27 SEPTEMBER | 11:00 A.M.–12:00 P.M.
SILMO TALKS AREA
SILMO PARIS – NORD VILLEPINTE
P.O. Platform Optic brings to SILMO a reflection on the future of optical retail and the transformations shaping the retail landscape: how are consumers, spaces, experiences and customer relationships changing?
On 27 September, from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., P.O. will take part in the SILMO Talks with the panel discussion “Stand Out or Fade Out: Why Retail Must Reinvent Itself”, an opportunity to explore the evolution of the optical store and the new challenges facing the optical industry.
In a market where behaviours, expectations and purchasing habits are changing rapidly, the optical store is no longer simply a space dedicated to product display and sales. Architecture, design, technology, expertise and customer relationships are becoming increasingly important in creating a distinctive experience that delivers value.
The Talk will be an opportunity to explore new trends, ideas and international retail concepts, and to reflect on how retail can evolve, stand out and develop new ways of engaging with customers.
The topic will be explored through three different professional perspectives: Simona Finessi, Publisher of P.O. Platform Optic; Clément Bianchet, founder of Clément Bianchet Architecture; and Virginia Cucchi, Architect and Deputy Editor at Platform.
Three different perspectives – spanning publishing, architecture and design – will come together to explore trends, scenarios and new ways of interpreting retail spaces, offering insights to those who work in and shape the optical industry every day.
The discussion will look towards the future of retail through one central question: how can the optical store evolve to remain relevant, distinctive and capable of creating value for the customer?
To attend the Talk, register for your SILMO pass: Get your pass
Speaker Biographies
Simona Finessi
After earning a degree in the humanities and gaining her first experience in journalism for national newspapers, in 1993 she began her career in publishing. Following an experience in the Professionals division of Gruppo Sole 24 ORE, in 2003 she acquired a publishing house and developed new editorial products, including the PLATFORM publishing brand. From 2011, she expanded her activities into the organisation of cultural and educational events, with a particular focus on optics, architecture and design. In 2017, she also launched public relations activities through the Casa Platform format, which originated in Milan and was subsequently extended to Rome, Genoa, London and Naples. She is currently Publisher of P.O. Platform Optic and Co-Editorial Director of Platform Architecture and Design.
Clément Blanchet
A French architect, teacher and critic, Clément Blanchet works across the fields of architecture, urbanism and cultural research. In 2014, he founded Clément Blanchet Architecture in Paris, a practice conceived as a laboratory for research and design in contemporary architecture and urbanism. After ten years at OMA, where he worked alongside Rem Koolhaas and also served as Director of OMA France, he now pursues an international practice spanning design, research and teaching.
Virginia Cucchi
An architect and Deputy Editor of Platform Architecture and Design, Virginia Cucchi works across architecture, design and the evolution of contemporary spaces. Her professional path combines design, research and communication, with experience gained in international contexts. Exposure to different cultural and design environments has contributed to developing a broad perspective on architecture and design, with a particular focus on new forms of retail and contemporary architectural languages.
