THE 2025 MR AWARD HONOREES ARE…
MR Magazine and Wainscot Media are proud to announce the honorees of the 2025 MR Awards, taking place on Monday, July 21, 2025, at Gotham Hall in NYC.
Since 2006, The MR Awards have been a highly anticipated and celebrated tradition within MR Magazine and the menswear industry—recognizing our community’s merchants, brands, and personalities truly making a difference in our industry and beyond… As we approach nearly 20 years since the inaugural MR Awards, our mission remains the same: to honor the best of the best. This year is no exception!
We are proud & privileged to present to you this 2025 list of honorees, with one notable person who has finally agreed to allow us to bestow her with our first ever LEGEND Award: MR’s cofounder and Editor in Chief, Karen Alberg Grossman. (NO, SHE IS NOT RETIRING!)
And the honorees are:
Merchant of the Year- Specialty Store
Bob and Russ Mitchell, Co-CEOs, and Family
MITCHELLS STORES
Merchant of the Year- Department Store
Jim Von Maur, President and CEO
VON MAUR
Fashion Futurist Award
Jian DeLeon, Men’s Fashion Director
NORDSTROM
Heritage Award
Ken Ohashi, CEO
BROOKS BROTHERS
Luxury Brand of the Year
Antonio Paone, US President
KITON
Brand Builder of the Year
Rian Gardiner, Al Israel, Dennis Sartori, Co-founders
TRILUXE
In Memoriam: People’s Choice
Raffi Shaya, CEO
RAFFI
Lifetime Achievement Award
Allan Ellinger, Senior Managing Partner
MMG ADVISORS
The Legend Award
Karen Alberg Grossman, Editor-in-Chief
WAINSCOT MEDIA
In a statement regarding this year’s awards, Lizette Chin, Sr. Vice President/Group Publisher, had this to say, “As we celebrate MR’s 35th Anniversary and the 18th annual MR Awards event, we are filled with immense gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve been on—thanks to one person who has been at the helm from the very beginning: Karen Alberg Grossman! Since 1991, Karen has not only guided the ship with vision and passion but has been the heartbeat of MR, shaping its legacy and success. This year, as we mark this extraordinary milestone, we couldn’t think of a better time to honor the woman who has been our matriarch, our guiding light, and the heart of MR’s editorial direction. So we are THRILLED that Karen Alberg Grossman will be receiving the first-ever Legend Award.
“Join us as we celebrate Karen’s remarkable journey, her unwavering dedication, and her incredible impact on MR. This special recognition is long overdue, and we couldn’t be more excited to shine a spotlight on her legacy and the inspiration she continues to be for all of us. It’s going to be a night to remember—let’s all come together to honor our amazing honorees, our legendary EIC and our exciting industry! “
This year’s MR Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, July 21st, 2025, at Gotham Hall in New York City during menswear market week. Profiles of the MR Award Honorees will appear in the July 2025 issue of MR Magazine and will run on MR-Mag.com.
Those wanting to celebrate an honoree in the July print issue, for event tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact:
Publisher, Charles Garone, Charles.Garone@wainscotmedia.com, 917-515-4531
Sr. Vice President/Group Publisher, Lizette Chin, Lizette.Chin@wainscotmedia.com, (201) 571-2077
Congrats Karen. Well deserved.
Congratulations to all of the MR AWARD HONOREES, but especially to Karen Alberg with the first ever Legend Award. Your unending energy, high spirits and love of this industry continue to amaze me.
Congratulations Karen! An honor indeed to have you in the MensWear Industry, and to know you from this wonder-filled journey as a beautiful friend. You are most appreciated and loved by us all for your extraordinary work you put in for all us non stop. Thank you so much for all you do.
LOVE YOU XOXOXOOX
Congratulations Karen! So well deserved.
Whomever titled this “The Legend Award” was spot-on! Business aside, my sister Karen has an uncanny sense of feeling and genuinely understanding what others are going through, and so wonderfully coming up with the right words to say and the ideal solution to help them through their most difficult times. Not just for family and friends, but for friends of friends and casual acquaintances and even total strangers. Karen epitomizes the spirit of giving and that is the authentic makeup of my beautiful sister. On behalf of Karen’s entire family, I cannot thank the creators of this award enough. Thank you, Wainscot Media.
Scott, you have the eloquence as your sister finding the right words many us cannot express. Karen most definitely is an extraordinary legend so well deserved of this honor. Thanks to Karen, us little guys have survived due to her taking notice and giving most grateful perserverance help along the way. With big love and gratitude from us all..
Where is the “Love” button for Ruth’s comment? (blush)