SILMO Paris, one of the world’s premier optical trade events, has wrapped for the year, after taking a close look at the future of the sector.
The event, between September 26 and 29, brought together more than 33,000 professionals, with more than half of those from overseas.
A media release said this was a 6.5% increase in attendees. More than 900 companies showcased their products and innovation.
That innovation was front of stage, with artificial intelligence (AI) being a key focus as part of the overall theme of the event – Futurology.
“AI is already transforming the optical sector,” the release said.
That was about “connected eyewear, automated examinations, virtual reality, and intelligent store management.”
Futurology and the event’s Village Tech “embodied the bridge between research, technology and professional practice, inviting visitors to envision the future of optics”.
SILMO’s Trends Forum offered an “immersive experience” revealing the shapes, colours and materials shaping contemporary eyewear.
The release said the forum highlighted:
- The return of reinvented icons.
- The quest for lightness and serenity.
- A charismatic and assertive allure.
- The energy of exploratory graphics.
There were awards too.
Among the winners in SILMO’s various categories were Rodenstock’s B.I.G Exact Sensitive lenses in the Vision section and EssilorLuxottica’s Nuance Audio in Smart Eyewear.
Frames awarded included Design Eyewear Group’s ‘Flare’ Face à Face.
