Nicole Richie is the perfect example of a celebrity and socialite who has nailed the transition to credible fashion designer with her House of Harlow 1960 collection, and now she’s getting some well-deserved industry recognition: The Accessories Council's ACE Awards (the Accessories Council of Excellence) were announced yesterday, and Richie was honored with the best prize of 'em all: “Influencer of the Year." We've been a fan of House of Harlow's extremely covetable jewelry, shoes, sunglasses, and clothes since day one (we're still seriously pining for these clutches in particular), and if you check the site on the reg, you know we've admired her trendsetting style in everything from hair 'dos to on and off the red carpet outfits. To further solidify her cred, she's also got an upcoming role as a judge on The Fashion Show. What’s her secret? “I absolutely would never design anything that I wouldn’t wear myself,“ says Richie. True, her boho ensembles can be a little much (can you say headbands three times fast?), but we think she's pulled a pretty good Victoria Beckham, and we follow her paparazzi shots with the same fervor as, say, Kate Bosworth or Diane Kruger. But what do you think? Is she this year's ultimate influencer, or is someone else more deserving of the accolade? (Racked)