Fashion Wire Daily - New York - She may not be a real person, but 50 years later she's still a fashion maverick: Barbie. She was just one of the honorees at the American Apparel and Footwear Association's 31st annual American Image awards, held in New York on Tuesday, May 12.

The AAFA honored Barbie along with real-life fashion luminaries and companies including Norma Kamali, Lily Pulitzer, Gilbert Harrison, Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. and QVC.

Hosted by Stay London, presenters Isaac Mizrahi, Carson Kressley and Hal Rubenstein mingled with guests that included designer Dennis Basso, Dylan Lauren and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, who donned casual spring looks for the red carpet.

Kamali, who received the designer of the year award, wore one of her signature parachute skirts and gold jewelry.

CEO and President Blake W. Krueger accepted the lifestyle branding award on behalf of US footwear brand Wolverine Worldwide, Inc., which celebrated its 125th anniversary last year, producing brands such as Hush Puppies, Patagonia footwear and Harley-Davidson footwear.

AAFA named QVC received the retailer of the year award, while founder and chairman of Financo, Inc. was honored with the lifetime achievement award and Lily Pulitzer received the "Spirit of a Woman" award.

The AAFA sponsors the annual awards ceremony to benefit the Educational Foundation of FIT. Past honorees have included Diane von Furstenberg, Betsey Johnson and Simon Doonan of Barneys New York.