Issue # 4 March 5 th 2015 Blackfin wins the Bestand award Post-industrial atmosphere has persuaded visitors. pg. 3 A record event for Mido Leidmann receives the Bestore award pg. 3 The 2015 edition confirmed Mido s forefront position among international exhibitions, with the highest recorded number of attendees: 49,000 visitors (8.7% more than 2014). pg. 2
Giovanni Vitaloni, Vice President of Mido, gave WMIDO an exclusive interview on the outcome of Mido 2015. How did Mido 2015 go? It was an extraordinary edition with a record turnout: 49,000 attendees, with 56% coming from abroad, and an estimated 10% increase in Italian visitors. We saw an 8.7% higher attendance than 2014, which is an exceptional figure in itself, especially amid a period of economic uncertainty which still pervades some countries. What about the two trains arranged from Rome and Venice directly to the Mido fair? This venture was an unequivocal success and acclaimed by many opticians. I think that if there had been another train arranged to come from Venice, then we would have filled the house; we will take this into consideration for next year. Was the new showroom layout a hit? By rationalizing the exposition areas, we were able to increase our showroom size by 10%, while accommodating more exhibitors, with at least 150 new participating companies. The halls are a bit wider, and we made better use of the exterior walls making visiting the fair more enjoyable. Even the absence of turnstiles between pavilions were appreciated by everyone. Another sign of vitality could be found in the Otticlub seminars, where the audience was greatly intrigued and observant. How did the Lab Academy go? It was an incredible success, the attending companies already reconfirmed, and we have new applications for 2016, which should bring the total to about 30 brand names. Tell us about the Bestand and Bestore awards. These are two very fruitful initiatives; we are working and will continue to work towards making them more prominent, especially in terms of promoting them. Mido 2015 also presented the results of Optical Monitor, a research study jointly commissioned with Silmo - how did this collaboration between two competing exhibitions come to be? There is a natural competition between us, but we are convinced that a respectful Mido can be the driving force for a respectful Silmo, and vice versa. We cover two complementary seasons, so research on market figures is a vital tool for both exhibition events, as well as for all participating merchants. After Mido, will you continue with the Pitti and Out of Mido events intended to pull eyewear out from its natural habitat? We will certainly be doing Pop-Eye at Pitti again, and we will also be participating in Fuorisalone again, but the event will be under a new name: SEE - See Extraordinary Eyewear. These events are important for marketing, as it will help the Mido name be heard year-round, rather than only during the 3-day event. Are there any plans in the works for Expo 2015? We have envisioned some ventures with Anfao, particularly one with Price-Waterhouse & Coopers, but I am unable to divulge any details, which will be unveiled within the next two months. What are the dates for Mido 2016? It is scheduled for February 27, 28, and 29, 2016. The Italian eyewear sector relies on export The Italian eyewear industry has learned to survive and even to advance through the exportation that for 2014 has shown a +11.8% - reaching the historical record of 3,110 million Euros bringing production to 3,171 million Euros (+9.4% compared to 2013). The figures were made public by Anfao on the eve of Mido. The total number of companies remained nearly stable (868) and, simultaneously, a back to Italy phenomenon occurred, with some groups and manufacturers relocating production or some production units. In the near future, the sector foresees a strong interaction with the Italian government. Carlo Calenda, the Undersecretary for Economic Development declared The concrete actions of the government were decided for the first time by Anfao. We are concentrating on Mido and on foreign trade fairs. In particular, we are giving a green light to a worldwide roadshow in order to bring more buyers to the 2016 edition. world weekly wonders WMIDO 2
Leidmann receives the Bestore award Blackfin, winner of the second edition of Bestand Among the new additions to Mido 2015 is the Bestore initiative, an international recognition award that seeks to encourage eye care professionals to discover and embrace new ideas deriving from display innovation. This unparalleled initiative for the eyewear industry is targeted to stores throughout the world, with the aim of rewarding vendors who have succeeded in offering their customers the ultimate shopping experience by harnessing innovation and building an enticing ambience. The prize was presented at the show on Sunday, March 1 to the Leidmann eyewear center of Munich, Bavaria, chosen by an international panel of experts in the fields of eyewear, marketing and visual merchandising. One of the returning highlights of the 2015 edition of Mido is the special Bestand prize, which recognizes the most appealing, original and communicative stand with regards to elegance, interaction with the public, aesthetic appearance, attention to design, comfort and supreme product display. The Italian brand Blackfin was the chosen winner of this prize, voted by event attendees who participated by casting their votes through the Mido app or by paper vote at the show. It took us over a year to custom design our display booth. It s the embodiment of everything that Blackfin represents, of its trajectory in the trade and of its identity in the eyewear industry, responded gratified company CEO, Nicola dal Din. The booth was designed by architect Nicola De Pellegrini and his Anidride Design studio. Ph. Giovanni De Sandre Mido Lab Academy: 3 questions to... Barn s Where does the inspiration for your brand come from? My inspiration comes from art in all its forms. I grew up in an artistic environment with my mother who is a painter and sculptor. I had the chance to observe the harmony and the beauty arise from my eyes. One of my favorite subject is the retranscription of women s sensuality. What s the target of your collection? The clients who wear my creations are in love with design, art, originality and luxury, but never in an ostentatious version. Our retailers include world-famous department stores as Colette and Le bon Marché in Paris, The Webster in Miami or One fifteen in Taiwan. We also have a distribution in optical stores in Paris, Deauville, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Madrid, Dubaï, Bangkok, New-York. Are you satisfied of your participation at Mido s Lab Academy? I was very proud to have my place in the Mido Lab Academy! This was for me a great occasion to show my collection to one of the most important trade show in the industry. world weekly wonders WMIDO 3
