By Evra Taylor

Vision industry moguls, aficionados and visionaries met at New York’s Javits Center from March 14 to 17 for International Vision Expo East (VEE).

This year’s exhibition showed that it was young at heart, with the addition of new programming aimed at exposing optometry students to real life experiences, such as product sourcing and engaging with vendors during the purchase process.

Additional educational programming included the continuation of the Mentor Program launched in 2012 in which students teamed up with ODs to gain valuable real-life insights and guidance.

VEE hosted two fashion eyewear areas; the French Loft and the NEW Boutiques. Both presented a fresh take on eyewear trends, designs and collections for spring.

In other exciting show news, VEE’s Eyewear & Accessories Pavilion housed the newly created Vision Monday Eye² Zone, a technology-focused booth designed to introduce leading-edge technologies and eyewear capabilities. The Pavilion gave seven major brands the opportunity to showcase some of today’s most intriguing products, which were unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show and other high-tech events.

Among these, for sports enthusiasts, Sportiiiis 4iiii app features voice prompts that give performance feedback to help target and track goals during physical activity. Carl Zeiss, a decades-long institution on the optical landscape, displayed cinemizer^® OLED multimedia video glasses that create a theatre-like atmosphere by projecting a 40-inch image onto the eyeglasses.

“International Vision Expo has seen a strong pattern of growth over the past few years, and the idea behind the Eye² Zone was to introduce a new segment to attendees that would educate them, and thereby the consumer, on the exciting possibilities technology holds for our industry’s products and services,” said Andrew Karp, editor of Vision Monday’s Eye² newsletter and curator of the Eye² Zone.

In keeping with the popularity of real-time media, Chief Dream Officer Gary Gerber, OD, of The Power Practice and host of “The Power Hour”, brought his talent to VEE by broadcasting live from the event, and discussing what can be done to reduce the preponderance of private practices closing their doors.

Just a day after VEE wrapped up, the Optometric Center of New York, the philanthropic arm of the SUNY College of Optometry, staged its 10^th Annual “Eyes on New York” gala to honour John Carrier, president and CEO of Essilor of America, and Jim Murphy, vice-president and general manager of US Vision Care at Alcon Laboratories.

In related announcements, Think About Your Eyes, a non-profit organization under the aegis of The Vision Council, with support from the American Optometric Association (AOA), will be launching a public awareness initiative in the U.S., underscoring the importance of overall vision health in the second half of 2013. The program is meant to raise awareness among consumers of the need for annual eye exams.

To meet the changing needs of both the optical trade and consumers, this year’s Vision Expo East was practical, hands-on and contemporary in its approach, a harbinger of good things to come from one of the world’s premier trade events in the optometric sector.

By Paddy Kamen
Mido has done it again. With all the gusto and aplomb for which Italy is renowned, they pulled off an increase in both visitors and exhibitors to this year’s event, held March 2 to 4 in Milan. The results show that the trade show is in fine fettle, despite the continuing economic downturn.

One thing that strikes home about Mido and ANFAO, the manufacturer’s organization that puts on the show, is their penchant for innovation, creativity and resourcefulness. They don’t just do the same tired thing year after year.

One creative and highly successful initiative for 2013 was the provision of transportation to the show for hundreds of optical professionals and optical students from other cities.Italy’s famous high-speed train, the Frecciarossa (Red Arrow), was originally chartered for 300 travelers but became so popular that more than 600 professionals took the train to Mido from Rome,Florence and Bologna. One can imagine a sense of excitement and camaraderie as the train carried the group to the show – free of charge.

Cirillo Marcolin, president of Mido and ANFAO, spoke enthusiastically (and poetically) about this year’s show: “This is where professionals meet for an up-close experience of the world of eyewear in all its many facets. This industry is a universe made up of many planets, from sunglasses to ophthalmic frames, and machinery, parts, lenses and large-scale retailers, which are all stars in a complex and interrelated system, and Mido is at the centre of it all.”

This year, Mido also participated in a very exciting event that took place in Milan after the optical show: Milan Design Week, also known as Fuorisalone. The Fuorisalone is not a trade show or an organized exhibition but rather a come-as-you-can event in which companies and organizations that specialize in products having to do with design are free to participate. Fuorisalone piggybacks on the buzz generated by another, formal trade show, the Milan Furniture Fair. While companies attending that fair participate in the usual formal way for such events, anyone can participate in the Fuorisalone by booking space wherever they can find it (streets, hotels, office buildings and shops are rented out for the occasion) and joining in the impromptu festivities.

