My Top Five Mido highlights

Mido 2026 hit a new milestone in digital communications

The 54th edition of Mido, held in Milan from 31 January to 2 February, welcomed some 42,000 visitors through the doors over the three-day extravaganza of all things optics.

The 2026 edition also marked a new milestone in digital communications – driven by the launch of Mido’s TikTok account – reaching more than 3.5 million people across all platforms: an increase of 35 per cent on 2025.

No stranger to the power of TikTok and social media himself, dispensing optician and personal eyewear stylist, Dan Scott, offers his top five highlights and takeaways from this year’s show…

1. Continued march of modern materials

Beyond traditional materials such as cellulose acetate and metals like stainless steel and titanium, we’re seeing a real rise in unique frame materials from modern eyewear designers.

Potentially to combat the rising consumer demand for more sustainable products, I saw a greater prominence of sustainable alternatives like wood, stone and 3D-printed options in Mido’s Academy section.

One of the new Nina Mûr Eyewear styles launched at the show

Some brands like Rolf Eyewear are even combining all three, with 3D-printed temple tips allowing for adjustments on full wood frames, which have previously typically relied upon a head grip style temple. This, ultimately, gives dispensing opticians (DOs) more confidence with adjustments.

For those who like a sustainable approach but prefer a pop of colour, Nina Mûr Eyewear’s stand remained incredibly busy throughout. Lorena Serrano from the Spanish brand continues to innovate and develop her frame styles for these big shows each year, which I find incredibly impressive.

To successfully evolve your styles but retain your brand identity is always a challenge for brands. To achieve this without either veering too far off the path of what they’re known for, and without staying too safe and becoming dated, is no mean feat.

I also loved the recent innovations in leather eyewear from French designer Lucas de Staël, offering some super premium custom options. These offer the fantastic comfort with fashion-forward shapes and unique tint combinations.

2. Growing appetite for premium eyewear

It is becoming apparent that the two fastest-growing eyewear markets are for products at the high end – and for those at the low end; brands that find themselves in the middle are working in a challenging field.

Cutler and Gross’ collaboration with jeweller, the Great Frog

I’m a huge fan of Cutler and Gross’ collaboration with expert jeweller the Great Frog, raising the bar for their work in premium metals, which has proved a huge success with celebrities such as Pedro Pascal amongst others donning their Japanese manufactured frames.

I love seeing British heritage brands such as Cutler and Gross progressing their designs in the modern era, in a market where us Brits seem to be fewer and far between compared to some of our European and Asian counterparts.

It was great to pass by and congratulate the team for French eyewear designer, Henry Julien, on their success following Emmanuel Macron’s viral sunglass moment in Davos. The president showed on a global stage his support of domestic manufacturing by wearing the heritage brand’s sunglasses to this prestigious political event.

Dan weraing Lucas de Staël aviators with a subtle fashion tint

This is something I would have loved to see from our own glasses-wearing prime minister, who continues to wear internationally manufactured frames in the wake of the collapse of British eyewear manufacturer Tom Davies – whose absence from the international shows this year was certainly a sad loss. Another stark reminder of the challenges facing the eyewear industry today.

3. Aviators coming in strong

Narrow sunglasses from French brand, Ahlem

I noted on my Instagram at Silmo last year that aviators are coming to the fore as the ‘on trend’ shape. This definitely continued into Milan, with many of the eyewear designers featuring aviator and double bridge designs into their new collections.

At the same time, I definitely noticed a trend towards narrower shapes too – particularly for sunglasses.

4. Fashion tints are still hot

I’ve been banging on about fashion tints for years now, and the hype around them has still not let up. Many eyewear designers are now incorporating varying styles of fashion tint into their new eyewear releases.

It’s incredible how much a fashion tint can transform the aesthetic of a piece of eyewear. I particularly loved the custom bi-gradient tints in Lucas de Staël’s new releases.

Whilst it could be considered a tricky ‘match tint’ scenario for DOs depending on their lab’s abilities, I do think having a fashion tint in the dummy lens offers a way to inspire patients into doing something different.

Fashion tints on display at the show

This, in turn, increases the likelihood of a multiple pair purchase; the DO has the safety net of being able to pop the dummy lenses out to show how the frame would look with clear lenses. This is much more challenging to do the other way around.

5. Dare to be different

Mido is more than an eyewear show, it’s a chance to connect with peers across the world, learn from each other and take inspiration. I got to speak with opticians from across the globe – from Portugal, France, USA, Canada and beyond.

The optical practices thriving right now are the ones that have taken the risks on going all in on premium eyewear, going for aspirational eyewear pieces and making their store experiential.

I spoke with one optician who launched a dispensing-only practice during the Covid pandemic; they were taking home the equivalent of £60k from month one of launch, and continue to thrive. This is proof that the dispensing-only model can work – and that fortune favours the brave.

The show will be held slightly earlier next year

I’ll be delving into this and more within the Eyewear Styling Society next month as the Eyewear Stylist community continues to grow.

Dan Scott FBDO is an award-winning locum dispensing optician and eyewear styling consultant.

Mido will be held earlier in the calendar next year, from 6-8 February, with the new campaign tag – ‘Welcome to eyewearland’.

Keep up-to-date with show news via the Mido website.