Tomorrow, Saturday 9 September, until Sunday 10 September, the doors will be open at the Leopolda Station in Florence for the 2023 DaTE event, the industry highlight for the latest in cutting-edge eyewear.
While waiting to meet the most innovative designers of the sector, we wind up our series of interviews linked to the popular event with some words from its chairman, Giovanni Vitaloni.
We’re just a few hours away from the 11th edition of DaTE: what do you expect from this well-established event dedicated to innovative eyewear?
DaTE is the first event of the autumn season for our industry, a must-visit showcase for many independent eyewear manufacturers who wish to strike up new business deals and increase their sales. We hope to repeat the success of last year, when over 1,500 professionals (including opticians, buyers and journalists) visited the Florence trade fair.
What are the keywords of this edition?
The keywords are experimental design, boldness, new inspiration, fusion, surprise, charm, dream, seduction and discovery. This year, we have updated the image of the DaTE campaign, using new linguistic codes with natural references, where the gaze becomes central, even more than glasses, and where the eyes allow us to look, observe and reflect from unusual and personal viewpoints.
How many brands will be hosted at the Leopolda Station in Florence, and from which countries?
At DaTE we will welcome over 100 brands from Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and Japan, to name just a few participating countries. Some regulars will come back, as always, but there will also be some new entries and first previews. The fair will be a chance to present the latest innovations in terms of models, materials and technology, luxury products, “gender-free” items and ultra-tech sports eyewear.
Why is it important for opticians and optical store owners to attend DaTE?
The fair allows industry professionals (not only optician,s but also buyers, distributors and journalists) to discover the latest trends in innovative and experimental eyewear, in order to meet the needs of a demanding public that is interested in research and wishes to explore the most innovative solutions. Thus, we offer a “stage” that no other eyewear fair provides, allowing opticians to meet producers, designers and artists, all gathered together in a single place.