Mido’s participation in Fuorisalone was coined ‘Out of Mido’, and took place from April 11 to 14 at the Hotel Nhow’s gallery in the heart of the Tortona district. This Mido debut at Fuorisalone offered exhibit space to 15 of the most design-oriented eyewear designers in Italy. Both well-known and up-and-coming young talents showed off their wares to the general public and networked with other design professionals from around the globe.

It’s easy to see how and why Mido continues to excel: new ideas, well executed, and out-of-the-box thinking. As Marcolin says, “Trade shows are evolving and adjusting to the needs of their key players, as they move toward an increasingly specialized future. In the last few years, Mido has been moving in this direction, propelled by solid business principles and a passion for both innovation and specialization. I choose to continue to work with enthusiasm so that this exhibition maintains its world-class leadership position and to ensure that industry firms will vote Mido their meeting place of choice.”

By Paddy Kamen

Large photo – Grammy winning singer/songwriter Darius Rucker
Left inset – From left to right: Marie-Josée Mercier, vice-president of sales and operations, Lunetterie New Look, France Reimnitz, vice-president of marketing and merchandising, Lunetterie New Look
Right inset – Rachel Hill-Campbell, owner, Personal Optical

Fun, passion and incredible learning opportunities prevailed at the 17^th annual Transitions Academy event at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FLA this past January. Who had fun? I dare say everyone who attended the Darius Rucker concert. The former frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish performed his new-style country music at the closing event. Why Rucker? Because he is a celebrity ambassador for Transitions^® lenses!

I imagine that all lovers of good cuisine had fun meeting Food Network^® celebrity chef and long-time Transitions lens wearer, Robert Irvine, at the Transitions Academy.Irvine, host of Restaurant Impossible, is another 2013 celebrity ambassador for Transitions lenses. Chef Irvine made a special guest appearance during the North American marketing session, and joined Sherianne James, director, North America marketing, on stage.

Additional celebrity ambassadors for Transitions lenses in the coming year will include baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. and National Geographic reporters Annie Griffiths and Andrew Evans. All ambassadors were chosen after Transitions Optical conducted research into consumers’ interests and identified four top passions – music, sports, travel and food – giving them direction for 2013. 

The passion at Transitions Academy came through, not only in the enthusiasm these ambassadors have for Transitions lenses and healthy sight, but also in the incredible learning opportunities created in a series of FranklinCovey workshops. The “Working at the Speed of Trust” session provided tips for identifying and addressing “trust gaps” within a business and creating a more positive working environment. The “Five Choices to Extraordinary Productivity” session inspired employees to make more selective choices about where to invest their time, attention and energy. A third workshop, “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” provided attendees with tools to help maximize performance and reach career goals, both individually and as a team.

St. Catharines,Ontariooptician, Rachel Hill-Campbell, owner of Personal Optical, thoroughly enjoyed attending the Speed of Trust workshop. “I love the fact that the Transitions Academy gives us a choice of educational opportunities that help us strategically plan for further business success. Building trust with employees, suppliers and customers is key to my business and I got a lot out of the workshop.”

Hill-Campbell has been to five of the Transitions Academy events. “The Academy is wonderful every year, and I’m always excited to see how they will amaze us.”

And amaze her they did, for Transitions Optical selected Hill-Campbell as the winner of the 2012 Transitions Canadian Eyecare Professional of the Year award. Hill-Campbell was recognized for her outstanding efforts to promote eye health and the benefits of Transitions lenses in front of more than 1,100 optical professionals from North andSouth America.

“Rachel greatly believes in her profession. She has a flair and a strong ability to use grassroots techniques to build trust with everyone in her community,” said Christine Underhill, business manager, Transitions Optical, Canada. “She continually challenges herself to inspire everyone around her to think about what they can do to improve their vision and how Transitions lenses can help.”

Winning the award was a thrill for Hill-Campbell, an optician’s daughter with strong roots in the profession and the eyecare community in the Niagara region, where she was raised. In an interview with Envision: seeing beyond magazine, Hill-Campbell said: “My father, Hans Hill, previously worked for Sears Optical and I was privileged to meet many local eyecare professionals while growing up. It was wonderful for me to “come of age”, so to speak, as an equal at this event with so many colleagues from my career in attendance.”

