Three weeks until MIDO 2025

Compared to the last edition, the organizers have set up around 1,000 additional square meters in the 7 pavilions of Fiera Milano Rho to ensure that everyone has the space they need to present their collections and innovations in the best possible way. Pavilion 6 has been expanded to house the Academy, Start-up and MIDO Tech areas, as well as a new green-inspired installation that reflects the distinctive style of typical Italian villages. Pavilions 2 and 4, the domain of Design and Design Tech, have also been given more space for innovation and the avant-garde. The installations and layout have also been renewed in the other pavilions: Pavilion 1 with its Fashion District, the realm of fashion and luxury, whose piazza will host the MIDO awards ceremony (on Saturday, February 8 at 5 pm); Pavilion 3, the land of lenses, from technology to innovation; and Pavilions 5 and 7, which will host FAiR EAST, showcasing the large and small companies of the Asian business world.

Completely redesigned, including the name, is The Vision Stage, the meeting place for eyewear professionals, innovators and visionaries. It offers a packed calendar of conferences, panels and workshops ranging from global trends and Made in Italy to sustainability and technological innovation.

Among the hottest events on Saturday, February 8, are two meetings on the theme of trends: at 11 am, journalist Alessandra Albarello will talk about Trends 2025, while at 12 pm, color designer Francesca Valan will hold a session on "The new dimensions of color". A press conference will follow at 1.30pm with the presentation of The Lens of Time, an ANFAO project that celebrates the link between innovation and tradition with an exclusive exhibition in the historic Palazzo Flangini in Venice. At 4pm, the plenary hall will host Breaking Optical Barriers: Women Who Conquered the Climb to Success, an event organized by OWA, the Optical Women's Association, and sponsored by MIDO on the contribution of women in the optical industry.

Numerous events are planned for Sunday, February 9, starting with a meeting at 11 a.m. on diversity, equality and inclusion, organized by ANFAO (National Association of Manufacturers of Optical Products). The guest of honor will be actor and author Paolo Ruffini, who will guide us through the world of inclusive language with humor and commitment. At 1pm, WGSN, the world leader in trend analysis, will present Future Consumer 2026, an analysis of the four consumer profiles that will define the year 2026. At 3pm, the event Sport and Vision: The importance of visual health in the practice of sports, sponsored by the Ophthalmology Commission, will bring another guest of honor to MIDO: former football player Alessandro (Billy) Costacurta, who will talk about the role of vision in sport.

One of the most eagerly awaited moments on Sunday at 4pm will be the presentation of Optical Monitor market research data developed by GFK for MIDO. This event will offer an exclusive look at consumer trends in key eyewear markets (Italy, France, Germany and the United States) and provide key insights for understanding global market needs and planning successful strategies. Sunday's events on the Vision Stage will conclude at 5pm with Shared visions: projects and prospects for integration between the optical and medical areas, organized by Fabiano Gruppo Editoriale in collaboration with ANFAO, ANFAO Lens Group, Federottica and MIDO. The aim of the meeting is to promote ongoing dialog between the players in the optical supply chain and the medical-ophthalmic field with a view to the future, while maintaining a healthy respect for their respective professional roles.

On Monday, February 10, the 11am session curated by ANFAO on sustainability with Anna Zandanel, who will analyze the role of ESG criteria in the eyewear industry, will be of particular interest. At 12 noon, a presentation by STEPIC Innovations 2026 on the 12 trends that will reshape the world in 2026 in terms of society, technology, environment, politics, industry and creativity will be presented by WGSN.

All ANFAO-sponsored events are presented and moderated by Marialuisa Pezzali, author and presenter of "Essere e Avere", the Radio24 magazine about consumption and the latest trends.

The Vision Stage will also host presentations and conferences curated by leading companies, publishers and trade associations. These events provide industry professionals with a comprehensive and detailed overview of the innovations, challenges and opportunities facing the optical industry. The full calendar is now available on the MIDO website.

MIDO will take place at the Milan Rho Exhibition Center, Strada Statale del Sempione 28, from Saturday, February 8 to Monday, February 10 at the following times: Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 7 pm and Monday, 9 am to 6 pm.

Source: www.mido.com