SILMO 2004
Silmo's Success
Healthy launches and fashion-forward
styles signal optimism in optical
By Joanne F. Schell
Paris is the fashion capital of the world, and there was nowhere better to see the latest trends than at Silmo. Bustling crowds, even on days that are usually slow, meant success for many exhibitors.
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The French Optical Market 2003 |
Last year, total retail optical sales amounted to 3.275 billion euros, an increase of 5.6 percent from 2002. Approximately nine million frames were sold of which:
Sunglasses 2003 sales: 3.03 million 2002 sales: 2.9 million Points of Sale In France, there are 8,700 points of sale for optical products. Approximately 53 percent of those are independent shops, while the remaining 47 percent are comprised of franchises or chains. Sources: Bien Vu/L'opticien-May 2004/Survey conducted by Sofres-Gifo-Silmo 2002 |
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Attendance was up 5.6 percent for a total of 42,759 visitors. "Last year was our best year ever, so this year we were a little worried about topping it," said Birgitte Stentoff, public relations manager for Lindberg. "But the show has been wonderful."
This show, unlike some in the United States, was more about relationship building than placing orders.
"It's a little more relaxed here and not as intense, business-wise," said Steve Jaquin, regional director for the Aoyama Group. But, the laid-back atmosphere didn't mean that companies were any less prepared to show off their new materials, designs, and colors to global visitors.
New trends popped up all around the show. Designers played with logos, broadening the traditional trademark of a brand to transform it into added fashion for frames.
"If you have a good brand, you have to show it," says Pilar Bravo Rius, communications manager for Indo. The firm showed new styles from its Paco Rabanne collection using logo emblems throughout.
There was also the feeling that American style is beginning to play a larger role in the design of eyewear. One frame rep said that her company takes trend cues directly from the U.S.--a significant change from past years when Europe was said to be the only birthplace of fashion trends.
On a global scale, eyewear fashion is much more in sync with pret-a-porter and other accessories. Green, a huge color on the fall runways, was seen all over the show in a host of hues.
Other connections were more literal. The design the Fendi Butterfly collection, for example, took its cues directly from the shape of Fendi handbags for fall.
There were several launches at the show. To mention a few: Alain Mikli launched PACT, a handmade acetate collection comprised completely of mixes in crystal and black; ClearVision announced its new partnership with BCBG; and Aoyama introduced a new sunwear line for Shiseido.
Frames and fashion will meet again at Silmo 2005, which will take place Oct. 21 through 24 at the Porte de Versailles in Paris.
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1. The Silmo D'Or winners enjoy a moment in the spotlight; 2. Luxottica's Versace booth; 3. Portraits of Kirk Heroes, the characters in the Kirk Originals' new collection; 4. The always colorful l.a. eyeworks booth; 5. The Silmo D'Or winner for children/teen eyewear--Aspex's EasyTwist frame | ||||
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6. ClearVision's BCBG display for its new license; 7. A Marchon model shows off the latest from Fendi; 8. A sneak peek at Alain Mikli's new PACT collection; 9. Bright colors were big, even in the smallest of frames; 10. Silmo's Sunshine Attitude Forum; | ||||
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11. Face á Face's newly designed booth; 12. Two-tone sunwear was seen throughout the showfloor; 13. A Marchon model poses in front of the Nike booth made from recycled sneaker materials; 14. There were 35,737 meters of exhibit space at Silmo, an increase of six percent from 2003 |
Silmo Stars |
New styles and innovations were recognized at the 10th Silmo D'Or Awards. Here's a list of the winners:
Lenses
Frames--Technological Innovation Children's/Teenagers' Eyewear Sports Eyewear
Optics Instruments Sunglasses--Fashion Eyewear
Optical Frames--Style and Design
Sales and Marketing Environment Contact Lenses
Equipment /Tools
Low Vision Equipment
10th Anniversary Grand Prize in partnership with Acuite.fr |