The 51st edition of MIDO opens Saturday February 4th at Fiera Milano Rho, as the international eyewear show welcomes the entire global eyewear supply chain.
MIDO 2023 in numbers
- Just over 1,000 exhibitors
- More than 150 countries represented
- 6 pavilions
- 8 exhibit areas
- 3 international prizes awarded to opticians and exhibitors
- More than 30 scheduled activities including 3 days of conferences, meetings, round tables and events
- More than 250 accredited journalists from around the globe
- 7 social channels for sharing videos, photos and posts about the show
- 1 official TV channel with interviews and in-depth features from the MIDO pavilions
- 1 B2B digital platform for exploring news, contacts and some of the exhibitors’ collections
“MIDO returns to the first days of February, a position we can confirm for editions through 2026,” stated MIDO President Giovanni Vitaloni. “This worked in our favor, eliciting a massive response by companies – including the return of industry giants, Asian brands and the debut of small, independent businesses that have made MIDO their market entry of choice. The first weeks of February are strategic for companies and buyers to operate in a timely manner, getting an early look at the new collections in order to realize a return on investment in the first quarter of the year.”
Eyewear industry data from 2022 and forecasts for 2023
Thanks to its robust international orientation, in 2022 Italy’s eyewear industry, comprising 830 companies and 18,250 employees, performed brilliantly on international markets, but inflation and economic uncertainty had an impact. Based on a preliminary 2022 forecast by ANFAO, Italy’s eyewear production in 2022 totaled €5.17 billion, up 24% from 2021. Exports of frames, sunglasses and lenses (representing about 90% of industry production), grew 22.5% over 2021, to reach approx. €5 billion. The United States, traditionally the eyewear industry’s primary export market, with a more than 30% share, increased 20.2% compared to 2021. Prevailing concerns for the first half of 2023 are cost increases – in energy, raw materials, shipping, services, logistics, packaging, etc. – estimated to have doubled, on average, compared to the pre-pandemic period. This forces businesses to operate with lower and lower margins, putting survival of the companies themselves at risk, especially SMEs.
Key words for MIDO 2023: internationalization, a focus on opticians and sustainability
Regarding the former, the MIDO numbers speak for themselves: exhibitors, buyers, opticians, industry professionals, journalists and students are expected from around the world, thanks in part to the invaluable partnership with ITA (Italian Trade Agency) and to the hosted buyers program MIDO has been working on for months.
Many opportunities for debate, reflection, exchange of ideas and interaction are reserved specifically for opticians and buyers. Every year, thousands of Italian and international professionals flock to MIDO in pursuit of the latest innovations and trends in eyewear and, above all, to finalize sales agreements and conduct business. Created just for them is the “How To?” cycle, at OTTICLUB in Pavilion 3, which addresses the practical everyday activities of optical shops with realistic content on different topics, like style consultation, point of sale renovation, marketing and communication, events as a means of promotion, etc.
Specifically for Italian opticians is the free MIDO train service. Added this year, the stations of Turin and Naples join Rome, Bologna, Florence and Venice, with stops at Padua, Vicenza and Verona, to further facilitate the arrival of visitors from across Italy and promote the use of public transportation (sold out in just a few days). Thanks to a partnership with ITA Airways, discounts on flights were also available to those arriving from abroad and, for the first time, special flight packages for those traveling from the United States.
“The topic of sustainability is extremely important,” concluded Vitaloni. “We want MIDO to be an opportunity to share experiences with those who are already accomplished in this area. For some time now, many eyewear companies have been active in sustainability projects and we decided to dedicate an award specifically to them. We will present the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Award at a special ceremony on Sunday, February 5. At the same time, we know how great an impact large-scale events like MIDO can have and therefore at the recent editions, we have endeavored to reduce not only its environmental, but also its social impact. Among the first results achieved is ISO 20121:2012 Sustainability Certification, obtained at the 2022 edition, certifying the sustainable management of large events. In February we will be evaluated for this year’s edition.”
Not-to-be-missed events at MIDO 2023
Kick-off for the show will be on Saturday February 4, 10 am at OTTICLUB, in Pavilion 3, with welcome addresses by President Giovanni Vitaloni, along with CEO and Managing Director of ITA Roberto Luongo, City of Milan Municipal Councillor, Alessia Cappello and CEO and Managing Director of Fiera Milano Luca Palermo.
The calendar of events continues throughout the three days of the show with business meetings, conferences and events. Among these is presentation of the ANFAO Empowering Optical Women Leadership project in support of women on a leadership career path in the eyewear industry. The meeting will be held Saturday, February 4, 10.30 am at OTTICLUB, moderated by journalist Barbara Serra, sponsored by Fondazione Bellisario, and produced in partnership with SDA Bocconi [School of Management]. Sunday, February 5, at 2 pm in the Fashion District square (Pavilion 1), the ceremony for the BeStore Award (for optical shops that offer an outstanding shopping experience and customer service), and the Stand Up For Green award (in its 2nd edition and assigned to the stand most focused on environmental stewardship) and, this year, for the first time, the CSE - Certified Sustainable Eyewear - Award will be presented. Established by MIDO, in partnership with ANFAO and Certottica, it honors sustainability in the global eyewear industry. MIDO President Vitaloni and fashion and lifestyle journalist, Chiara Tronville will host the ceremony.
Saturday and Sunday in Pavilion 1 near the Press Village, a photo set will take visitors and exhibitors “inside” the MIDO 2023 Frames communication campaign.
Many more show events can be found on the MIDO website at https://www.mido.com/en/otticlub
MIDO will be open at Fieramilano (Strada Statale del Sempione 28 -Rho), Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February from 9 am to 7 pm, and Monday, 6th February from 9 am to 6 pm.
To register:
visitors https://www.mido.com/en/entry-pass
journalists: https://www.mido.com/en/press-registration?section=Attend