Lunetterie New Look was also honoured as the first-ever Transitions Retailer of the Year inCanada. France Reimnitz, vice president of marketing and merchandising, accepted the award on behalf of the New Look team.

“We have a long history of doing everything we can to provide the best possible experience for our patients, and a big part of that has meant offering the entire family of Transitions lens products,” said Reimnitz.

“With their inspiring education tactics and incredible passion for the Transitions family of products, New Look was very deserving of the Transitions Retailer of the Year title,” said Underhill. “We congratulate them for their success in 2012, thank them for serving as a strong Transitions partner and for their contributions in providing valuable eye health education.” 

And so another fun-filled and passionate Transitions Academy has left indelible memories and inspired action in the hearts and minds of all attendees. This invitation-only event takes place annually. How do you get an invitation? Talk to your Transitions representative!

By Paddy Kamen

The Munich-based international optics show – opti – that was once a relatively minor global player is fast becoming the trade show to top. In a world of fierce competition, this is no mean feat.

How have they done it?

For one thing, opti’s organizers, GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH, simply know how to run an excellent show, and this has as much to do with pleasing exhibitors as it does with impressing visitors. This firm has been running the show since 2008, and those years have seen steady growth, which is all the more remarkable in a time of great economic uncertainty.

The show presents the entire spectrum of optics ranging from frames, ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses and low-vision products to shop set-up, technical equipment and devices. There are many product premieres at opti, from international market leaders and start-ups alike.

Joseph Tallier, vice-president of global sales for OGI Eyewear, attended opti from January 25 to 27.

“I’ve been exhibiting at opti for three years now and each year it becomes more international. I had appointments set up with buyers from Brazil, Italy, the Middle East and South Korea. I did great business and just love the exuberance of the show.”

How does opti compare to other shows? Tallier sees it this way: “The quality of the organization and service at this show is incredible. If you just make one overture to a staff person for help, they handle whatever it is you need and they do so happily. They make it easy for exhibitors to focus on our job, which is helping visitors to understand our brand.”

Clearly visitors love the show too, and in ever-increasing numbers. This year the show saw 23,200 visitors from 70 countries. They come to discover the exhibitors’ latest products and trends, and soak up the great atmosphere. Indeed, over 90 per cent of respondents to the visitor survey rated the show as ‘good to very good.’

“opti has established itself as the platform for launching new products at the beginning of the year,” explained Dieter Dohr, CEO and president of GHM. “The timing of opti is perfect for this.”

Tallier agrees. “Holding opti in January is perfect. And the venue is excellent as well. The show is laid out for easy walking, and I’m not alone in loving the fact that the exhibition hall is just a 15-minute drive from the heart of old Munich. It is a beautiful old city and there’s lots to do at night.”

The organization of the show extends beyond the hall itself to include even the thoroughfares from the airport. Tallier explains, “I was feeling ill when I arrived and I expected to have a hassle explaining where I was headed to a taxi driver who didn’t speak English. But I readily noticed that there were signs up all over the place directing drivers to the opti show. It was a breeze to get there.”

It seems everyone involved was thrilled with the results of opti 2013. The reaction from Josef May, Chairman of SPECTARIS, the German Hightech Industry Association, was also very positive: “Once again, it was really great! The event was fully booked, with aisles and stands full of people and incoming orders, so the exhibitors were very happy. Instead of a downturn, the optics industry looks set to enjoy fresh impetus again this year,” he said.

Kudos to opti! Next year’s show will be held January 10 to 14, 2014. You’ll want to be there, even if just to see a show that ‘runs like a Swiss clock’, says Tallier.

By Paddy Kamen

Ali Khan likes to defy the odds. This registered optician has created a successful continuing education conference for both optometrists and opticians in the same place, on the same day. This feat might be nothing special in Europe or the U.S., but here the political silos were pretty much unbreachable until Khan came along.

The Optifair shows, put on by The Khan Group and their education arm, the Academy of Ophthalmic Education (AOE), feature a trade show in addition to educational streams for both opticians and optometrists, which run concurrently throughout the day.

Optifairs are popular with optical professionals and distributors alike. Attendance at the October 2012 Optifair in Toronto was approximately 750 opticians and over 200 optometrists, with 40 of 42 booths sold for the trade show. The Vancouver conference is newer, with the second annual event scheduled for May 26, 2013.

What factors have led to Khan’s success in a market that was supposedly replete with conferences staged by professional associations?

