MIDO Milano Eyewear Show 2026: the world‑class eyewear fair returns to Rho

The 2026 edition of the MIDO Milano Eyewear Show returns to Fieramilano Rho — a platform that has become an international benchmark in the eyewear sector thanks to its global vision and its focus on the future and innovation.
The new edition, taking place from January 31 to February 2, 2026, is ready to shape the future of the eyewear world and offer new inspiration.

Over just a few days, MIDO will bring together the entire eyewear industry: across seven pavilions at Fieramilano Rho, visitors will find not only glasses but also all accessories used in the eyewear world and the machinery used to produce them.

Environmental sustainability will once again be a central theme. For MIDO, innovation cannot exist without sustainability, and the fair encourages companies — also through dedicated awards — to invest in eco‑friendly production processes.
The most environmentally conscious exhibitors will receive the CSE Award – Certified Sustainable Eyewear. Promoted by MIDO with ANFAO and Certottica, the award recognizes products developed with a “green” approach across all stages of production: waste reduction, lower energy consumption, use of recycled materials, and more.

A new feature this year is the expansion of the CSE Award categories to three: Frames, Sunglasses, and Cases — highlighting the uniqueness of each product and making the award even more representative.

Additionally, a new prize will be introduced: the CSE Corporate Award, dedicated to the exhibiting companies most committed to sustainability, particularly those integrating ESG principles into their corporate strategies.

Innovation remains central to MIDO: once again, the Best Store Award will honor the best international optical store in the categories of Design and Innovation.
The award is based on factors such as customer services, shopping experience, layout, materials used, and digital communication.
Last year’s winners were the Belgian store Zien & Horen Frits van den Bosch by Thomas Van Den Bosch (Design category) and the Italian Ottica Padrin by Fabrizio Padrin (Innovation category).

Today we discuss these topics with Daniela Verazzo, architect, designer, and founder of ARU Eyewear, who will participate in MIDO 2026.

Welcome, Daniela Verazzo, it’s a pleasure to have you with us.
In today’s world, we often see “stereotyped” beauty standards that push people toward conformity and the desire to follow whatever is fashionable at the moment.
But what does it really mean to be fashionable?

Being fashionable doesn’t mean being defined by a series of logos — it means wearing a well‑designed product that lasts over time and fits you properly.

Eyewear, like any other accessory, must express who you are. To do that, it has to represent you; it cannot be someone else’s idea of identity. I don’t want to belong to the category of people who wear expensive brands just to prove something. I want to prove that I am myself, and I invite those who think like me to wear my eyewear so they can feel good, see well, and break free from this homogenization.

I know it’s a difficult concept, but if no one speaks up about these things, we will never develop an educated approach to behavior and purchasing. When I buy an Italian product, I’m not only doing something good for myself — I’m supporting the entire Italian supply chain and its craftsmanship.

If instead, just to appear “fashionable,” I wear non‑compliant eyewear, I harm my eyes, the entire industry behind the product, and my own image — because I’m trying to prove something I’m not.

At MIDO, sustainability is a central theme. What initiatives does ARU Eyewear implement to ensure environmental responsibility?

All the acetates I purchase — the raw material used to make eyewear — have a low solvent content. In particular, my brand includes a line called Natoorì, made with fully bio‑based acetate sheets containing only 9–10% solvents and derived almost entirely from cotton.

The pouch is also eco‑friendly: handmade, not in leather but in cotton, resin, and wood powder.

Moreover, I produce everything within a short supply chain, choosing manufacturers located close to one another.

And last but not least, our shipments — both by land and by air — are low‑impact and disperse less fuel into the environment. I pay close attention to the entire production chain.

What does MIDO represent for professionals in the eyewear sector?

For industry professionals, the supply chain is everything. At MIDO, it’s not just opticians who come to buy: companies come to purchase machinery for eyewear production, others come to buy lenses or produce them, others to buy or sell cases — of every type and quality.

MIDO is wonderful because it’s a vast container where you can find everything: each pavilion has its own specialties. Eyewear worth a million euros, highly specialized lenses (ophthalmic, colored, photochromic), Chinese products — it’s a multitasking environment where anyone who wants to understand what Italian and international eyewear truly is will feel at home.

Thank you very much for being with us!

Event Info

1,200 exhibitors from 50 countries will showcase their ideas to tens of thousands of visitors from around the world.
The fair will feature major returning brands with new models, as well as 140 new entries making their debut.

Last year’s edition welcomed 42,000 visitors from 168 countries and over 400 accredited journalists.
To facilitate access, MIDO will offer free trains (reservation required) on Sunday, February 1, 2026, departing from Turin, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Ancona, Rome, and Naples.

Cover photo credits: MIDO © 2026 IES INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR SOLUTIONS Srl