We are back from Opti-Munich and we wanted to tell you guys all about our adventures! Have you got a cuppa in front of you?Ok, great......!
Our flight from Dublin on Friday morning was at 8am, so we arrived in Munich bright and early, grabbed a coffee and took the shuttle bus directly to the tradeshow....that's dedication for you!
As you would expect from our German friends, the tradeshow was super well organised, so they had a left luggage facility for anyone travelling. We imagined alot of European guests would have flown in and out the same day!
The venue itself was HUGE, even though they say this is one of the smaller of the 'big' European tradeshows. The whole event spanned over 4 massive halls each bigger than the size of a football field (think the RDS as each hall!), with smaller stands in corridors in between. Each hall was dedicated to either frames, optical equipment, lens companies or accessories. This makes it sound like it was easy to find where everything was...and it was...it was just so overwhelming! The whole place was like a maze, I think we felt a little like were in one of those casinos where your not sure what time of day it is! Every time you turn a corner looking for the bathrooms or the exit, there is something else that catches your attention and makes you stay and look just another half hour!
Each hall had a few cafes where you could grab a snack or a coffee, but nearly every brand had either a bar or a little cafe of their own, serving beers, champagne and little bites. Some were so elaborate, we even spotted an airstream and a full sized school bus! - Check me out....I'm nearly the same size as it! ;)
So...Friday, we had made appointments to see two brands in particular. The first stop was with a French brand called 'Anne et Valentin'. We. were. blown. away. by this brand! These frames are beautiful. Handmade and so unusual, but yet totally wearable. There is a mixture of acetate frames with intricate detailing and metal frames with amazing colours and acetate mounts. They are really stunning we cannot wait for you guys to see them. We will be taking delivery in April......but in the meantime - here's a sneak peek...
Yup...amazing, right? This one is largely for the girls, but they have a small collection of men's frames also, so we didn't leave anyone out. :)
By now it was time to focus on our boys...!Our next appointment was with Danish brand 'Kilsgaard'.This brand has both a male and female collection, but we have a gap for something different in our men's collection, so we were focusing solely on them.
In my opinion, the best word to describe Kilsgaard frames are 'architectural'. They are understated but yet meticulously designed, light, strong and modern with clean lines and matte colours. We think they will go down a treat.
We are expecting these to arrive in early March and they will be a great addition to our shelves!
What do you guys think....have we wet your appetite for our new brands?
So, we have alot more to tell you guys about the following few days in Munich. Stay tuned for part 2!
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