Issue #66 October 12 th 2016 Ph. Giuseppe Circhetta Vanni for Kristina Ti New eyewear collection for the Turin fashion brand pg. 3 The first Golran's flagship store in Milan pg. 5 Big success for DaTE The show posted a +38% increase in attendance and is planning to move to Florence in 2017 pg. 2
Big success for DaTE This cutting-edge eyewear event closed on a high and from 23 to 25 September 2017 it will be moving to a location that reflects its creative spirit: the Leopolda in Florence. The 2016 edition of DaTE, the cutting-edge eyewear show, posted a 38% increase in visitors compared to last year and over 2,330 unique visitors, with buyers and trade operators looking to check out the extraordinary creations by more than 100 companies representing 170 brands from all over the world. The show was divided into three themed sections, the expression of the various souls that go to make up the universe of the DaTE: MILLENIALS the newest brands inspired by street-style, ICONS dedicated to the exhibition of avant-garde designers who have written the history of this sector and never cease to amaze, LUXURY a showcase for the boldest creations which were all about luxury and exclusivity. We received satisfied feedback from all the exhibitors, who see DaTE as a must-have opportunity for visibility, not only for our growing visitor number, but above all for the quality of the general public who come to DaTE, commented Dante Caretti and Cristina Frasca, co-founders of the event. DaTE is continually evolving and precisely for this reason the next edition will be moving to Florence, Italy s linchpin city and fascinating tourist destination with proven appeal. The chosen location is the Leopolda, a place that perfectly embodies the typical vocation for creativity and originality of this event. To meet visitor s requirements, DaTE will be held from 23 to 25 September, coinciding with Milan fashion week, with appropriate synergies put in place. Because the DaTE experimental lab never closes. Ph. Giuseppe Circhetta world weekly wonders WMIDO 2
New Italian sales network for Vuarnet In order to renew and expand its sales network, Vuarnet appointed Umberto Valentini as the Sales Manager for Italy. Valentini will represent Vuarnet through his agents starting from this autumn season. The iconic French brand is renowned for its mineral glass lenses and is loved by celebrities such as Alain Delon, Mick Jagger, Romy Schneider. For Vuarnet it s a memorable relaunch, after many years of the absence from many regions of Italy, says Lucio Lozza, Executive Director for Italy and Ceo of the American branch Vuarnet Inc. The renew of the sales network get involved 10 sales agents covering the whole country from the North to the South of Italy. This represents the conclusion of Vuarnet relaunch, that started at the beginning of 2016 with the appointment of actor Vincent Cassel as a testimonial of the brand. Vanni for Kristina Ti The collection by Vanni for the Turin fashion brand Kristina Ti debuted on the Milan runways in September. The three pairs of glasses, each one presented in 3 different color variants, are the perfect accessories to a collection of clothes hinged on experimentation with materials and the sense of movement created by chiffon, ruffles and even laser-cut neoprene. They feature 9 steel frames produced using a technologically innovative process of photo-engraving, which decorates the surface of the front-pieces on every model to look like fine delicate embroidery, one example being the iconic KTi butterfly. All the glasses can be fitted with prescription lenses. Safilo acquires full control of Lenti The launch of GrandVision Italy Dior With acquisition of a further 24.4% of Lenti, the Bergamo-based producers of sunglass lenses, majority shareholder Safilo Group now has full control of the company. Acquisition of Lenti is crucial to the Safilo strategy as it strengthens the group s presence in the sunglass lens sector, where it already owns Polaroid and Chroma Pop technology by Smith. Lenti was set up in 1995 thanks to collaboration by various specialist producers in the optical sector, headed by Marco Negri. The company today designs, develops and produces special lenses that reproduce graphic decorative effects and which have become a big market success, creating new trends in the eyewear and fashion sector. The Italian market heralds the arrival of GrandVision Italy, company belonging to the GrandVision Group, a retailer operating in 44 different countries with more than 6,000 sales points and over 31,000 employees. 2016 is our year for consolidation of the GrandVision Italy corporate identity: we are in fact currently rebranding our stores, an operation that has so far involved 150 sales points, today BrandVision by Avanzi and GrandVision by Optissimo, and will conclude during 2017, says Luca Sacilotto, Managing Director of GrandVision Italy. This is not just a change of store sign: client-centric service is always fundamental ( ), as is constant investment in personnel. The company has in fact allocated 2 million euro to training for its professional figures in 2016 and this investment will continue into 2017 with a forecasted 600 new hirings. world weekly wonders WMIDO 3
