SILMO Paris 2025 report

The 2025 edition welcomed 33,358 industry professionals, marking a 6.5% rise in attendance compared to last year. With 52% international visitors and over 900 companies spread across 75,000 m², SILMO Paris 2025 once again proved that it is not only a meeting point, but the heartbeat of the optical world.

SILMO NEXT Futurology & Village Tech

Artificial Intelligence took center stage at SILMO NEXT and the Village Tech, exploring how emerging technologies are reshaping the optical landscape. From connected eyewear and AI-powered refraction tools to smart store management systems, these zones showcased how AI bridges the gap between research, innovation, and real-world practice. The immersive experience invited visitors to imagine the future of optical technology, one innovation at a time.

The Trends Forum

A Compass for Contemporary Style

As SILMO’s style laboratory, the Trends Forum offered a curated vision of the shapes, colors, and materials defining modern eyewear. This season’s key directions celebrated:

• The return of reinvented icons

• The quest for lightness and serenity

• A charismatic, assertive allure

• The energy of exploratory graphics

Through meticulous scenography and a refined selection of exhibitor frames, the Forum captured the spirit of the times, helping professionals anticipate tomorrow’s eyewear aesthetics.

SILMO d’Or 2025 winners

The 32nd edition of the SILMO d’Or Awards, chaired by Olivier Lapidus, once again honored the industry’s most creative and visionary talents. The awards recognized exceptional innovation across multiple categories, from design and technology to eco-responsibility and craftsmanship. Beyond prestige, the SILMO d’Or has evolved into a symbol of excellence, proudly displayed by laureates worldwide as a mark of distinction and expertise.

RSE Focus – Good Eye on the Planet

Sustainability took center stage with the Good Eye on the Planet initiative, a new area dedicated to CSR innovation in collaboration with Hyssop. This forward-thinking platform featured start-up pitches, eco-material showcases, and best-practice conferences, reinforcing SILMO’s commitment to a responsible future.

The Committed Company Award, highlighting brands that balance ethics with performance, was awarded to Friendly Frenchy for its inspiring environmental and social initiatives.

Optical Design Contest & Emerging Talent

Supporting the next generation of designers, the Optical Design Contest challenged students to imagine “superhero eyewear” — bold, innovative, and visionary. The 2025 winner, GAIA by Hélène Caffin-Pinon (École Design Saint-Étienne), introduced a children’s frame capable of plant recognition via augmented reality, merging creativity with educational technology.

The International Optician of the Year Award

Presented by the International Opticians Association (IOA), in partnership with SILMO Paris, the International Optician of the Year 2025 title went to Blair Wong (USA) for his outstanding contribution to advancing the optical profession through innovation and education.

SILMO Talks & SILMO Academy

The SILMO Talks and Academy Conferences continued to inspire the industry, offering forward-looking sessions by researchers, experts, and practitioners. This year, the SILMO Academy awarded a €10,000 research grant to Andronikos Chrysanthopoulos for his study on Accommodation Function in a Healthy Caucasian Population Aged 18–28 Years, reinforcing the show’s commitment to academic excellence.

Exhibitions – Heritage Meets Art

The Oyonnax–Morez Museums exhibition paid tribute to two centuries of eyewear craftsmanship, celebrating the rich industrial heritage of France’s optical heartlands. Meanwhile, the Moi Aussi exhibition, conceived and supported by Etnia Barcelona, transformed eyewear into a canvas for artistic expression. Ninety artists reimagined the optical object through unconventional materials and avant-garde interpretations, turning each piece into a work of art that transcends functionality.

See You in 2026!

The 2025 edition of SILMO Paris concluded with optimism, creativity, and a renewed sense of purpose — a reflection of an industry that continues to evolve with brilliance, as we hoped to have shown in this SILMO Paris 2025 report.

✨ Save the date: September 25–28, 2026, Paris Nord Villepinte
🌍 Next SILMO Family event: SILMO Istanbul, November 19–22, 2025, Istanbul Expo Center / Yeşilköy