SILMO Paris is marking its 60th anniversary by giving young designers from around the world an opportunity to enter its Optical Design Competition, themed ‘Reinventing the codes’.
With carte blanche to explore new expressions of eyewear design, students are being invited to challenge conventions and present their own vision of eyewear: unexpected silhouettes, bold proportions, innovative materials, original manufacturing techniques, or new ways of exploring the relationship between an object and the person wearing it.
Three potential areas of exploration proposed to inspire creativity are:
Freedom of form: Playing with volumes, structures and geometries to challenge established conventions.
Materials as a means of expression: Experimenting with textures, colours, materials and manufacturing processes.
Objects and emotion: Imagining eyewear that conveys an identity, expresses a personality or tells a story.
“the Optical Design Competition offers students a valuable opportunity to turn their ideas into tangible creations and showcase their talent to industry professionals”
Alain Gilles: Head of the Jury
For this anniversary edition, SILMO Paris has appointed Alain Gilles, a Belgian designer renowned for his inventive, expressive and contemporary approach to design, as President of the Jury.
Bringing together form, function and emotion, his work stands out for its ability to reinterpret everyday objects and give them a new identity.
An approach that perfectly reflects the spirit of this 6th edition: moving beyond conventions, exploring new possibilities and encouraging bold, unrestricted creativity.
Alongside professionals from the design and optical industries, Mr Gilles will take part in selecting the most promising projects, which will be assessed according to four criteria: innovation and design, use and function, responsible design, and technical feasibility.
Turning Ideas into Reality
Beyond the creative challenge, the Optical Design Competition offers students a valuable opportunity to turn their ideas into tangible creations and showcase their talent to industry professionals, media and international players in the optical and eyewear industry.
Up to ten projects will be shortlisted, with prototypes produced and exhibited at SILMO Paris 2027.
The winning project, to be announced on Friday, 24 September 2027 at SILMO, will receive a €10,000 prize, shared equally between the winning student and their educational institution.
How to Enter the 2027 Competition
The competition is open to students aged 18 or over who are enrolled in the third, fourth, or fifth of a design program.
Application deadline: 16 June 2027
For more information, visit: concoursdesign.silmo.fr.
