“Eyewear, a never-ending Italian Story”
Yesterday marks the inauguration of the exhibition entitled “Eyewear, a never-ending Italian Story”, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and created by the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) in collaboration with the Italian Association of Optical Goods Manufacturers (ANFAO). A dynamic retrospective that, in addition to narrating the fascinating story of eyewear, underscores the quality, production excellence and innovative design that have always been the strong points of the “Made in Italy” sector.
The exhibition will be held in the Harvey Nichols Department Stores in the setting of the prestigious Kanyon shopping center. The store covers more than 8,000 square meters and offers high-end brand names that have made it famous worldwide. In 2007 Harvey Nichols Istanbul also won the Best International Retail Interior Award. An ad hoc location for introducing the general public to the historic legacy that gave rise to an invention - eyeglasses – that has evolved over the centuries, conquering its own originality and exclusiveness through the ages. The exhibition was studied to exalt the uniqueness of each piece, from the oldest to the most modern: the real protagonists will be the eyeglasses, Italian heritage and cherished tradition of attention to detail and creative know-how that is distinctive of its kind.
A chronological-thematic itinerary has been created to accompany the visitor on a journey through the ages: the eyeglasses displayed narrate their origins and history, the modernity of some of the historic pieces, and the strong tradition of the modern ones. The exhibition will document the evolution of this object that, over the centuries, has become a necessary accessory, inexorably linked to the fashion system and its dynamics.
«The exhibition in Istanbul is part of a much larger project under the auspices of ANFAO, to support and promote Italian eyewear on leading international markets», says Cavaliere del Lavoro Vittorio Tabacchi, president of ANFAO. «For our sector, Turkey represents a very interesting market subject to strong growth. This is why it is so important to introduce this creative and cultural heritage to the public through the historic and contemporary collections that are emblematic of the production excellence of our sector».
The design of the exhibition, based on white and an ingenious use of light, is the brainchild of Architect Marco Cavallè and the Studio of Architecture and Design - Studio14 (Milan, Italy): numerous “modular” display cases were used to maximize the visibility of the product and facilitate the “creation” of an itinerary that would “narrate” the story of eyewear from its origins until today, projecting itself towards the future. The choice of white and the strong presence of lights were strategic choices to enhance the silhouettes and colors of the eyewear, making it the real protagonist of this event.
The exhibition will be inaugurated on June 30 at 6:30 pm with an official ceremony in the presence of the Director of ICE Istanbul, Ferdinando Pastore, Consul General Gianluca Alberini, and Vice Director of ANFAO, Francesco Gili. The exhibition will be open to the public until July 14, 2011. For information, please contact Ms. Gülsüm Özen Manaz (Ph. 0212-373 03 00) of ICE Istanbul.
Exhibition hours:
From Monday to Sunday, 10.00am – 22.00pm
