Silmo offers glimpse of next year's trends

Efforts to encourage spectacle wearers to double up on their frame purchases, and for businesses to invest in more designer eyewear are predicted trends at this year's Silmo.
Organisers of the Parisian trade show - seen by many as a 'must-go' optical event on mainland Europe along with Mido and Munich - stated this week that visitors would also get a sneak preview of directions for 2006. However, they forecast exhibitors would urge visitors to convince consumers to spend more by having a second frame for different occasions, and stock up on the 'luxury look' of jewellery eyewear.
Show organisers hope to extend the annual growth of the exhibition's attendance into a fourth year. Since 2002, when 38,056 people visited the event, attendance has grown steadily. Last year 42,759 came - half of those from outside France. A new campaign, devised by global communications business Carlin International, is aimed at attracting even more visitors and will emphasise the exhibition's role as a 'top quality event, uniting different areas of expertise'.
Last year 1,004 businesses exhibited in Paris, and seven out of 10 of them travelled to France from abroad.
The show is bound to attract more interest than usual this year, following France's rejection of the EU constitution and the prediction from experts that French economic growth will be weak.
Nevertheless, the optical industry grew 3.5 per cent in 2004 to 3.53bn, and Silmo's bosses believe growth will continue as French consumers become keener to purchase a range of eyewear.