Elite Model s Fashion in eyewear with Key Optical Europe An international preview of Elite Models Fashion s first collection of eyeglasses was presented at Mido 2015 and included the results of an agreement between the accessories and beauty brand by Elite World (the world s leading international model management network) and Key Optical Europe, an Italian company founded in 1998 by Sabrina Régé-Turo who comes from a line of four generations of eyeglasses producers. The project has been inserted into Elite World s branding strategy, which aims at a strong position in the segment of premium fashion accessories. The collection offers a large selection of frames for sunglasses and prescription glasses, where the acetate is enhanced by a modern marble effect and metal brushed or otherwise is used with thick mirrored lenses. The shapes range from round to vintage pilot, featuring transparent textures and animal print patterns, while neutral colors alternate with the warmest blues and reds, without forgetting the classic black and white combination. Marcolin opens a branch in Sweden Marcolin has announced the opening of a branch in Sweden, based in Frösundaviks (Stockholm). This branch, named Marcolin Nordic operating from the end of February 2015, has been established in order to oversee the market of Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden) in a more controlled and focused way and distribute all the brands in the portfolio. The decision to establish a branch in Sweden comes from the potentials of the Nordic market and the relevance that the optical segment has for us and for this area, declared Valerio Giacobbi, General Manager of Sales, Marketing and Business Strategies of Marcolin. Turn over Keith Andreotta Director of General Affairs Charmant USA Massimo Barberis Director of General Affairs Oftalmica Galileo Bernd Beetz Partner Mykita Dee Berghuys Vice President of Operations Charmant USA Claudia Cividino North & South America CEO Bally Gabriele Colangelo Creative Director Giada Doug Fryer Director of Stock Control and Logistics Charmant USA Anne-Valérie Hash Creative Director Comptoir des Cotonniers Wataru Iwasaki Director of Corporate Planning Charmant USA Stéphane Linder President & CEO Gucci Timepieces and Jewelry Guillaume Pottecher U.S. Sales Manager Prisme Optical Michele Ziss Director of Product and Marketing Charmant USA design by Mario Milana world weekly wonders WMIDO 4
Design, fashion & lifestyle Marseilles: a new fashion capital? The most illustrious names in French fashion, like Dior and Chanel, have devised a means to vie for Italy s position as the leaders in fashion, with a biennial fashion event in the Mediterranean. Among the organizers are the most distinguished names in the art community, represented by Bernard Blistene, Director of the Musée National d Art Moderne in Paris, and in the realm of design, represented by architect Rudy Ricciottti. This twomonth long event opens in the spring of 2016, and its scheduled line-up of fashion shows, showrooms, exhibitions and conferences will turn Marseilles into the thriving center of fashion. The goal is to turn fashion into a style of life in an area that is home to nearly 150 brand name labels. Recycling is part of the designers DNA The philosophy of many designers has been marked by one consistent element: recycling. A striking example is Budri s Earthquake 5.9 collection of furnishings and upholsteries, designed by Patricia Urquiola. The idea began with the use of marble and semi-precious stone fragments that came from the sheets damaged by an earthquake that had hit the company. Even the projects of Brazilian designer Zanini de Zanine have a production approach that starts with the use of salvaged wood to achieve the reuse of other materials like plastic, metal and straw. In eyewear, recycling has conquered certain brands (Vinilyze with their old vinyl LPs, Nau and their line in recycled plastic and Modo that has chosen vegetable materials) because, to quote Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything Budri changes. The fine line between masculine and feminine The latest mens fashion shows have given a new image to what we conceive as masculine and feminine styles, by combining the two gender wardrobes to create a new gender line. Some stylists, like Versace, had their models strutting down the catwalk in leggings, others, like Thom Browne, fitted them in long and short skirts, and then there were those like Edmund Cooi, who went a step further with mini sweater dresses designed just for men. With ribbons and lace all around, even furs made their way out into the spotlight, turning up their noses to the minimalist styles. And so, there is a thinning line between masculine and feminine styles that the fashion industry has chosen to embrace with open arms. Edmund Cooi From Russia, envisioning eyewear Zulfiya Sulton, Uzbek designer and winner of the Tailoring Quality award at the recent Russian Fashion Festival, loves to reinterpret the traditional colors and fabrics of her country by combining them to render a more contemporary appeal. Her choice of incorporating innumerable layers into her dresses evokes a sense of drifting through a reverie of elegance. She revealed to WMIDO her particular fancy for eyewear: The sunlight is strong in Uzbekistan, and everyone wears glasses with sun protection lenses. I d love to design a collection of eyeglasses or sunglasses, and create my own frames to give it a tailored design. Watches along with glasses are my favorite accessories. 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 Mecenate 84/35-20138 Milano (Italy) P. Iva 02030290999 email: redazione@wmido.com world weekly wonders WMIDO 5