Bangkok, Thailand, 20 February 2018 – SILMO Bangkok 2018 is the leading platform to showcase new collections for eyewear and optical products. After the 50^th anniversary of SILMO Paris, IMPACT is set to host the first edition of SILMO Bangkok to establish Thailand as the fashion capital of ASEAN. SILMO Bangkok features a comprehensive range of products and services including frames, lenses, contact lens, equipment and business services. The event will be held at Hall 4, IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand from 20 to 22 June 2018. More than 150 exhibiting companies and brands with over 4,000 optical professionals from all around the globe are expected to attend the three-day event.

As a prelude to the exhibition, the “SILMO Bangkok Get Together” on 20 February 2018, at My Kitchen, Siam Discovery, is held as a platform for manufacturers, dealers and distributors in the optical industry to network and discuss global fashion trends and innovation of the industry, as well as retail store design.

Staying ahead of the global fashion trends
Mr. Tanawat Ruangteprat, Executive Director, Thailand Institute of Fashion Research (inFASH), the only Thai representative in INTERCOLOR said “INTERCOLOR is a platform for color research and development, consisting of an interdisciplinary group of color experts. We understand color to be a driving force in design and lifestyle. The committee offers guidance on international color trends 24 months ahead of each seasonas a source of further development in various industries. With this knowledge, inFASH will organize the exclusive seminar at SILMO Bangkok to share the trends of color, material and fashion.”

Retail store design that brings the brand and customer experience into focus
Mr. Kwanchai Athikomrungsarit, Managing Director, Whitespace Ltd., abrand and interior design consultancy providingcomprehensive solutions for retail and fashion eyewear business (including V Eyewear,Occura,Luxoptic and Niche Nation) said,“A new digital generationand millennials are setto revolutionizeconsumerbehavior and lifestyle which increasingly force retailers and brands to respond to consumers in new ways. The key successes for retail business range from identifying customer need,creating brand strategies, inventing a comprehensive brand-story,as well asin-store merchandising. These complete solutions enable retail business to generate more sales leads and thrive inthe long term.”

Innovation of the Industry – where it could be in the future
Mr. Danai Tonkerdmongkol, Dean of Faculty of Optometry, Ramkhamhaeng Universitysaid, “Nowadays, advances in diagnostic technologies enhance the quality the diagnosis in optometry and vision science. Emerging technology plays an important role for eye care practitioners and optometrists. Improvements in eye care treatment and highest quality service are the key successes of running today’s business.”

Thailand, the fashion capital for eyewear business in ASEAN
Mr. Loy Joon How, General Manager, IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. said, “With the strong economic development, a growing middle class population and a youthful and fashionable population, SILMO Bangkok is poised to be the gateway to ASEAN’s optical industry, tapping into the vibrant and growing eyewear market. Accounting for 22% of the world’s demand for optical lenses (800 to 900 million lenses per year), Thailand is one of the world’s largest manufacturer of optical lenses. The inaugural edition of SILMO Bangkok with the theme, “Business Meets Fashion”, features new collections,the latest products, technologies and solutions on aregional stage. In addition to the exhibition, SILMO Bangkok, together with the Association of Thai Optometrists,is developing a comprehensive academic program with accreditation for optical professionals under the theme “Vision, learning, living and entertaining”.

Fashion Got Talent- eyewear design competition
Fashion Got Talent is an exciting eyewear design competition, hosted by the Department of Industrial Promotion, Ministry of Industry of Thailand and the organizer of SILMO Bangkok 2018. This competition challenges university students to create compelling fashion eyewear. The winner will showcase his/hercreative and design works at SILMO Paris 2018 with the aim to promote their ideas on the global eyewear stage,” Mr. Loy added.

For more information, please visit www.silmobangkok.com.