Great turnout on the first day of MIDO. Business, trends, fashion, and much more – awards, celebrities and many events, Friday, February 3, through Monday 6 ^th at Fiera Milano Rho.

The first day of the event was marked by high energy and the desire to meet, to breathe once again the incredible atmosphere that only in-person interaction and exchange can generate.

The massive influx of visitors exceeded all expectations. They were surrounded by many engaging activities that animated the start of the 51^st edition with visitors from 140 countries and just over 1,000 exhibitors.

EVENTS AND GUESTS

Today, the fair squares were also animated by flash mobs of the group of dancers led by the famous choreographer Giacomo Frassica. Guest of the day was also showgirl Melissa Satta. The OTTICLUB (Pavilion 3) round table “How to define the look and personality through glasses. Styling as an opportunity for opticians” curated by Nick Cerioni, Creative Director and famous stylist behind the image of famous artists such as the Måneskin, Jovanotti, Laura Pausini, Pierfrancesco Favino, Achille Lauro, Orietta Berti and Gianni Morandi. The conference is part of OTTICLUB’s How to? program of meetings on practical activities closely related to the everyday life of optical centers. 

Great excitement for the photo set in Pavilion 1, next to the Press Village, where visitors and exhibitors could experience a real visual journey ‘inside’ the 2023 MIDO campaign, Frames. The set will be available tomorrow as well.

The second day of the 2023 edition of MIDO was marked by trends, awards and VIPs. The show runs through tomorrow February 6^th at Fiera Milano Rho, an opportunity for meetings and, of course, business. This morning, the corridors and booths of the six pavilions were teeming with opticians, expert buyers and industry enthusiasts, who flocked to the show on this Sunday in February to experience first-hand the latest, most innovative and intriguing products.

“We are extremely satisfied with the turnout and success of the event so far,” commented Giovanni Vitaloni, President of MIDO and ANFAO. “To be honest, I wasn’t totally confident, after these difficult years, of the return to in-person attendance, considering that the majority of the participants come from abroad. MIDO is the reference point for the eyewear sector and is therefore essential for us and, above all, for the entire supply chain. When you enter one of the pavilions today,” concluded Vitaloni, “you immediately find yourself surrounded by an atmosphere of great enthusiasm as you discover the many brands present, breathe in the unique atmosphere and have the opportunity to meet internationally renowned personalities.”

On the second day, celebrities from the world of entertainment animated the booths, such as Italian trapper Sfera Ebbasta, singer Dargen D’Amico and model and influencer Dasha Kina. 

The awards ceremony took place in a packed Fashion District square. Every year, MIDO presents awards to optical centres, the most sustainable booth and, new this year, the companies most actively engaged in sustainability.

MIDO 2023 also organized the first CSE – Certified Sustainable Eyewear Award. Created by MIDO in partnership with ANFAO and Certottica, the award evaluates sustainability in the eyewear sector at an international level. An authoritative jury of experts assessed the nominated products, based on detailed criteria on their environmental and social impact, taking into consideration the product’s entire life cycle: recycling of materials, reduction of consumption in production and distribution processes, best use of the supply chain, elimination of waste, level of recyclability, use of renewable energy, etc. 

Here are the award winners in the 6 categories: 

• CSE Award Sunglasses Europe: NEUBAU EYEWEAR – NEUBAU (Austria) 
• CSE Award Sunglasses Rest of the World: MITA EYEWEAR – Vision of Tomorrow (USA) 
• CSE Award Frames Europe: EYEWEAR 4 YOU – LLEXAN ITALIA (Italy) 
• CSE Award Frames Rest of the World: MONOGRAM EYEWEAR (United Arab Emirates)
• CSE Award Cases Europe: ECO – MODO EYEWEAR (Italy) 
• CSE Award Cases Rest of the World: KARUN EYEWEAR – KARUN (Spain) 
• Winner of the Bestore Design 2023 award was OTTICA BUX (Altamura) by Sabino Bux, that was chosen for the incredible mix of elements and staging, the perfect balance between elegance, luxury, art and craftsmanship, and for details linking the worlds of eyewear and music.

• The Bestore Innovation 2023 award was given to MEGAOPTIKA (Lviv – Ukraine), by Taras Proniv, which distinguished itself through resourceful entrepreneurship.  It combines the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, advanced diagnostics and a wide range of products, working in extremely risky conditions due to the ongoing conflict.

