City at night with light trails
VIP Awards 2027 · NYC

Celebrating Retail Innovation & Strategic Partnerships

The VIP Awards honor the vendors, partners, and people who are shaping the future of retail, through bold collaboration, real innovation, and principled relationships.

Awards Gala
Jan 8, 2027
New York City

Nominations Hub

Overview of the process

shaping the future of retail technology

Guidelines for a great entry

looking to stay ahead of industry shifts

Benefits across the entire Awards season

shaping the future of retail technology

WHAT ARE THE VIP AWARDS?

The VIP Awards aren't about stuffy speeches or checking a box. They're about celebrating the people, your friends, and shaping retail with the heart of partnership. We're different. We're bold, fun, and create the kind of experience you want to be part of. The night, the warmth, the reunion that everyone wants in on.

Awards & Categories

What to Expect at the VIP Awards

TICKETS

VIP Awards Gala Ticket is included with a submitted nomination. Additional tickets will be available soon.

JUDGES

Rooted in Retail Leadership

Our panel of judges are seasoned retail leaders who have built, managed, and transformed industry businesses. They recognize genuine innovation because they’ve lived it. Each judge participates out of a shared belief in our ethos: celebrating principled partnerships, transparent collaboration, and solution strategists who deliver real value to the retail community.
20260109-RHA02830.jpg

EVENT SCHEDULE

NYC VIP: Jan 8, 2027
Join us for a magical evening of cocktails, networking, fabulous attire, winners, & awards!

06:00 Arrival & Cocktail Reception
07:00 Award Ceremony Commences
08:00 Dinner & Keynote Address
08:45 Award Ceremony Continues
10:00 Awards Evening Concludes
20260109-DSC01662.jpg

EMCEE: Billy May

Billy is the CEO of Brooklinen, committed to delivering high-quality, affordable home essentials. With extensive retail experience, he has held leadership roles at J. Crew Group, Sur La Table, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Adidas Group, where he helped drive business transformations and brand growth. At J. Crew, he played a key role in steering the company through a successful Chapter 11 restructuring, and at Sur La Table, he revitalized the brand and executed a successful refinancing effort. His commitment to the digital retail space is evident in his seven-year tenure as Vice Chair and Board Member of Shop.org. With a passion for innovation and leadership, Billy continues to make a lasting impact on the retail industry.

A LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER

Dear VIP Community,

Welcome to Vendors in Partnership.

What began as a small, inspired gathering in a stylish New York venue in 2020 has grown into something far more powerful - a true community that spans the retail ecosystem, culminating each year in our gala VIP Awards celebration every January in NYC.

As our community has expanded, so has its impact. VIP isn’t just an event; it’s a movement built on transparency, trust, and mutual respect. The three wings of our logo; retailers, solution providers, and industry leaders represent more than just segments of the industry. They represent people showing up as experts, not just representatives of a company, but as individuals committed to improving how we partner, work, and grow together.

We are setting a new standard for what transformative partnerships can look like. By celebrating those who do it right and creating space for meaningful exchange, we’re shifting how vendors are valued and how progress is made.

It’s been my life’s work to build bridges between retailers and partners. With VIP, we’ve created a platform where trust leads, community drives change, and learning flows in all directions.

I’m grateful to be on this journey with you and I can’t wait to see what we build together next.

Warmly,
Vicki Cantrell

Proudly supported by: