“Hong Kong Eyewear Good Design” Pavilion at SILMO Bangkok 2020, ASEAN’s business platform for the optical and eyewear industry

Published : 2019-10-13

SILMO Bangkok 2020, the ASEAN optical fair is pleased to announce that Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association (HKOMA), in collaboration with Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), will organize the first ever Hong Kong pavilion, consisting 30 exhibitors, under the “Hong Kong Eyewear Good Design” project, at SILMO Bangkok 2020. The event will be held from 10 to 12 June 2020, at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.

The Hong Kong eyewear industry is renowned for its pursuit of high quality, innovation and trending designs. Hong Kong is the world’s third largest exporter of spectacles and frames.  Ms. Grace Cho, President, HKOMA, stated, “HKOMA is pleased to collaborate with HKPC to organize the ‘Hong Kong Eyewear Good Design’ project. Only 30 Hong Kong exhibitors that fulfill the criteria are selected to join this project, which is aimed at promoting the very best of Hong Kong eyewear designs, to the emerging markets under the ‘One belt, One road’ initiative.”

She added, “One such emerging market is ASEAN. This is an economically vibrant region with growing affluent middle class populations. SILMO Bangkok has established itself as ASEAN’s business platform for the optical and eyewear industry, and acts as the bridge that connects the local and international optical market. This is why we feel that this is the ideal platform for Hong Kong companies to explore new market opportunities in the ASEAN market.”

Ms. Grace Cho. also mentioned that with the increasing numbers of urban households having sufficient income to spend on discretionary services, consumers are now attaching greater importance on eye care by buying higher quality glasses. Consumers are paying greater attention to glasses’ aesthetic qualities in additional to its practical functions. The trend of purchasing bespoke and branded spectacles is increasingly evident as consumers seek greater comfort and individually designed styles to meet their different needs.  

According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s ASEAN Middle-income Consumer Survey, ASEAN’s middle-class consumers are inclined to allocate a substantial amount of discretionary spending on fashion. Fashion is currently ranked third in spending after travel, health and beauty. More than half of the respondents in ASEAN indicated that they will continue to spend more on fashion items in the next two years.

SILMO Bangkok 2020, into its third edition under the theme “Business Meets Fashion”, has cemented its position as the gateway to ASEAN’s optical industry and market. SILMO Bangkok is the key industry platform and gathering place for industry professionals to learn, network and showcase their latest products, technologies and solutions. More than 250 eyewear brands; optical lenses; optometric instruments; equipment and machinery; optical equipment; as well as optical retail technology and solutions will be featured during the 3-day exhibition.

In addition to the trade exhibition showcase, SILMO Bangkok 2020 will bring together industry players and professionals from Thailand and ASEAN+6 and beyond, to attend a whole host of exciting activities, including:

• SILMO FASHION SHOW - Eyewear collections from global companies and brands will be unveiled at the SILMO Bangkok 2020 Fashion Show;
• BUSINESS MATCHING - An opportunity for exhibitors to meet key buyers and targeted audience to generate new sales leads, expand their business network and to build their brand presence to reach the Asian market;
• SILMO ARENA - A learning hub for marketing and sales strategies tailored for optical retailers;
• SILMO ACADEMY - A knowledge platform featuring experts from the optical industry to share their expertise and insights;

• SILMO BANGKOK EYEWEAR DESIGN CONTEST - Up-and-coming designers take center stage, to inspire with their most fashion forward creations;
• INNOVATIVE EYEWEAR & EYECARE TECHNOLOGY - Explore the next generation optical technology in eyewear and eyecare industry and discover new innovative optometric devices and machinery; and
• DESIGNER’S VILLAGE – A gathering of the best designs and start-ups for the business – from eyewear to shop fittings, sound to illumination, and everything else to elevate your customers’ retail experience.

Mr. Loy Joon How, General Manager, IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd., the organizer of SILMO Bangkok, said “We are very pleased to welcome the participation of Hong Kong in SILMO Bangkok 2020. This reflects the growing importance of SILMO Bangkok as the regional industry platform and gathering place. Hong Kong participation will also be joined by other international groups and individual participation from over 14 countries including China, France, Korea, Italy, Taiwan and many more.” 

For more information, please visit www.silmobangkok.com