of the Year. I sat at a table with a key representation of the Shopbop crew, including our NY-based buying team, Shopbop General Manager Jeff Yurcisin, Amazon VP of Apparel Cathy Beaudoin, Shopbop Head of Marketing Chris Ryskiewicz, and Haute Hippie Designer/Founder Trish Wescoat Pound.
The night was special for so many reasons, and aside from the opportunity to get dressed up and go to a black-tie event on a Wednesday night, what really struck a chord was how far Shopbop has come in ten years. To be among powerhouse honorees like Gap and Steve Madden was undeniably flattering.
Jeff accepted our award, telling the story of Shopbop founders Bob Lamey, Ray Zemon, and Martha Michelson, and their vision to provide the coolest fashion to women around the world 24 hours a day. A very special thanks to Trish for presenting us with this honor—your words were so thoughtful and genuine—and to all our amazing vendors who showed their support.
The night was a charitable one as well, benefitting Autism Speaks. I wish you all could have heard Tom Brokaw’s heartfelt speech highlighting Suzanne and Bob Wright’s commitment and passion to raising awareness and research funding for autism, a disorder that affects an estimated one in a hundred children.
Check out more pictures from the event on the Shopbop Facebook page.
--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director