From artificial intelligence and digitalisation to the promotion of Made in Italy, Nicola Belli, ANFAO Vice President for Manufacturing, Innovation and Made in Italy, discusses the challenges and opportunities that are reshaping the Italian eyewear industry.
On 15 May, the first training courses supporting digitalisation and the acceleration of the supply chain officially started as part of Innovereye, the project launched by ANFAO together with Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti, Aivisory and Certottica. Could you briefly explain how the programme is structured and what its objectives are? What concrete needs within the industry led to the creation of Innovereye, and what role can artificial intelligence play in becoming a truly accessible and strategic resource for companies?
Innovereye was born from listening directly to the companies that make up our supply chain. Over the past few years, we have clearly identified a shared need: understanding how to integrate digitalisation and artificial intelligence into manufacturing and organisational processes in a practical way, ensuring that these technologies do not remain abstract concepts or tools available only to large corporations.
The training programmes have been designed precisely with this goal in mind: to provide companies with practical tools, real-life use cases and operational support tailored to their different levels of digital maturity. The objective is not simply to introduce new technologies, but to help businesses understand where innovation can genuinely create value by improving efficiency, productivity, quality and competitiveness.
We are talking about one of the flagship manufacturing sectors of Made in Italy, which today faces increasingly complex challenges—from growing international competition and changing consumer behaviour to the need to attract new skills and talent. In this context, artificial intelligence can become a key strategic ally, provided it is made tangible, accessible and fully integrated into real business processes.
With Innovereye, our aim is to create a dedicated reference hub for the eyewear industry—a place where companies, from SMEs to major international players, can find guidance, expertise and practical support to navigate this transformation in an informed and measurable way, while continuing to enhance the industrial and manufacturing heritage of our sector.
Today, the real competitive arena for eyewear companies is no longer manufacturing alone, but increasingly digitalisation. How urgent is it to rethink production models in light of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, and how can these impact efficiency, quality and the sector's ability to attract younger generations of talent?
Today, the playing field has clearly changed: it is no longer manufacturing alone, but increasingly digital technology. If we want to remain globally competitive, we must take into account emerging economies such as China and Vietnam, which are investing heavily in automation, data management and artificial intelligence.
As long as competition is primarily based on manufacturing capabilities, Italy is still in a relatively strong position. We benefit from a long industrial tradition, widespread expertise across the country and deeply rooted manufacturing know-how. Today, however, competition is increasingly driven by digital processes, speed of decision-making and the ability to leverage data—and this is where the challenge becomes far more complex.
Artificial intelligence, in particular, can collect and analyse vast amounts of data, optimising manufacturing and organisational processes to levels of competitiveness that can even surpass traditional production models. This does not mean our model has become obsolete; rather, it needs to be reinterpreted. The challenge is not to pursue technology for its own sake, but to integrate it with our distinctive strengths: creativity, design flexibility, product development expertise, communication quality and, above all, our ability to create products with meaning and lasting value.
As part of this journey, ANFAO has organised a series of meetings and discussions with companies throughout the industry. One message emerged very clearly: entrepreneurs and managers need the knowledge required to fully understand both the opportunities and the risks associated with adopting new technologies. These are not merely technical tools, but strategic decisions that influence production models, work organisation and the future attractiveness of the industry itself.
This brings us to another crucial issue: attracting talent. If the eyewear industry wants to appeal to younger generations, it must present itself as an innovative, contemporary sector capable of speaking the language of digital transformation without losing its manufacturing identity and cultural heritage.
Alongside innovation, ANFAO has also invested in promoting the industry's heritage, as demonstrated by the success of The Lens of Time. Last year, the exhibition was hosted first at Palazzo Flangini in Venice and later in Milan during MIDO, telling the story of Italian eyewear as both an industrial and cultural heritage. How important is it today to preserve the connection between tradition and the future? Are there plans to develop or replicate the project in 2026?
More than ever, I believe that innovation and tradition should not be seen as opposing forces, but as complementary elements. Italian eyewear has become a global benchmark because it has continuously evolved without ever losing touch with its manufacturing, creative and cultural roots.
The Lens of Time was created with precisely this objective: not simply to tell the story of a product, but to celebrate an Italian tradition of craftsmanship, research, design and technological innovation spanning centuries. The exhibition demonstrated that eyewear is far more than an accessory—it is a symbol of innovation, style and the identity of Made in Italy.
For ANFAO, continuing to promote this heritage is essential, especially at a time when the industry is undergoing profound technological transformation. We firmly believe that the future of Italian eyewear lies in combining historical expertise with new technologies, manufacturing tradition with digital innovation, and industrial culture with an international outlook.
The response to The Lens of Time has been extremely positive, both from industry professionals and the international public. For this reason, the project will continue in 2026. The exhibition will be held from 12 to 30 October in Rome, at Palazzo Piacentini, headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and will feature a special focus on the relationship between eyewear and cinema, taking advantage of its overlap with the Rome Film Festival.
It will provide an important opportunity to showcase how Italian eyewear has contributed not only to the history of design and manufacturing, but also to the creation of an aesthetic and cinematic imagination that is recognised and appreciated around the world.
Watch the Reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbDHmdpt10n/?hl=it