New corporate headquarters for Mei The new corporate offices of Mei, manufacturer of machinery for processing ophthalmic and sunglass lenses, officially opened the weekend of September 24, 2016. The new headquarters are located in Ponte San Pietro (Bergamo), just a few kilometers from the former corporate offices in Valbrembo, and boast 10,500 sq. m of covered space, 8,000 of which are dedicated to production and warehousing, and 2,500 set aside for offices, demonstration labs and training rooms. The project for the new headquarters grew out of the need to address the company s constantly growing manufacturing output and the number of company employees currently 85 who required more and more space. The building features a solar PV plant, a system of self-adjusting Led lights, in-floor heating, its own restaurant and a 10,000 sq. meter outdoor parking area. New commercial director for AirDP by AirEyeWear Non-stop expansion for Safilens Piero Buono is the new Commercial Director of AirDP by AirEyeWear, one of the most innovative eyewear manufacturers and distributors, which has among its founders Alessandro Del Piero. Buono will be in charge of structuring the sales network and will be leading the team dedicated to the development of new International markets and the strengthening of the domestic one. Born in 1964, Buono has worked for a long time for Italian Independent where he held positions with more and more responsibility in the sales&marketing departments until he reached the position of Head of Sales - Western Europe. Buono has developed a strategic expertise that can significantly enhance the commercial potential of AirDP by AirEyeWear especially for what concerns the optical market. Safilens has just announced new partnerships with Swiss distributor Conil AG and with Austrian Ottiko GmbH. With these five-year agreements, Safilens entrusts the exclusive distribution of its Safe-Gel, Fusion and Open lines to Conil AG for Switzerland and Liechtenstein and to Ottiko GmbH for Austria. Conil AG is a modern company that has been actively involved in the business of contact lenses and their care products since 1984. Established in 2013, Ottiko GmbH distributes highly innovative contact lenses and solutions. According to Vincenzo Bruno, Sole Director of Safilens: These strategic partnerships bolster our position and our business in Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria. Turn over design by Mario Milana Neil Goodenough R&D Director Mark'ennovy Steele Young Vice President Business Development and Key Accounts Satisloh Pascale Lepoivre CEO Loewe Joanna Onland Executive team member Western Europe & Global Key Accounts Safilo Fulvio Rigoni Womenswear Design Director Ferragamo world weekly wonders WMIDO 4
Design, fashion & lifestyle Zegna takes to the road with the new Maserati Capsule Collection After launching a multi-year partnership with Maserati in early 2013, Ermenegildo Zegna unveils its new Maserati Capsule Collection featuring leather goods, luxury clothing and personal accessories designed to reflect the craftsmanship and elegance synonymous with the two Made in Italy brands. The special collection is characterized by a dedicated Ermenegildo Zegna Exclusively for Maserati label. In addition to leather outerwear in dark brown deerskin, the dark brown leather trolley, a leather backpack, leather footwear and driving and travel accessories, the collection includes denim grey jeans, polo shirts in pure cotton jersey with a leather Maserati logo, a two-button jacket in pure cotton with leather details, and a silk herringbone scarf in brown and beige with its embroidered Maserati logo. The SS17 Zegna-Maserati Capsule Collection will be available at selected Ermenegildo Zegna s worldwide stores and via Zegna.com starting from November 2016. Ferré and Comte on show The tailoring genius of Gianfranco Ferré and the photographic art of Michel Comte are on show at Palazzo del Governatore in Parma until 15 January 2017 in three exhibitions. An homage to the art of these two great masters that is part of the many initiatives organized to celebrate the bicentenary of the arrival of Marie-Louise of Austria in Parma, empress of the French and Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla. Ferré e Comte dettagli. Grandi interpreti tra moda e arte (Ferré and Comte Details. Great interpreters of fashion and art), is a project promoted by Parma Municipal Council in collaboration with the Gianfranco Ferré Foundation; while Gianfranco Ferré e Maria Luigia: inattese assonanze (Gianfranco Ferré and Maria Luigia: unexpected similarities) offers a broad array of garments from the Alta Moda and Prêt-à-Porter collections. Finally, Neoclassic is totally dedicated to installations by Comte. A new era for Sergio Rossi Sergio Rossi undergoes a revolution, with a return to the brand s original aesthetics: interesting, wearable, contemporary shoes. Versatile creations that pay no heed to trends, preferring successful representation of the elegance, needs and passions of a woman and her world. Focus for S/S 17 shifts from evening wear to informal and ignores obsolete rules. Feet are still firmly on the ground, with a preponderance of flat heels that support creations halfway between a loafer and a slipper, a reworking of the aesthetics of comfort and elegance. The underlying principle is a model from the historic archives, with squared lines from Sergio Rossi s heyday the nineties. The aim of the brand is to re-establish profound, prolific dialogue with its wonderful in-house artisan skills. In Milan the first Golran's flagship store The first Golran flagship store opened in Via Pontaccio 8, in the heart of Milan s Brera district, in a space restructured by Storage Associati architects with brand art direction by the Francesca Avossa studio. The ancient and prestigious carpet brand identified almost seamlessly with one of the liveliest parts of the city and, rather than relegating its prestige to the history books, it has renewed it through a happy combination of commercial, business and cultural activities and a fusion of art, architecture, design, fashion and entertainment. The last contemporary collections by Golran are designed by Dimore Studio, Inga Sempé, Raw Edges, Bertjan Pot and Isabella Sodi. Editorial Director: Francesco Gili MIDO Srl Unipersonale Via Petitti, 16-20149 Milano (Italy) Phone +39 02 32673673 P. Iva IT 07164050150 Cod. Fiscale e n. Iscr. Ufficio Imprese di Milano 07164050150 Cap. soc. 120.000,00 i.v. R.e.a. 1710133 Company subject to the direction and the coordination of Anfao - Associazione Nazionale Fabbricanti Articoli Ottici WMido is published in cooperation with Publicomm srl Via Quadrio 20/40-20154 Milano (Italy) P. Iva 02030290999 email: redazione@wmido.com world weekly wonders WMIDO 5