Behind the trends in Milan
At ZITA we want to offer you only frames we truly believe in. The best way to be sure? Seeing them with our own eyes! So for our new selection we travelled all the way to Milan.
26. May 2022, Author: Paula Blahová, Photo: Zuzka Tvarošková
MIDO in Milan is, together with Paris's SILMO, one of the most significant showcases of optical novelties in the world. It presents not only seasonal collections of sunglasses and prescription frames, but also innovative materials, lenses, and manufacturing technologies. At our optician's we care about the friendships we've built with brands over the years. So besides new trends, we were also looking forward to meeting familiar faces – Mr Lesca, Fabian from Dabrach, and Stefan from Glare.
What caught our eye this season and which trends will make it to our shelves?
MIDO presented spring and summer collections full of fresh shades and bold shapes. Pastel colours were an unmissable trend – especially pale blue and soft violet, known as "mauve". Designers did their homework on shapes too – collections shone with large, daring frames and delicate, functional details.
Every year we head to the fair with the aim of flattering all faces. This year we focused especially on wider frames for men and narrow bridges for women. Albert I'mstein helped us fulfil that mission beautifully. The Polish apple doesn't fall far from the Slovak tree!
We're also delighted about the materials themselves. Brands are thinking about eyewear more and more sustainably. Belgian brand Komono has committed to replacing all commercial acetate with eco or recycled options. Spanish Nina Mûr, a brand working exclusively with wood and metal, has digitalized its processes so much that it doesn't need to keep frames in stock. Almost all the metal we encountered at MIDO was titanium – meaning far more flexible, durable, and functional. You can feel the honest hand of the craftsperson in these frames, and it's all the more magical to meet some of them in person!
Among others, we caught up after years with Andrea from Monokol, who showed us the rich colours and striking elements of his spring collection. We met with Spanish Kaleos and from their dynamic, contemporary portfolio picked out a few stylish sun frames for you. Gamine, a Paris-New York brand known for bold metal design, surprised us especially with its new acetate collection that breaks any limits in eyewear design.
What would a fair be without new friendships! At ZITA we have a wide selection of accessible and beautiful frames, but we feel that some of you want to move forward with us on the design side too. At MIDO we discovered a brand that fulfils all our ideas about a quality frame. It's local and honest and once again somewhat different from everything else. It makes frames from the finest Mazzucchelli acetate, dyes them in rich shades, and cuts them in a unique way typical of the brand. Which manufactory we're talking about – we're keeping that to ourselves for now. But if you follow us regularly, you'll be among the first to know.
So arrivederci Milano, you were a lovely mix of familiar and unknown!