“For one thing, we cannot take any chances with the quality of the continuing education so we fly in professional speakers, mostly from the U.S.We are continuously researching topics and seeking speakers who make the day very stimulating and enjoyable for the attendees in both streams,” he explains.

Khan says that opticians enjoy a mix of medical and pharmacology lectures, in addition to marketing. “Some people say opticians are not interested in continuing education, but we’ve proven them wrong.”

There are also stringent requirements for any speaker affiliated with a supplier. “We don’t allow them to stand up there and advertise. All our lectures are approved as Class ‘A’ credits by the appropriate accrediting bodies and are valid for optical professionals from across Canada,” he explains.

Exhibitors appreciate the fact they receive a steady steam of visitors throughout the day, due to the fact that the educational stream’s coffee and lunch breaks are staggered, notes Khan. “We also have excellent food in the trade show hall, making it easier for professional participants to visit and mingle with exhibitors. Further, we offer lunch to exhibitors well before the continuing education participants meet them on the trade show floor. The shows have become known a place to learn, socialize and make connections for everyone in the optical business.”

In conjunction with the April Optifair in Toronto, The Khan Group is sponsoring a gala fundraising evening in support of the Canadian Coalition of Eye Care Professionals (CCEPro) and the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The Eye Ball, will be held on April 13, the evening before the Optifair. “We’re expecting 300 people, along with VIPs from the federal and provincial governments,” says Khan. “We’ve always had a lot of fun at these events and this one promises to be very special, indeed.”

Wowing both optometrists and opticians with stellar continuing education, pleasing exhibitors and also fundraising for good causes – clearly Ali Khan has found a way to defy the odds as he continues to change and challenge the optical professions in Canada.

By Evra Taylor

From November 7 – 9, 2012, eyecare professionals from around the world gathered for the 20th Hong Kong Optical Fair held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The show attracted 629 exhibitors from a record-breaking number of countries, including Australia, Canada, the U.S.,India and Turkey.

A wide range of optical products was represented, including frames for prescription spectacles and sunglasses, specialty sports glasses, contact lenses and optometric equipment. Two featured zones – Diagnostic Instruments and Eyewear Accessories ­– were added in response to popular demand.

A highlight of the exhibition was the Brand Name Gallery, which featured a special exhibition showcasing 166 high-end brands of regular and designer eyewear – the highest number to date. Among the major brands exhibiting were Guy Laroche, Hummer, Issey Miyake, Karen Millen, TD Tom Davies, and Vera Wang.

As part of the show, the 10^th Hong Kong Optometric Conference took place under the theme “New Frontiers in Ophthalmic Dispensing”. A number of seminars were held, covering such topics as the retail outlook in optical products, and European fashion eyewear. Experts fromItaly andFrance were featured speakers, with market research company GfK Italy spotlighting the latest trends in eyewear and fashion design.

Under the theme “Timeless”, the 14^th Hong Kong Eyewear Design Competition had more than 200 entries this year. Eleven prizes were awarded to nine local designers, and three innovative products by OKIA made their mark. For the first time, OKIA was awarded all the prizes in the Professional Group section: champion, first runner-up and second runner-up. The Champion award was presented for the “Mag Type” frame, whose innovative design is based on a typewriter, while the other award-winners – “Choi Lan Kang Fa” and “Catch” – are fashioned after a cat-eye cloisonné and paper clips, respectively.

For fair veterans and newcomers alike, the show did not disappoint. Emmanuel Gonzalez, export manager for Henry Jullien, said, “We are participating in the Hong Kong fair under the French pavilion for the first time. We have already received some good orders from buyers from Southeast Asia, Kazakhstan and Turkey. The Hong Kong fair is the place to be in terms of building contacts and business relationships with international customers. It is really worth coming here.”  And buyer Abdul Majeed K, manager of the Lens Magic optical boutique in India, added, “This is a great fair to find quality eyewear products at competitive prices. I’ve identified five potential partners for the supply of middle-end spectacles and frames. I like the ambience of the fair as well as the amazing variety of products and participants.”

In the first nine months of 2012, Hong Kong’s exports of spectacles, lenses and frames amounted to US$1.4 billion. Additionally, Hong Kong is the world’s third-largest exporter of optical goods, after Italy and theU.S. For medium- to high-end optical products, the Hong Kong Optical Fair is increasingly seen as an important event on the global optical calendar, as evidenced by the growth and success of the fair in 2012.

