On Monday I’ve come back from my first-ever DaTE Eyewear Show and I can honestly say it left a great first impression. DaTE has been running for 13 years, and one of the things that makes it really unique is that it’s a travelling show. It moves to a different part of Italy each year, which means visitors get a fresh experience every time (and yes, you also get to see a different Italian city, which is never a bad thing if you ask me).
This year, DaTE was held at Salone Margherita in Naples and wow, what a venue. It’s absolutely stunning and instantly makes the whole show feel special and exclusive. It was also very warm (30°C!), but still such a beautiful setting. And Naples? Full of character, energy and personality, I absolutely loved it.
What I noticed straight away at DaTE is how proud Italian eyewear brands are of their craft. There’s a real sense of heritage and quality, and you can feel how much it matters to them. There were also a few brands from other parts of Europe, and one of my favourites was Kalopsia. The frames were fun, creative, and full of joy, and the founder was so lovely and warm.
For consumers, what were the trends? What should you look out for on your next trip to your local opticians?
Here are the Three eyewear trends I couldn’t stop seeing at DaTE.
1) Blended colour (like watercolour)
The first trend I’m calling it blended. Imagine colours melting into each other so smoothly they look like a soft watercolour wash. It’s artistic, modern, and surprisingly wearable.
2) Smoothed out, glossy shapes
Next up: frames that look and feel smoothed out. Every curve is rounded, polished and glossy, giving the whole frame a clean, “touchable” finish. It’s the kind of detail that makes a frame feel instantly more premium, no matter what colour is in.
3) Layering (but done in a fresh way)
Finally: layering acetate with acetate, metal with metal, or mixed materials. This isn’t new-new, but it’s been reimagined so it feels more considered and design-led, with depth rather than harsh contrast.
Aside from the three trends, I did fall in love with two frames in particular by two completely different companies, and they were Piero Massaro and Waya . It was the combination of strong shape with how they felt when I tried them on. They were light, comfortable, and how they were constructed was clean and sleek.
Wearing Piero Massaro
Wearing Waya
The colour moodboard: light, milky pastels
One of the biggest overall themes was colour but we are not talking about loud colour. Most shades were light, soft and slightly milky, giving frames a gentle, airy feel. If you like the idea of wearing colour but don’t want anything too wow, this is a colour trend you’ll probably love.
DaTE might not be the biggest eyewear show in the optical calendar, but it’s packed with creativity and individuality, and it’s brilliant for spotting the small design shifts that often become bigger trends later on. If these softer colours, glossy curves and layered details are anything to go by, we’re heading into a season where eyewear feels lighter, smoother and more playful without trying too hard.