OPTICAL PRISM | COVER STORY
The arrival at the Charles de Gaulle airport was flawless . Kudos to Air Transat ! The taxi situation , however , was a disaster . In fact , in all my travel experience , I had never met more taxi drivers who seemed to get randomly lost . Unfortunately for me , upon my arrival to my airport-based hotel , only minutes away from my pickup , the meter read 20 euros .
A gentleman in front of our car pulled out of a cab with a suitcase and so I inquired what he paid for his ride .
Half the cost of my fee and so I contested . The driver was irate and began to yell . To my rescue , came this helpful gentleman . I later discovered that Clement Roger was the agent for Bellinger , France . I met the rest of his team at the hotel and was grateful for their invitation to tag along on the morning subway trips to the show .
The time change was challenging . The older we get , the less sleep we seem to need and my biological clock , coupled with all the excitement of my arrival , kept me grounded for that first day . I enjoyed the company of guests in the main lobby and bar . Many who were attending our exhibit and others from across Europe , engaged in various businesses .
It was my first experience at Silmo and although I have attended VEE and VEW , Europe was certainly on my bucket list . As I entered one of the six halls , I was in awe . A vast variety of eyewear adorned so many faces , it was fascinating to behold !
The attendance was lively and as I entered my booth , I noticed several empty spaces . I quickly came to realize that the success of this show was not solely based on the attendance , but the relationships that were forged , in having more time to communicate and share one ' s mission without all the distraction .
The Eiffel Tower in Paris .
I spent most of my time manning our booth , which featured three of our stellar collections . We were situated at the very back of a row and neighboured with various well-known collections and at first , we were somewhat concerned . As the first day progressed , the traffic picked up and we were warmly greeted by independents and chains , from across the globe . I was fascinated with all the dialects , cultures , and countries that we had access to engage .
I was pleased in having French as a second language , it certainly helped me communicate with many of the attendees .
I walked the show daily and tapped many elbows . I was humbled to be recognized for my posts and social media presence throughout the show and it was exciting connecting with leaders of our industry .
Many agreed that although the show had less traffic , most had a successful show and were happy to be able to reconnect , after such a long hiatus .
In getting my PCR test in Italy , three days prior to my return home ,
One of the exhibit halls at Silmo Paris 2021 .
I was relieved to test negative and not worry about quarantining . I was finally homeward bound .
Dorval airport was hopping as five international flights arrived in unison , the lines were thick but quick and I was able to depart expediently and effortlessly .
I was smitten by Silmo and all it had to offer . Many companies were working on various collaborations and mergers , in building their platforms .
It was amazing to witness all of the inspiration that this infused . The Luxottica 360 team went all out to cater copious amounts of gourmet food , coupled with great support and presentations of their latest technology and collections . I couldn ' t resist introducing myself and connecting with members of their team , who inspired me and loved our FTG .
My decision to attend Silmo was the right one !
I developed great new friendships , contacts , and various distribution opportunities . My mind was racing with all the information that I had gathered . I couldn ' t wait to get to my next stop , Turin , Italy .
OPTICAL PRISM | November 2021 27