By Paddy Kamen

There was plenty to celebrate at the annual Vision Expo West in Las Vegas this September. According to most accounts, the show held its own in the face of continued challenges to the American economy. That alone is cause for celebration. And Canadian exhibitors were happy with the business results of the show, as you will read in a moment.

Envision: seeing beyond and our sister publication, EnVue : voir plus loin, had something very special to celebrate at this year’s VEW as well. “It was the first anniversary of our new publications,” says publisher Martine Breton. “The anniversary date fell during VEW and created a great opportunity to bring our advertising clients together for a special champagne and cheese reception on the opening evening of the show.”

An enchanting event it was, held in the OPTImum Lounge on the show floor of the famous Sands Expo & Convention Center, which was reserved for the occasion. Conviviality ruled as friendly competitors in the optical industry networked and relaxed after a busy day meeting customers. “A little champagne added to the light spirit of the evening,” says Breton. “It was wonderful to get these hard-working people together in one room, catch up with old friends and make new ones.”

Representatives of Jobson Medical Information (JMI), publishers of Vision Monday, 20/20, and other information brands in the optical industry, attended the reception to share the excitement generated by the new sales and marketing partnership between Jobson and Breton Communications, the two leading optical publishers in their respective markets. As announced in Vision Expo Daily (the VEW news magazine published by Vision Monday) on September 7, the two publishing houses have signed an agreement that ensures better services for optical suppliers, retailers and eyecare professionals in both countries.

“As a result of this agreement, Jobson’s American clients who want to send email blasts to the Canadian optical sector will go through our Opti-Promo email service,” explains Breton. “And likewise, we will use Jobson on behalf of our Canadian clients who are looking for an effective way to approach theU.S.market.”

Marc Ferrara, CEO of JMI’s Information Services Division commented on the partnership: “Our strategic relationship with Breton Communications is an important step in providing our clients in the U.S. with access to the Canadian market through Breton’s industry-leading email communication service. Now,U.S.ophthalmic companies can reach the full U.S.and Canadian markets through one simple and easy process.”

The show floor was abuzz with this exciting news, adding even greater energy to the anniversary celebration and complementing the overall high energy of the show, says Breton.

Grady Lenski from Transitions Optical agrees that the show was a blast. “I was excited to attend Vision Expo West this year, as I have been for many years. It’s always a fantastic opportunity to showcase the latest technology and trends in the optical industry,” notes the managing director, Adjacencies. “Although the timing of the show was earlier than it has been in the past, the attendance was good and the energy on the show floor was high.” 

Michael Suliteanu, president of WestGroupe, has been attending VEW for 22 years; in the last six, he has been an exhibitor rather than a buyer, showing his breakaway bestselling brands Kliik Denmark, Fysh UK, and Evatik. “We had a very good show, despite the fact that attendance seemed a bit lower this year, perhaps because it came on the heels of the Labour Day long weekend.”

Suliteanu adds that WestGroupe recently changed its distribution strategy in the U.S.by opening a direct distribution warehouse in Plattsburgh, N.Y. “We hired 25 sales reps for the eastern states, while continuing to work with our longstanding western U.S.distributor. This VEW was our first show selling directly into the U.S.It was a great success and we were pleased to be there.”

Cendrine Obadia, the creative force behind Zig Eyewear’s ZIGGY and Jean Reno collections, managed (almost) to be in two places at once during the show. With both an exhibit booth on the show floor and a suite in the hotel, Cendrine moved between the two with ease. “I saw my established clients in the suite, where it was quieter and more spacious, while keeping the booth as an opportunity to connect with new customers.”

The strategy worked well for Obadia, and the fact that she has new distributors in the U.S.added to her success at the show. “Our distributor and sales reps are doing a great job for us, so we had plenty of appointments.” Obadiah’s overall impression of the show is that attendance was down, despite her personal success.

Mehran Baghaie, creative director of Spectacle Eyeworks, had a similar experience: “I did great business, yet it seems the Las Vegas show is having a difficult time capturing as reliable an audience as you find in New York. I would say one of the contributing factors is that buyers are divided between the show floor and the suites, making for a scattered group. And, of course, we cannot forget that economy is trying to recover.”

Next year, International Vision Expo West will be held October 2-5 in Las Vegas.

By Paddy Kamen

This year’s Silmo optical trade show in Paris signaled a bold shift in eyewear trends for 2013. This article looks at the show through the eyes of Amin Mamdani, a seasoned veteran of all things optical. Mamdani, vice-president of operations and buyer for Josephson Opticians in Toronto, was thoroughly impressed and inspired by the eyewear collections at Silmo – and even experienced a bit of nostalgia.

