The Inuit Glasses
One of many highlights at SILMO in Paris is the display of finalists in the Optical Design Contest. A true springboard for tomorrow’s talents, this contest offers design students from around the world the opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation and explore the endless possibilities of design in the world of optics.
In 2025, the contest challenged participants to create bold and visionary frames on the theme: ‘Superhero Glasses’. The brief was to go beyond mere corrective function to become instruments of transformation, empowerment, and reinvention of vision and the world.
Presided over by Michele Penneman, a renowned international designer and interior architect, the Optical Design Contest highlights the potential for eyewear to become much more than a simple accessory: a true technology, a source of power, a gateway to new perceptions.
The Finalists
Aestral
Louis Sence – Nantes Atlantique School of Design (FR)
Visor-style glasses inspired by the Silver Surfer, with a fluid and organic design that evokes speed, wind, and solitude. They transform the gaze without any superfluous embellishment.
Bonewave
Mattéo Muzelet-Guédon – Nantes Atlantique School of Design (FR)
Bone conduction sports glasses that allow users to listen without blocking their hearing. Designed for athletes, they combine safety, functionality, and performance.
Eco
Beatriz Delcole Belonsi, Gyovanna Marraya de Paula Castoriano, Júlia Fernandes Nascimento, Lucca José Lauro, Kallany Leandrini Paulos – Mauà Institute (BR)
Inspired by animal echolocation, these glasses for the visually impaired detect obstacles using sensors and vibrating motors. Featuring a biomimetic design, they serve as a navigation aid.
Gaia
Hélène Caffin-Pinon – Design School of Saint-Étienne (FR)
Children’s glasses featuring augmented reality plant recognition. Both educational and environmentally conscious, with a rechargeable case and a fun holographic interface.
Loveyes
Camille Jourdren – Troyes School of Design (FR)
Glasses featuring a built-in love-matching system inspired by dating apps. Real-time display and interactions are designed to spark in-person connections.
Lunettes De Vision Emotionnelle
Quentin Boudier – Troyes School of Design (FR)
Capable of detecting and displaying emotions using AI (camera, voice analysis, radar), this frame is designed for individuals with ASD and to promote social inclusion. An ethical and empathetic design.
Neon
Brice LEBEUL – Nantes Atlantique School of Design (FR)
A highly expressive, luminous, futuristic frame, blending fashion and technology. Inspired by superheroes, it serves as an object of personal transformation and a visual statement.
Sentinelle+
Barthélémy Camoesas – Nantes Atlantique School of Design (FR)
Emergency response glasses with AI: symptom recognition, guidance for first aid actions, geolocation, and automatic calling. Designed for everyday heroes.
The Inuit Glasses
Yasmin Kaufman – Shenkar College (ISR)
Inspired by traditional Inuit glasses used against snow blindness, this design blends ancestral wisdom with modern technologies, featuring a sleek and efficient aesthetic.
The Sensory Glasses
Gaia Malantuono – Linnaeus University (SWE)
Inclusive glasses for people with ADHD or autism. Modular and customisable frames with sensory gadgets. Sustainable, ethical, and adaptable design.
Visit SILMO
SILMO Paris takes place at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre from 26-29 September 2025. The winner of the Optical Design Contest will be announced on Friday, 26 September 26. Find out more at: silmoparis.com
