Inauguration of “Safilo: a world beyond eyewear” exhibition

The exhibition tells the story of Safilo – and eyewear – through products and historical items from Galleria Guglielmo Tabacchi, the largest and most complete private collection of eyeglasses and objects connected to the world of eyewear. It is the first time that Safilo has been presented to the general public in such a comprehensive exhibition and, testifying to its strong bond with the territory, the location it has chosen is Padua and the prestigious Centro Culturale San Gaetano.

“This exhibition” – Vittorio Tabacchi stated – “not only pays homage to an object whose history is deeply rooted in our region, but is also an opportunity to meet the city of Padua outside our corporate offices: I would like to thank the Municipality of Padua for hosting us in this splendid palace that represents a crossroads for the culture of the city and Italy as a whole”.

Safilo has always demonstrated a strong bond with Padua by actively participating in the city’s cultural, sporting and social life. The exhibition aims at meeting the public at large with the presentation of the history of a company that has reached the highest levels of the world’s eyewear industry in 75 years of activity.

“We are proud to host in the heart of the city an exhibition that conveys the ingenuity, creativity and economics of a company that is very important for our territory”, stated vice mayor Ivo Rossi. “An exhibition that pays homage to entrepreneurial expertise that has always and will continue to make a very special item which is part of all our daily lives”.

The exhibition has three sections: history and celebrities, with precious items and original frames that belonged to such stars as Elvis Presley, Madonna or Elton John; sport, with the Smith and Carrera eyewear brands, ski and cycle helmets, ski goggles worn by athletes of the caliber of Manfred Moelgg or
Carlo Yanka; fashion, with the most recent models of the brands produced by Safilo.

Famous faces, small masterpieces of craftsmanship, technological optical products, ophthalmic instruments, fashion creations and designs for sport that over the years have distinguished the development and appearance of eyewear everywhere.