Ahead of the Paris event, we caught up with the team at theo to find out what they will be unveiling over the big show weekend. Known for its audacious approach to shape, colour and creative expression, the Belgian brand is preparing to take its distinctive design language in a new direction with the launch of theo on air whilst also announcing a brand new line by acclaimed industrial designer, Matali Crasset
SILMO represents an important moment in the theo calendar each year. What can you tell us about what is launching in September in 2026, it sounds different!? SILMO is traditionally the moment when theo not only presents new collections, but also introduces our new annual theme. This year, we’re going “on air”. With theo on air, we translate our mission to make people happy into the world of radio and broadcasting. theo sends out a signal of love that only really gains meaning when it is received and passed on.
We are also launching two new collections: WiFi and our new collaboration with Matali Crasset, ‘Les pleins et les vides’. ‘Les pleins et les vides’ is a bi-colour titanium collection in which form and empty space shape the design together. What isn’t there helps define what you see.
WiFi is about the invisible signals that connect people. Sometimes it is no more than a glance or a smile; sometimes an encounter grows into love, friendship or an entire network. That Digital Love takes shape in five stainless steel frames: Modem, Coax, Router, Fiber and Patch, with strategic cut-outs and a prominent acetate rim around the lenses. Five frames. One network. Invisible, yet tangible.
What aspect of theo on air particularly resonates for you this year, and how does it fit with the overall evolution of the brand? What particularly resonates is that theo on air finds a new way to express an idea that has been part of theo for almost forty years. It is not only about the product, but above all about what a theo can set in motion between people: compliments arise, smiles appear, conversations start, connections are real. The optician plays a crucial role in this. They know their customer, they look, listen, and understand which frame truly fits. In theo on air, the optician becomes the amplifier of our signal, helping people tune into the right frequency: the frame that doesn’t just fit well, but also sparks something. Above: theo on air – a new visual focus in an eye-catching soft colour palette
Can you explain how the theo on air concept will roll out? SILMO is the starting point. Traditionally, this is where we introduce our new annual theme to our customers for the first time and invite them to tune into the new theo frequency. From there, theo on air literally travels out into the world. After the launch, we share the storytelling and promotional materials with our independent opticians. More importantly, we want to inspire them to make the concept their own: in their stores, at trunk shows or in their communication with customers. That fits perfectly with the idea behind theo on air. theo sends out the first signal, the optician receives and amplifies it, and ultimately it is passed on by the person wearing a theo.
A new collection by Matali Crasset is also being unveiled. What can you tell us about this new release? Our collaboration with Matali began more than ten years ago. She wanted to design a pair of glasses for herself and approached several companies. There was an immediate connection with theo. She told us that she wanted to work with us because she recognised herself in our way of thinking. In 2015, we launched our first collection together in Paris.
That creative exchange has only grown stronger since then. Matali starts from an idea and doesn’t allow herself to be restricted by what may seem technically possible. Our designers and production partners then explore how we can translate that idea into a comfortable, wearable theo. She continues to surprise and challenge us. And we are already working together on two new concepts.
How does this collection fit into the world of theo as one of its most prized collaboration collections? We only collaborate with designers when there is a genuine connection. The interesting part is not simply asking someone to design a theo, but discovering what happens when different ideas and worlds come together. That works particularly well with Matali. You immediately recognise her distinctive perspective in everything she designs, yet the result also feels completely natural as a theo. Her way of looking at things challenges our own designers and production partners, while we bring our experience and way of thinking into the process.
It is precisely this exchange that makes the collaboration so valuable. The result is neither matali nor theo alone, but something that could only emerge when the two come together.
What is Matali’s vision in Les pleins et les vides? The title literally means “the full and the empty”. The collection starts from a very precise principle: what we see is shaped just as much by the space around a form as by the form itself. Presence and absence create tension and balance together. One gives meaning to the other. Matali describes this relationship as le champ de tension, the field of tension. Eyewear is actually a perfect object for exploring this idea. You have the lines of the frame, but also the open space around the eyes, the face and the lenses. In Negative, Vide, Positive, Tension, Connexion and Espace, form and space become equal parts of the design. The essence is very simple: what isn’t there shapes what is.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to at SILMO 2026? SILMO remains special for us because it is where you immediately sense whether something works. We spend years developing new collections and months building a new theme, but ultimately you do it for that moment when people see and experience it for the first time. Of course, we are looking forward to seeing how people respond to the new frames. But just as important is how our opticians react to theo on air. Do they connect with it? Does it inspire them to share the story and make it their own? Those first reactions are incredibly valuable. They tell us whether the signal is coming through clearly. And this year, we can even ask quite literally: message received?
To find out more about the world of theo, visit www.theo.be
