Ankorstore, Comexposium and WSN sign an unprecedented partnership to combine the best of the digital and physical worlds
For four days, SILMO Paris once again set the pulse of the international optics and eyewear industry. New collections, breakthrough innovations, emerging talent and forward-looking debates: Paris Nord Villepinte brought together every player shaping the optics of tomorrow, from heritage houses to the boldest start-ups.
More than ever, SILMO Paris confirms its role as the leading platform where creativity, technology and commitment come together to open new perspectives for the entire profession.
SILMO Paris 2026 highlights
- SILMO NEXT – FUTUROLOGY & TECH VILLAGE : An invitation to look further ahead, the space enables visitors to identify weak signals, anticipate transformations and act today to build innovation that is useful, responsible and sustainable.
SILMO Next organised the first international hackathon dedicated to health applications for connected eyewear on the show floor, across the HTC, EverySight, Solos and Engo platforms. The jury unanimously awarded the prize to Kimoo, an assistant developed by Mourdjen Bari and Carla Nykiel on the HTC platform. - THE TRENDS FORUM: the exhibition offered a complete immersion into the shapes, materials and colours that will define tomorrow’s collections, with a carefully curated selection of optical and sun frames from exhibitors’ collections illustrating these directions, confirming the Forum as the must-attend event for capturing the spirit of the times.
- THE SILMO D’OR: under the presidency of Joachim Froment, the SILMO d’Or celebrated its 33rd edition, marked by a dialogue between design, technology and wearer experience. The 2026 winners bear this out: autofocus glasses for presbyopes, personalised progressive lenses developed through virtual reality, open-field binocular refraction and luxury smart glasses sit alongside creations of exceptional artisanal quality, from natural slate to Japanese titanium.
- CSR SPOT– GOOD EYES ON THE PLANET: for its second edition, the CSR Hub, developed in partnership with Hyssop, offered 160 m² to discover, touch, test and question the solutions of a more responsible industry. On the programme: a materials library of eco-responsible materials, committed start-ups, workshops and roundtables led by experts, and interactive experiences.
- COMMITTED COMAPNY AWARD: this accolade recognises companies that translate their CSR strategy into concrete, measurable actions. 2026 winner Andy Wolf was recognised for an approach that is as comprehensive as it is demanding.
- OPTICAL DESIGN COMPETITION: supporting emerging talent is a key mission of SILMO Paris. For its 5th edition, the competition, chaired by Olivier Lapidus, invited design students to explore “The future of optics – What does it look like?”. 2026 winner Sophia Denison (Savannah College of Art and Design, United States) presented the DREAMSCAPE project, an experimental collection that responds to the “attention crisis” by recreating the sensations of mind-wandering through visual distortion.
- INTERNATIONAL OPTICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD: awarded by the IOA (International Opticians Association), in collaboration with SILMO Paris, this prize recognises the commitment and vision of opticians who advance the profession — this year, Jessica Gowing (United Kingdom), Senior Dispensing Optician at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.