Jacques Durand
The new collection by Jacques Durand is a sculptural work of love. Curva represents the embodiment of Jacques Durand’s design research and the mastery of its craftmanship.
Handcrafted in its Italian factory by highly skilled artisans, they carve into a single plate of 10mm Japanese acetate to achieve the desired ergonomic form. Production is carried out in its workshop and premises in Montecchio Maggiore, Italy, and transparent production is an integral part of the brand’s identity.
Each frame comes with a manufacturing card detailing the production process and lists each craftsman and manufacturer involved. The geographic location is also listed to guarantee traceability. This collection is just another example of the brand’s commitment to experimentation, artistry and design, so be sure to track it down.
Location: F116
Shelter 
In the Summer of 2013, in Annecy, France, five friends laid the foundations of what would become the Shelter eyewear brand. Their ambition was to create a collection of wooden glasses that were hand-crafted in France and environmentally conscious.
Having worked hand in hand with Marotte, a specialist in high-end wood veneer, Shelter has built a reputation for producing some of the finest wooden eyewear in the industry. Having predominately manufactured in wood, the brand is now expanding with a range of acetate frames and will be launching them at Silmo.
The collection has been devised by the famous French designer Jean Baptiste Fastrez, whose work has been presented at VIA in Paris, Mudac in Lausanne, Grand Hornu in Belgium and at the Museum of Art in Seoul.
Some of his works are also included in the permanent collection of the Villa Noailles in Hyeres, the Cnap and Centre Pompidou in Paris. As Baptiste Fastrez is based in Biarritz, the whole collection is inspired by the ocean, seashells and the French Pays Basque.
Location: C141
Gamine NYC 
New American brand Gamine NYC will debut a collaboration with Parisian jewellery house Persta. Combining the technicality of eyewear and the precision of jewellery, this release is one for eyewear enthusiasts.
Persta and Gamine have combined their refined aesthetics and attention to detail to create an ornate unisex frame. A modern reinterpretation of an art deco style, featuring retro futuristic accents, the frame is a perfect partnership and an example of how eyewear can be jewellery for the face.
Lightweight titanium is plated in 18-carat gold or platinum and comes in three colours: silver, gold or a combination of the two. At the end of each temple, a loop allows the wearer to add a beaded chain pendant, which features Persta’s signature jewels.
Location: D135
Jean Philippe Joly 
Jean Philippe Joly’s eponymous collection represents an unending passion for the industry. His journey in the optical business began in 1999 in his native Paris where his love of creativity, innovation, attention to detail, colour, art and Parisian elegance inspired his hunger to create something distinct and unique.
Even today, each new style is designed and developed by Jean Philippe himself and the new Silmo releases do not disappoint.
Featuring beautiful colour work and design details such as depression bevels, asymmetric lenses, complex laminations, as well as matt and gloss finishing, which are carried out entirely by hand.
He also has a new collection launching with Japanese eyewear designer Humain Connection and a new collaboration with Gimm eyewear.
Location: D141
Baars Eyewear
Baars is a French eyewear brand started by two friends: a designer and electronic music artist from Paris and an optician from Annecy. The collection is a bridge between their two worlds and personalities.
Desperate to find a way to evolve the humble glasses design, they devised a wonderfully clever snap-on, magnetic hinge system.
Silmo will see the release of their new collection, Manifeste, a tribute to French craftmanship and a love letter to Paris and, in particular, the Centre Pompidou which has inspired this collection.
Once nicknamed the ‘Notre-Dame of pipes’, the Centre Pompidou is today a key element of the architectural landscape. While the exterior may seem confusing and dense, the interior is surprisingly simple and archetypal.
Mirroring the Pompidou, Manifeste replicates this way of thinking, bringing to the front what is usually hidden. The inner face and the temples are polished to soothe the patient, while the outer surfaces are rough, with transitions sharpened into edges. Extensive thought has been given to the juxtaposition of matt and glossy textures and volumes.
Location: F014
- Silmo takes place from September 29 to October 4 at Paris Nord Villepinte, en.silmoparis.com.