100% Optical 2020 welcomed 9,570 attendees through its doors during the three-day event at ExCeL London (January 25-27), which has increased from 9,115 in 2019.
The event was attended by 4,015 optometrists, 1,010 practice owners and 2,049 dispensing opticians, with international visitors from over 45 countries.
Nathan Garnett, event director of 100% Optical, said: ‘Visitor numbers have increased and suppliers have backed us again for 2021 with the biggest ever on site rebook. Next year's dates of January 23-25 are already confirmed; we are listening to feedback and starting to plan again for next year’.
100% Optical featured more than 500 brands showcasing eyewear, lenses and equipment, and its education programme, which is designed and delivered by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), included over 150 seminars.
New areas of the show included ‘ones to watch’ designer eyewear collections and the Forgotten Eyewear Museum, which displayed iconic frames the last 75 years.
The first ever Love Eyewear Awards took place during the show in support of the event’s Love Eyewear Week campaign, with Mondottica’s Zoobug brand among the winners its children’s Butterfly frame.
At the AOP Awards, the best of the profession was celebrated with winners including Sarah Grant from Clearview Opticians, and Specsavers Derby.
The Royal College of Art also crowned the winner of its eyewear design competition, which was won by student Ely Yili Cao for her frames designed under the theme of love.
