ANFAO: ‘Nine-month eyewear exports down 3% and improving; mission to Brazil and New York in 2028’

Italian eyewear is gearing up for the next edition of Mido, yet the impact of U.S. tariffs is being felt and recovery has been pushed back to 2026, expected to be driven by new markets. As Lorraine Berton, president of the trade association ANFAO, tells FashionNetwork.com , the organisation plans to return to New York with an exhibition format, while she reveals details of DaTe’s upcoming stop in Naples.

FashionNetwork: What will Mido 2026 look like?
L.B: The next edition has been brought forward and will run from January 31 to February 2. The date change was not easy, but exhibitors have confirmed their attendance: 1,200 in total, including 140 new companies, from 160 countries. We will introduce many new elements compared with 2025, while maintaining our customary style and elegance. There will be a completely redesigned central piazza and 20 standout events in The Vision Stage area. The exhibition launched in Venice, “The Lens of Time”, will also come to the fair, for which we have devised a striking installation.

FN: What are the economic forecasts for the industry?
L.B: We will have the third-quarter data in the second half of December. It has been a challenging year, but conditions are stabilising. The U.S. has hit us hardest: down 20% in the first half, improving to down 15% in the most recent quarter. The shock of the tariffs has now been absorbed, but we will close in negative territory and will have to wait until next year for the upturn. Globally, exports are down 3% in the first nine months, with Europe holding up extremely well, South America growing, and other markets opening up.

FN: How is internationalisation progressing?
L.B: We face another transitional spring. As after Covid, I expect a lively rebound. The industry is undergoing a profound phase of transformation that continues to have the Belluno district at its epicentre. It is a difficult time for smaller companies, but we have taken back the reins of internationalisation. We are supporting our companies as they expand beyond Italy. We have also decided to invest in small businesses, because without the small, the large loses its identity.

FN:What countries are you focusing on?
L.B: Brazil will be a priority market for the future. Next year we will undertake a mission to the country, which will become increasingly important thanks to the EU-Mercosur agreement. At present we face tariffs of between 14% and 18%. Eliminating them will ease entry into a still complex market, where eyewear that leaves Italy at €50 reaches €100.

FN: What are your plans for New York?
L.B: We hope to return to Vision Expo East from 2028, once a year. For now, we remain in Orlando. We are working on it: it is an ambitious project and major investments are at stake. People in the U.S. know that we make the most beautiful eyewear. But we certainly need to communicate more and better. And that is also our responsibility as an association.

FN: Where will the next edition of DaTe be?
L.B: Following Riccione (Cocoricò), the fair will stop in Naples,  September 12–14, at the Teatro Salone Margherita, in the Galleria Umberto I. The travelling format will continue and will take in the whole of Italy. We are working exceptionally well with ICE. I would like to thank president Zoppas, who is giving us the opportunity to invest in the sector and who believes in my team. He understands that we are serious and that we do not squander resources.

FN: Why invest in the district?
L.B: The eyewear district is the Belluno district, but in a broader sense it includes the provinces of Milan, Varese, Reggio Emilia and central Italy. It is a united and resilient district founded on the respect shown by the big players towards the smaller ones. With major players such as Marcolin, Thélios, Safilo and Luxottica, I have a continuous exchange of ideas that makes us all stronger at a difficult time. This is the true strength of the sector, which carries Made in Italy and our manufacturing excellence around the world, globally recognised and rewarding for us.

FN: Upcoming institutional commitments?
L.B: ANFAO is attending two industry roundtables: one for the protection of Made in Italy and one at the ministry on protection and counterfeiting. These are commitments we share with the fashion and accessories industry. This coexistence is not straightforward, because it has to take into account the needs of different sectors and production chains, including differing views on the tools to protect product originality and combat counterfeiting.

FN: What is the leadership team working on?
L.B: ANFAO has shown it can be close to its members. There is a team of vice presidents doing an extraordinary job. I want to thank Sabrina Paulon, who took my place on the technical committee for the contract renewal. I wanted changes within ANFAO, and I am very happy because today we have staff, both young and more experienced, who have shown they can embrace change with a youthful mindset. Two years have passed, but I believe I can say that we have a team that works in synergy inside and outside the association, and that is the greatest satisfaction for me. We will continue to deliver more and more.