“For me, this was a very special show because it brought me back to my first trade show as a buyer in 1988,” says Mamdani. “It was clear to me this year that I have seen and lived a full cycle of fashion in the past 24 years. In the past, when people talked about what Jackie O, Katherine Hepburn or Michael Caine wore, it was interesting and I did my research, but I hadn’t lived it. Looking at the styles presented at Silmo this year, I knew that I had experienced the history first-hand. The collections are heavily influenced by the styles of the late ‘80s but with a modern twist, of course.”

Mamdani notes that Silmo 2012 was lively, indeed. “It was the best energy I’ve seen in years and I felt inspired to a different level than in the past.”

One of his key inspirations is the emergence of a new design aesthetic. “I saw a move away from the heavy plastic look. This year’s plastic frames are thinner. This is an exciting change and perhaps, overdue.”

P3 shapes were popular on the show floor, as were butterfly and cat eye shapes for women. “I was reminded of Sophia Loren and the frames she used to wear, which were oversized and followed the contour of her brow – more rounded and with a bit of colour,” notes Mamdani. “She always wore pastels and soft rose colourings.”

Other colours that were trending for women at Silmo included violet and olive. “There was much less black and tortoise, and a revival of colour overall,” says Mamdani.

Colours for men included blues, olives, and many shades of brown, such as champagne and chocolate. Shapes for men were changing as well, moving toward what Mamdani calls ‘anti-rectangular.’ “Even Alain Mikli, who is known for his rectangular frames, was showing more square frames for men and cat eyes for women.”

Several exhibitors impressed Mamdani at this year’s show. “Anne et Valentin were superb, with a very colourful palette. They showed various shapes and sizes and I really loved the raw look of the finish on some models with sharper corners and an almost handmade look. I also loved Thom Browne, theNew Yorkdesigner of men’s clothing. I think he is right on the ball with his 1980s look, showing heavier acetate fronts with thin metal temples.” Mamdani also listed Harry Lary’s, Theo, Oliver and Claire Goldsmith and Francis Klein as among his favourite collections at the show.

The optimism that imbues Mamdani post-Silmo is palpable. “As a consumer and an optician, I look forward to 2013 with excitement. In the New Year, we will see a lot of new colour moving on to our shelves, brightening up the stores and signaling a shift. The heavier, chunky look will be replaced with fresh new designs that are good for retailers and consumers equally. I see this breathing new life into the industry.”

The next Silmo will take place from Thursday, September 26 toSunday September 29, 2013. It will be Silmo’s fourth year at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, where they continue to demonstrate the vitality of the optics and eyewear sector and confirm Paris’ enviable position as a venue for major international events.

By Paddy Kamen

From January 13 to 15, 2012, the premier German optical trade show thrilled both exhibitors and visitors with business and learning opportunities, along with an evening of fun in the heart of the Bavarian capital. The show, formerly known as opti Munich, is now branded simply ‘opti’ with the current iteration following the name – in this case opti ‘12.

Twenty-seven countries from around the globe sent exhibitors to opti ‘12, with products ranging from contact lenses, ophthalmic lenses and optical instruments to technology and retail set-up. As with every opti, several companies launched new creations at the show, including L.A. Eyeworks, Opo Design Sweden and The Norville Group, from Gloucester,England.

The high-end TD Tom Davies brand from Britain has been exhibiting at opti for several years. “opti has become our most important show,” says Managing Director Tom Davies. “I’ve been telling my opticians and fellow eyewear designers about our successes at Munich for some years now. It is a great place to present something new and innovative. For us, its position at the start of the year is really ideal; it represents the perfect opportunity to launch new products and collections in an intimate yet very well-attended setting.”

“Exhibitors like taking advantage of this first-of-the-year opportunity to show off their innovative new products,” said Dieter Dohr, CEO and president of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH, the company that organizes the show. “We’re proud of the fact that opti acts as a guide for the industry as the year opens. We find that more companies are now gearing their production schedule to opti ‘12. It provides a good indication of how the year will unfold for them.”

The show is also eagerly anticipated by buyers, with 23,000 from many countries attending this year. A post-show survey demonstrates opti ‘12’s popularity with buyers. Almost 90 per cent of them rated the show as ‘good to very good’. Visiting retailers were able to take advantage of the chance to learn how to protect their products from shoplifting in a special section of the show reserved for manufacturers and distributors of protective technologies.

