The meeting point between business and fashion, where technology and creativity converge in a shared driving force.
From January 31 to February 2, 2026, MIDO returns to Fiera Milano Rho with an edition that brings together the very best of eyewear from around the world. In a strategic year for Milan, the show once again confirms its role as a business hub and a special platform for observing the industry’s evolution, from product to market, serving the entire supply chain as a unique point of reference.
“We are ready to kick off this new edition of MIDO,” stated President of MIDO and ANFAO Lorraine Berton. “We prepare year-round for these three days: for that detail, that ‘hundredth of a second’ that can make the difference between a good edition and an extraordinary one. Each year we add something new, because our goal is always the same: to anticipate change, raise the bar and look to the future.
There is no denying that we are experiencing complex times, from an economic and geopolitical standpoint, but our sector has demonstrated extraordinary resilience. MIDO exists precisely to provide a solid, inclusive and international context in which to meet, close business deals, and share ideas and viewpoints on the future of the industry.”
OPENING CEREMONY
On Saturday, 31 January at 10:30 am, the MIDO opening ceremony will take place at the Fashion Square in Pavilion 1. The importance of the event is underscored by the participation of leading institutions and figures from the business world. Taking the stage will be Lorraine Berton, President of MIDO and ANFAO; Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy; Emanuele Orsini, President of Confindustria; Elena Buscemi, President of the Milan City Council; and Giovanni Bozzetti, President of Fondazione Fiera Milano. Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, and Matteo Zoppas, President of ITA, are also expected to participate. Following the welcome addresses and institutional speeches, the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially mark the start of three days of exhibits, events, meetings and initiatives focused on eyewear, fashion and innovations in eyewear.
At 3:00 pm, Pavilion 6 will host the official opening of The Lens of Time exhibit. After its stop in Venice, the exhibit retracing the history and evolution of eyewear from its origins to the contemporary era, makes its debut at MIDO with a dramatic installation specifically designed for the show’s audience. After MIDO, in the autumn, the exhibition will move to Palazzo Piacentini in Rome at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
MIDO 2026 BY THE NUMBERS
Approximately 1,200 exhibitors—including 270 Italian and 930 international companies—from nearly 50 countries. These include Europe with France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, as well as the USA, Canada, India, Australia, Japan, and Hong Kong, to name just a few. There are 140 new entries compared to last year, 8 exhibit areas across 7 pavilions, more than 20 workshops and meetings at The Vision Stage, 3 award categories – from the historic Best Store Award to the brand-new CSE Corporate Award – and more than 40,000 visitors and 400 journalists expected from all over the world. Again this year, the strong presence of buyers, professionals and journalists from the sector’s most relevant international markets has also been made possible thanks to the support of ITA – Italian Trade Agency, a strategic pillar for MIDO, which has contributed to bringing more than 200 delegates from 56 countries to the show.
AN ARRAY OF SERVICES TO EXPERIENCE MILAN DURING MIDO
With MIDO just around the corner, the event takes place just days before the opening of the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympic Games, in a city animated by a vibrant atmosphere. In this context, MIDO has developed and made available a range of tools and services designed to help visitors and exhibitors organize their stay in Milan. These include an online booking tool developed in collaboration with MiCodmc, the official hospitality agency, allowing travel and accommodations to be arranged with just a few clicks; dedicated services for Italian opticians, such as free train travel; city maps to experience Milan through culture, food and shopping; and the exclusive YesMilano City Pass, which offers all MIDO pass holders a 10% discount on public transport and access to the Duomo and the city’s main museums.
WHAT’S NEW AT MIDO 2026
First and foremost, a complete redesign of the Fashion Square in Pavilion 1, the space where major players and emerging Fashion & Luxury brands unveil their new collections and define the style of the season. In Pavilions 2 and 4, the Design Area will welcome new exhibitors and host a new installation showcasing DaTE, the independent eyewear show scheduled to take place in Naples from 12 to 14 September 2026. Meanwhile, in Pavilion 6, the previously-mentioned The Lens of Time exhibit will be installed in the piazza. Finally, introduction of the new CSE Corporate Award, which builds on the experience of Stand Up For Green and recognizes not an individual product, but the exhibiting company that demonstrates the highest ESG standards.
NOT-TO-BE-MISSED EVENTS
As every year, MIDO will offer numerous opportunities for networking, celebration and reflection on the transformations redefining the eyewear sector and its relationship with contemporary society. Numerous conferences and workshops will take place at The Vision Stage in Pavilion 1, addressing key topics for the industry: from leadership to geopolitics, inclusion to sustainability and eco-design, as well as trends, marketing, communication and the medical field. The full program is available at: https://www.mido.com/en/the-vision-stage-2026
On Sunday, February 1 at 12:30 pm, the MIDO Awards ceremony will take place at the Fashion Square in Pavilion 1, celebrating excellence in eyewear – the Best Store Award, dedicated to the world’s leading optical stores, in two categories, Design and Innovation; the CSE Award – Certified Sustainable Eyewear, for manufacturers committed to sustainable practices, from the use of recycled materials to energy savings; and the previously mentioned CSE Corporate Award.
DIGITAL TOOLS
MIDO strengthens its business dimension through an ecosystem designed to make connections between companies and buyers even more immediate and effective. The strong international presence encourages continuous, spontaneous, widespread networking, maximizing the possibilities for major players and smaller companies alike as they enter the market for the first time. Supporting this ecosystem is an array of advanced digital tools: contact and activity management tools, media kits designed to increase visibility, an app, with an interactive map that allows visitors to save favorite stands and create custom time-saving routes through the halls; city maps to navigate Milan’s culture, relaxation and quality time with ease to enjoy the city outside the trade show; and a digital pass enabling visitors to connect directly with exhibitors.
To stay up to date on all MIDO news, visit www.mido.com and follow the official social channels MIDO_Exhibition | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube | Linktree.
To register for MIDO, visitors must complete the registration form available at: https://www.mido.com/en/entry-pass. Journalists can register at: https://www.mido.com/en/press-registration.
MIDO takes place at Fiera Milano Rho (Strada Statale del Sempione, 28 – Rho, Milan) and is open: Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February: 9 am – 7 pm; Monday 2 February: 9 am – 6 pm.