ANFAO TAKES ITALIAN EYEWEAR TO THE GLOBAL STAGE WITH

THE EXHIBIT DEBUTS IN JAPAN AT EXPO OSAKA, AS PART OF THE DAYS OF ITALIAN FASHION IN THE WORLD

Italian fashion in the spotlight with the debut on Sunday, August 3rd, of the Days of Italian Fashion in the World, a project sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to maximize appreciation of Made in Italy around the world, in partnership with ITA (Italian Trade Agency) and with the leading fashion trade associations: ANFAO, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (National Chamber for Italian Fashion), Confapi Uniontessile (Italian federation of private industry SMEs, textiles), Confartigianato Moda (association representing Italian craft and SME fashion industries), Confartigianato Orafi (goldsmith division), CNA Federmoda (Union of Fashion System Enterprises of the National Confederation of Craftsmen and SMEs), CNA Orafi (Goldsmith & Jewelry Federation), Confindustria Accessori Moda (Leather Fashion Accessories Federation), Confindustria FEDERORAFI (National Federation of Gold, Silverware & Jewelry Manufacturers), Confindustria Moda - Federazione Tessile e Moda e Altagamma (Italian Federation of Textile and Fashion Accessories Industry - Altagamma Foundation).

This promotional tour will be launched at Expo Osaka, in the Italy Pavilion, and in 2025 will continue to the United Arab Emirates, with a stop in Dubai in early September, then move on to Brazil in mid-October, with events in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, to conclude in India, at New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai at the end of October. The project is designed to narrate the strength, beauty and vision of Made in Italy through three keywords: creativity, sustainability and internationalization.

The first stop of the “Italy is Fashion” exhibit (curated by Clara Tosi Pamphili and organized by Italy’s Consulate General, the Expo Commissioner, and ITA in collaboration with the Directorate General for the Promotion of the Country System of the Farnesina), will be a
synthesis of contemporary Italian fashion, where, alongside the voices of industrial and artisanal production, space will also be given for young creative talents.
ANFAO – Italian Optical Goods Manufacturers’ Association, will represent the excellence of Italian eyewear with a finely curated display that presents an engaging overview of the world of Italian eyewear. An everyday object that, in Italy, has become a symbol of style, innovation and artisanal identity.

Visitors will follow a pathway of avant-garde design and materials that blends historical memory and future vision. Starting with six vintage eyewear pieces from the Eyewear Museum in Pieve di Cadore – each representing a different decade from 1900 to the 1990s – the exhibit transitions to a selection of materials that showcase the industry’s technical excellence: titanium, known for its lightness and strength; cellulose acetate, natural and versatile; and Grilamid TR90, a high-performance polyamide that adapts to the shape of the face with memory retention, perfect for sports eyewear.

Also on display are semi-finished components, front pieces, temples and multicolor acetate blocks that illustrate the artisanal process of color layering, with each pigment blended with millimetric precision and arranged by hand to create unique patterns, transforming the material into structure and visual narrative.

The design section focuses on Italian design capabilities through original hand-drawn sketches, like those by Sergio Cereda from 1970-1990, reflecting the evolution of style and aesthetic sensibility. Alongside, a selection of contemporary technical drawings: an acetate model with bold shapes and graphic design, a sports wrap with hi-tech details and an aerodynamic profile; a sculpted model with three-dimensional proportions; and lastly, development drawings for titanium styles that express the focus on precision engineering and sustainability in state-of-the-art manufacturing.

To complete the ANFAO narrative, a selection of historic images: photographs that portray artisans at work and the earliest factories in the Cadore – heartland of Italian eyewear – between 1890 and 1934; the first editions of MIDO | Milano Eyewear Show, that is now the leading trade show event worldwide; and ad campaigns from the 1950s to the 1980s that illustrate the evolution of style and convey the full cultural and identity impact of the Italian eyewear supply chain.

Exhibit material credits
Sergio Cereda Historical Archives, Blackfin, Mirage Occhiali, Mazzucchelli 1849, Nannini