Relationships between buyers and sellers were strengthened at opti ‘12. Exhibitors surveyed reported higher order numbers than the previous year and increasing interest in their product from buyers from abroad. The overall mood was good and views were upbeat about economic prospects for the coming year. Over half the participants reported their expectations of the future as ‘good to excellent’. This is heartening indeed, especially in light of the troubled euro.

The most famous beer hall in the world, Munich’s Hofbräuhaus, was the scene for an evening of conviviality and networking, with exhibitors and visitors to the show relaxing, chatting and imbibing. The German association of eyecare professionals, known as Zentralverband der Augenoptiker (ZVA), had a presence at the event. ZVA President Thomas Truckenbrod, said, “It was an optimum evening and a real highlight of opti ‘12.” He added: “Our stand was always busy and we could feel the optimism of our colleagues for 2012.”

The next opti takes place January 25 – 27, 2013 in Munich.

By JoAnne Sommers

As a group of Canadian importers, distributors and retailers recently discovered, the term “Italian design” is synonymous with the very finest in craftsmanship, style and quality.

The companies participated in a Toronto workshop in mid-May that showcased the latest in Italian eyewear from producers new to Canada. A delegation of Italian designers and manufacturers representing eight companies attended the event, which was organized by the Italian Trade Commission in cooperation with the Italian Optical Goods Association (ANFAO).

Mehran Baghaie, operations director and chief designer at Spectacle Eyeworks, represented ASSOLUTO, whose collection of optical frames and sunglasses is crafted with Swarovski stones. “ASSOLUTO collections are well-priced, given their high quality, and the stones are very popular,” he said. “Everyone loves bling and they do it tastefully.”

Baghaie appreciated the fact that meetings were held by appointment only. “We had a guaranteed audience, unlike other shows where you sit waiting for clients to come to you.”

Swarovski was also featured in the Dario Martini collection presented by Martini Occhiali. The company distributes a wide range of metal eyewear for men, women and children in many different colours and its top product is an exclusive collection of women’s eyewear embellished with original Swarovski crystals.

Milano6769, a brand of Eye Technologies Group, presented a collection of hand-made frames polished with natural waxes and featuring attractive temple designs. The collection consists of 10 models in four colours each.

“The show was small but buyers were pleased because they didn’t waste time with suppliers offering different levels of quality,” said Roberto Iazzolino, Milano6769’s vice-president of International Sales. “We met only top buyers for top companies.”

“Eye Technologies Group has partnered with Quebec-based DirectLab Network to develop the lens business in Italy and will soon have a company in Canada specializing in lenses and frames,” said Iazzolino.

Trevi-Coliseum, the largest exhibitor, produces the Clark, Coliseum and Cotton Club lines. Their frames maintain handcrafted quality, combined with the latest technologies and exotic materials such as carbon fibre, wood, titanium and natural rubber.

G.B. s.r.l. specializes primarily in metal eyewear and NIK03^® is their top brand. A leader in stainless steel, nickel-free frames, G.B. emphasizes quality while working to protect “Made in Italy” production.

Logoproject design employs cutting-edge designers who pay careful attention to materials and innovative manufacturing techniques in their eyewear collections. Logoproject is the exclusive worldwide licensee for Romeo Gigli eyewear, a wild, funky, colourful, and fun  collection of frames and sunwear.

Inspired by the latest fashion trends, Matinèe collections from Matinèe Maryla feature an original and unique style, with retro influences and contemporary flavours, in both material and design.

Ali Khan, optician and CEO of the Academy of Ophthalmic Education, said he much preferred the Toronto event to “big” shows like Mido because he wasn’t obligated to purchase hundreds of frames that might end up collecting dust. He also noted that it was a great way for professionals to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Khan was very impressed with the quality of the products, notably the collection displayed by designer Lara D’Alpaos, an architect, who had has never distributed in Canada before. The design and materials of her Lara D. collection have been crafted to blend into a single  element that embodies the concept of wearability.

Organizers were pleased with the turnout of more than 200 visitors, including Mido Marketing Manager Francesco Gili. Congratulations go to Italian Trade Commissioner Pasquale Bova and his wonderful team for the success of the event. The Italian Trade Commission and ANFAO are already planning next year’s workshop, which is tentatively scheduled for Montreal in late May or early June. Stay tuned.