SILMO Paris has announced that Brussels-based industrial designer and creative director Joachim Froment will preside over the jury for the SILMO d’Or 2026 – one of the optical industry’s most coveted design honours.
Mr Froment, a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, has built a reputation for a design philosophy he describes as a “symbiosis between poetry and industry” – an approach in which products are conceived not merely as functional objects, but as vehicles for experience and lasting emotional connection.
After launching his career in Copenhagen alongside leading Scandinavian designers, Mr Froment co-founded Futurewave, a Brussels-based design and technology studio whose client roster spans Renault, LVMH, Richemont and a number of pioneering technology companies.
His methodology goes beyond conventional human-centred design, advocating instead an “ecosystemic” approach in which products are understood as interconnected elements within a circular system. Across disciplines – from furniture and mobility to lighting and consumer electronics – his work is united by a single pursuit: deepening the bond between the user, the object, and its broader environment.
the organisers are positioning this edition as one focused on creations that push the boundaries of innovation and shape the optical products of tomorrow
An Award-Winning Creative Voice
Mr Froment’s cross-disciplinary work has earned him recognition across multiple international design platforms, including the iF Design Awards, the Good Design Awards and the Core77 Awards. His creative language has been described as simultaneously forward-looking, sculptural and sensitive, guided by the principle of “Agape” – a vision in which human experience and ecological responsibility coexist with elegance.
What It Means for the SILMO d’Or
For optical professionals, the SILMO d’Or represents a benchmark for design excellence across categories including frames, lenses, instruments and equipment. By entrusting the 2026 jury presidency to a figure operating at the intersection of design, technology and human experience, the organisers are positioning this edition as one focused on creations that push the boundaries of innovation and shape the optical products of tomorrow.
“Through this presidency, the SILMO d’Or continues its ambition to explore creative territories where innovation, usage and emotion engage with the major transformations shaping today’s world,” SILMO Paris said in its announcement.
The winners of the SILMO d’Or 2026 will be announced during SILMO Paris, running from 25 to 28 September at Paris Nord Villepinte. Visit: silmoparis.com.
Mr Froment, a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, has built a reputation for a design philosophy he describes as a “symbiosis between poetry and industry” – an approach in which products are conceived not merely as functional objects, but as vehicles for experience and lasting emotional connection.
After launching his career in Copenhagen alongside leading Scandinavian designers, Mr Froment co-founded Futurewave, a Brussels-based design and technology studio whose client roster spans Renault, LVMH, Richemont and a number of pioneering technology companies.
His methodology goes beyond conventional human-centred design, advocating instead an “ecosystemic” approach in which products are understood as interconnected elements within a circular system. Across disciplines – from furniture and mobility to lighting and consumer electronics – his work is united by a single pursuit: deepening the bond between the user, the object, and its broader environment.
An Award-Winning Creative Voice
Mr Froment’s cross-disciplinary work has earned him recognition across multiple international design platforms, including the iF Design Awards, the Good Design Awards and the Core77 Awards. His creative language has been described as simultaneously forward-looking, sculptural and sensitive, guided by the principle of “Agape” – a vision in which human experience and ecological responsibility coexist with elegance.
What It Means for the SILMO d’Or
For optical professionals, the SILMO d’Or represents a benchmark for design excellence across categories including frames, lenses, instruments and equipment. By entrusting the 2026 jury presidency to a figure operating at the intersection of design, technology and human experience, the organisers are positioning this edition as one focused on creations that push the boundaries of innovation and shape the optical products of tomorrow.
“Through this presidency, the SILMO d’Or continues its ambition to explore creative territories where innovation, usage and emotion engage with the major transformations shaping today’s world,” SILMO Paris said in its announcement.
The winners of the SILMO d’Or 2026 will be announced during SILMO Paris, running from 25 to 28 September at Paris Nord Villepinte. Visit: silmoparis.com.
