Focusing on the future, Silmo 2024 offered an in-depth look at the latest technological developments, product innovations and trends that are shaping the optics industry on a global scale. The Group’s latest innovations, Transitions GEN S and Ray-Ban | Meta, won the prestigious Silmo d’Or awards.
Silmo 2024, the second largest optical trade fair in Europe recently wrapped up in Paris after featuring over 900 exhibitors and 1,500 brands from 144 countries from September 20 - 23. Silmo has become a global gathering of optical professionals, fashion enthusiasts and industry leaders. It serves as an ideal platform to showcase the Group’s med-tech journey, along with its latest innovations and iconic brands which demonstrate its commitment to delivering high quality products to help people ‘See more and be more’.
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The EssilorLuxottica stand, which covered around 800 m² of exhibition space, featured various spaces dedicated to frames, lens, instruments and more. These include Varilux XR Series, Essilor Stellest lens, Nikon’s Innovation Z range, Ray-Ban Change, Nuance Audio, Essilor Solutions, as well as Transitions GEN S and Ray-Ban | Meta, which won the prestigious Silmo d’Or awards in the ‘Vision’ and ‘Technological Innovation in Eyewear – Connected Products’ categories respectively. The stand also featured the Leonardo learning ecosystem and its wide range of content on the latest advancements in eyewear and eyecare.
Another highlight at the event was SILMO Talks, a series of inspiring conferences where renowned specialists, including several EssilorLuxottica employees and its key partners share their insights, analyses and experiences.
Here are some highlights from the Group’s brands and subsidiaries this year:
Transitions GEN S: Silmo d’Or in the ‘Vision’ category
Transitions GEN S, the new ultra-dynamic lenses which adapt amazingly fast to light, was awarded the prestigious Silmo d'Or 2024 in the Vision category. It introduces a new standard in eyewear, offering a dynamic, adaptive experience that aligns with the shifting demands of modern life.
Another highlight for Transitions was the visit of Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, French swimmer & bronze medallist from the recent 2024 Olympic games in Paris, at the brand’s stand at Silmo to sign autographs for the Group’s employees, customers and partners. Transitions has been actively supporting Yohann Ndoye-Brouard since November 2022 as he suffers from keratoconus, a degenerative disease that makes him highly sensitive to light. His swimming goggles are equipped with Transitions XTRACTIVE lenses which offer him the best extra light protection in the pool.
Ray-Ban | Meta: Silmo d'Or in the ‘Vision’ and ‘Technological Innovation in Eyewear – Connected Products’
Ray-Ban made its mark at the 31st Silmo d’Or awards ceremony with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses collection. A collection in its own category as the first eyewear to seamlessly incorporate artificial intelligence and live streaming. As a result, it was awarded the highly coveted Silmo d'Or in the ‘Vision’ and ‘Technological Innovation in Eyewear – Connected Products’ category.
Another highlight from the brand was its latest innovation, Ray-Ban Change, a light-responsive frame powered by Transitions. Combining the traditional handcrafting of cellulose acetate with this innovation, Ray-Ban Change is designed to sync with light. The unique colors and patterns of the frame are created using Transitions photochromic dyes, which rapidly activate when exposed to UV light.
Nuance Audio, a leap forward in hearing aid technology
The Group presented a final prototype for Nuance Audio, a pair of beautiful eyeglasses with advanced hearing technology built in seamlessly. Designed for consumers with mild to moderate hearing loss, Nuance Audio will eliminate the psychological barrier that has held back the adoption of traditional hearing aids by integrating proprietary state-of-the art open-ear hearing technology into fashionable eyeglasses. The solution will be ready for commercialization following its clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Alain Mikli’s latest collection, Fall Winter 24
Since 1978, the Alain Mikli brand has been synonymous with distinctiveness and provocation, thanks to its unique design and exclusive color combinations. At Silmo, the brand launched its latest collection, Fall Winter 24, where special care is given to each frame, ensuring correction and distinction while focusing on comfort. For example, the shaping of the bridge reduces marks on the nose and the inclination of the nose pads helps with a better fit. Alain Mikli’s booth space at Silmo this year which was situated in the ‘Createur’ Hall, took its architectural cues from the brand’s recently reopened forward-looking boutique in Paris.
New level of personalization with Varilux XR series lens
At Silmo, visitors had the opportunity to discover a new level of personalization with Varilux XR series lenses, which are engineered with AI and powered by individual measurements. A key highlight was the demonstration of Varilux's exclusive ‘Near Vision Behavior’ (NVB) measurement. Performed in-store in a few minutes by an eyecare professional, the NVB protocol digitally captures parameters such as the patient's usual reading distance or
even eye and head movements. This measurement allows the design of a lens to be personalized to the patient1, with an enlarged and tailor-made near vision zone.
Nikon Lenswear’s Innovative Z Suite Progressives and Nikon Vision Experience
Nikon Lenswear unveiled its latest innovation, the Z Suite progressive lenses, at Silmo, offering a preview ahead of their official release in 2025. This innovative range is Nikon Lenswear's first range of progressive lenses that leverages the Contrast Assessment Methodology used in all Nikon’s cameras and optical lenses. With a revolutionary design system that incorporates “contrast” as a new design criterion in progressive lenses, Z Suite progressive lenses enhance the experience of contrast through the lens.
The event also highlighted Nikon Lenswear's new brand campaign, "Vision You Can Feel," which connected with consumers on a more emotional level. Additionally, the Nikon Vision Experience showcased a groundbreaking eye examination process, in partnership with Essilor’s solutions, delivering a faster and more accurate assessment for consumers.
Essilor Instruments: Easy Refraction Mode and Neksia
Essilor Instruments offers a diverse range of technologies, including edging and mounting products, refraction equipment, diagnostic tools, imaging systems, as well as precise measuring solutions. At Silmo, the team introduced significant upgrades to its advanced refraction instruments range, Vision-R 800, Vision-R 700 and Vision-S 700 with an Easy Refraction Mode. This novelty offers fully guided adaptive refraction sequences with clear instructions, allowing shared-care refraction to all expertise levels under the control of eyecare professionals. They also presented an upgraded version of the Neksia edging system which features 3D frames, assisted functions as well as prismatic centering for enhanced precision and accuracy.
Novacel Optical marks its 30th anniversary
This year the leading French ophthalmic lenses manufacturer celebrated its 30th anniversary alongside its customers, partners, teams and employees. The main showcase at Silmo was Austral, part of its Volcane progressive lenses range, which was launched earlier in January this year.
Mont-Royal introduces three new progressive lenses
This year, Mont-Royal launched three new progressive lenses in its premium range: Lucea, Maximal and Royal HD. A new blue cut treatment was also presented and will soon be available on all the products of the brand. They also highlighted a new commercial website to facilitate taking orders from opticians.
Making headway for myopia control with Essilor Stellest lens
The Group was proud to showcase Essilor Stellest lens, the clear spectacle lens for myopia management, at Silmo. The spotlight was put on the results of a five-year clinical follow-up study of its Essilor Stellest lenses which was presented for the first time at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in the US. The results were also recently presented at the 5th World Congress of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus in Malaysia, and the International Myopia Conference in China this year.
1.Varilux XR track and Varilux XR pro varifocal lenses take into account the prescription and visual behavior of the patient, by incorporating the near vision behavior which is a patented measurement taken in practice by an Essilor trained ECP. The patent status depends on the country.