• Finally, the Stand Up For Green award for the most sustainable booth was assigned to MARCHON ITALIA for its modularity, reusability, and the minimum space occupied by furnishings, which translates to reduced shipping impact. 

Click HERE for the full press release.

The 51^st edition of MIDO opens Saturday, February 4 at Fiera Milano Rho, as the international eyewear show welcomes the entire global eyewear supply chain.

MIDO 2023 IN NUMBERS

• Just over 1,000 exhibitors
• More than 150 countries represented
• 6 pavilions
• 8 exhibit areas
• 3 international prizes awarded to opticians and exhibitors
• More than 30 scheduled activities including 3 days of conferences, meetings, round tables and events
• More than 250 accredited journalists from around the globe
• 7 social channels for sharing videos, photos and posts about the show
• 1 official TV channel with interviews and in-depth features from the MIDO pavilions
• 1 B2B digital platform for exploring news, contacts and some of the exhibitors’ collections

“MIDO returns to the first days of February, a position we can confirm for editions through 2026,” stated MIDO President Giovanni Vitaloni. “This worked in our favor, eliciting a massive response by companies – including the return of industry giants, Asian brands and the debut of small, independent businesses that have made MIDO their market entry of choice. The first weeks of February are strategic for companies and buyers to operate in a timely manner, getting an early look at the new collections in order to realize a return on investment in the first quarter of the year.”

EYEWEAR INDUSTRY DATA FROM 2022 AND FORECASTS FOR 2023

Thanks to its robust international orientation, in 2022 Italy’s eyewear industry, comprising 830 companies and 18,250 employees, performed brilliantly on international markets, but inflation and economic uncertainty had an impact. Based on a preliminary 2022 forecast by ANFAO, Italy’s eyewear production in 2022 totaled €5.17 billion, up 24% from 2021. Exports of frames, sunglasses and lenses (representing about 90% of industry production), grew 22.5% over 2021, to reach approx. €5 billion. The United States, traditionally the eyewear industry’s primary export market, with a more than 30% share, increased 20.2% compared to 2021.

Prevailing concerns for the first half of 2023 are cost increases – in energy, raw materials, shipping, services, logistics, packaging, etc. – estimated to have doubled, on average, compared to the pre-pandemic period. This forces businesses to operate with lower and lower margins, putting survival of the companies themselves at risk, especially SMEs.

KEY WORDS FOR MIDO 2023: INTERNATIONALIZATION, A FOCUS ON OPTICIANS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Regarding the former, the MIDO numbers speak for themselves: exhibitors, buyers, opticians, industry professionals, journalists and students are expected from around the world.

Many opportunities for debate, reflection, exchange of ideas and interaction are reserved specifically for opticians and buyers. Every year, thousands of Italian and international professionals flock to MIDO in pursuit of the latest innovations and trends in eyewear and, above all, to finalize sales agreements and conduct business.

Created just for them is the “How To?” cycle, at OTTICLUB in Pavilion 3, which addresses the practical everyday activities of optical shops with realistic content on different topics, like style consultation, point of sale renovation, marketing and communication, events as a means of promotion, etc.

“The topic of sustainability is extremely important,”concluded Vitaloni. “We want MIDO to be an opportunity to share experiences with those who are already accomplished in this area. For some time now, many eyewear companies have been active in sustainability projects, and we decided to dedicate an award specifically to them. We will present the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Award at a special ceremony on Sunday, February 5. At the same time, we know how great an impact large-scale events like MIDO can have and therefore at the recent editions, we have endeavored to reduce not only its environmental, but also its social impact. Among the first results achieved is ISO 20121:2012 Sustainability Certification, obtained at the 2022 edition, certifying the sustainable management of large events. In February we will be evaluated for this year’s edition.”

NOT-TO-BE-MISSED EVENTS AT MIDO 2023

Kick-off for the show will be on Saturday February 4, 10 am at OTTICLUB, in Pavilion 3, with welcome addresses by President Giovanni Vitaloni, along with CEO and  Managing Director of ITA Roberto Luongo, City of Milan Municipal Councillor, Alessia Cappello and  CEO and Managing Director of Fiera Milano Luca Palermo.

The calendar of events continues throughout the three days of the show with business meetings, conferences and events. Many more show events can be found on the MIDO website at https://www.mido.com/en/otticlub

MIDO will be open at Fieramilano (Strada Statale del Sempione 28 -Rho), Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February from 9 am to 7 pm, and Monday, 6th February from 9 am to 6 pm.

Click HERE for the full press release.