Karen Giberson is widely regarded as a leading voice in the accessories industry. This April marks her 15th year working with the Accessories Council, where she currently serves as President and CEO. The Accessories Council, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1994, includes membership of over 325 companies worldwide from various sectors of the accessories industry.
In 2017, the Accessories Council and CFDA partnered to create the Elaine Gold Launch Pad program – a 23-week virtual residency for early emerging talent in the first three years of their businesses. The program wrapped its third year last March.
We caught up with Giberson on her role as President and CEO, experience and thoughts on the Elaine Gold Launch Pad program, how she sees the retail landscape changing, and advice for brands just starting out.
What inspired you to work in the accessories industry, and how did you get started?
When I graduated college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I was a Communications and Theater Arts major and soon became attracted to the world of retail. I was hired by Macy’s out of college and spent five years there. In the buying line, I started to work with jewelry and fell in love. I loved the vendors, the market, everything.
Then I had the opportunity to go to QVC, where I spent 14 years – seven as a merchant and the other seven years I created an events-driven division which did live broadcasts all over the world. I left in QVC in 2005, though since the mid-90’s I became involved with the Accessories Council in various capacities and roles.
What drives your work with the Accessories Council? What is your favorite part about your role?
Our mission at the Accessories Council from the beginning has been to stimulate consumer interest in our category. We cover any category besides clothes – even certain foundational pieces like a fashionable sock.
My favorite part of the job is working with the people in this industry. I love helping, nurturing, and watching people grow – which is why the Elaine Gold Launch Pad is so rewarding to work on.
The Elaine Gold Launch Pad has only just wrapped its third year, and has already seen quite an impressive roster of brands and talent. What would you say inspires you the most about the program?
Elaine was part of the Accessories Council from the very beginning. She launched her own company, and was a woman leader at a time when there weren’t a lot of senior level women in the industry. And she was a mentor. It was a rare to go into her office and not see a group of students there – she was one of those people who was constantly giving back.
Elaine wanted to be remembered for helping people who want to help themselves – people who needed that extra boost to get to the next level.
That’s what the Elaine Gold Launch Pad is all about. It’s a group of smart people and high-performers – infusing an experience of mentoring, education and tools to help them succeed. We look back and see past participants like Genusee, Bode, and FFORA really grow – to know we played a small role is great.
The CFDA and the Accessories Council have many similarities in terms of their structure as an organization as well as their support to their respective industries. How has working with the CFDA on the Elaine Gold Launch Pad helped to shape the program?
We’re grateful to the partnership we have with the CFDA. We at the Accessories Council felt that for the long-term success of the program, having the partnership that we have with the CFDA, would turn a great idea into something extraordinary.
We are grateful to their time, effort, and passion to this program. They are a well-oiled machine and really know how to run programs in an exceptional way.
Would you say that the retail landscape has shifted in the accessories industry over the last few years?
More and more people are shopping online. The challenge for the accessories industry is that much of accessories purchases are impulse buys. So as people shop online more and more, one of the concerns we have is the potential for impulse to be passed by.
At the same time, there are exciting new opportunities – such as shopping on Instagram, where you can see an outfit from head-to-toe and people are accessorized and dressed up, rather than just seeing the accessory by itself.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to brands just starting out?
A lot of our members have some really great stories to tell – for example about their sustainable materials, packaging, or pieces made by artisans. The storytelling piece is more important now than ever. We are definitely seeing success from companies that have a really strong point of view that is unique and meaningful.
Everybody is thinking about how they can be more sustainable and conscious. The young companies we see are doing it because they want to — and many of the big companies are doing it because they have to due to customer and shareholder demand.
