Sergio Cereda Eyewear Design Award Unveils Top 10 Contenders Ahead of MIDO 2026

Tuesday, January 20 2026 | 14 h 58 min | News

As Milan prepares for a landmark year that will see the city host both the world’s leading eyewear trade show and the Winter Olympic Games, the Sergio Cereda Eyewear Design Award has announced its Top 10 Contenders for the 2026 edition of the competition.

The announcement comes as anticipation builds for Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games and MIDO | Milano Eyewear Show, two global events that together frame a rare moment of cultural, athletic, and design convergence for Italy.

Founded by eyewear industry veteran Harvey Ross in memory of his longtime friend and business partner Sergio Cereda, the award is presented by the Viva Ross Family Foundation in partnership with MIDO and the Cereda family. This year’s competition marked a record level of participation, with 101 student submissions from around the world, reflecting the growing international reach of the program.

An Olympic-Inspired Brief

For 2026, students were challenged to design Olympic-inspired optical and sunglass concepts, conceived for winter sport performance, extreme environmental conditions, and contemporary style. The brief intentionally mirrored the unique alignment of the Olympic Games being held in Italy alongside the global eyewear industry’s most important annual exhibition.

Ross said the response from emerging designers was both overwhelming and deeply personal.

“I am deeply moved by the response from so many young designers—designers who would have made Sergio incredibly proud. Sergio was a true pioneer at a time when eyewear was just beginning to be recognized as a major fashion accessory… It is the mission of my foundation to ensure that Sergio Cereda’s legacy lives on and that his name is never forgotten in the world of eyewear design.”

Top 10 Contenders (Unranked)

The following designers have been selected as the Top 10 Contenders for the 2026 Sergio Cereda Eyewear Design Award:

• Elisa Albertini — LABA | Libera Accademia di Belle Arti di Brescia (Italy)
• Connor Bybee — Savannah College of Art and Design (USA)
• Anping Chu — Istituto Marangoni Milano Design School (Italy)
• Gustav Craft — Istituto Marangoni (Italy)
• Camille Ferreira — Istituto Marangoni Milano (Italy)
• Megan Broad Merkel — Savannah College of Art and Design (USA)
• Mahra Mustafa — Istituto Marangoni Milano Design (Italy)
• Alessandro Oberti — LABA (Italy)
• Giada Tosana — LABA | Libera Accademia di Belle Arti di Brescia (Italy)
• Leon Voegtle — Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel (Germany)

Awards, Exhibition, and Live Ceremony at MIDO

The Top Three designers will receive monetary awards of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500, with final rankings revealed live during the awards ceremony:

Awards Ceremony
Saturday, January 31, 2026 | 4:00 PM
The Vision Stage, Hall 1
MIDO | Milano Eyewear Show

In addition to the ceremony, the Top Three designs will be exhibited in The Vision Stage Lounge at MIDO, alongside original Sergio Cereda prototypes and archival sketches. The installation is intended to create a direct dialogue between Cereda’s legacy and the next generation of eyewear designers.

All participating students are invited to attend and network with jurors, professors, manufacturers, and global eyewear leaders throughout the event.

Industry Voices on the Importance of the Award

Lorraine Berton, President of MIDO and ANFAO, emphasized the broader significance of the award:

“This award reflects the very spirit of MIDO — where heritage, innovation, and future vision meet. In a symbolic year for Milan and for Italy, giving space to young designers who can unite performance, design culture, and storytelling means investing in the future of our industry.”

Stefania Cereda Oppermann, Design Consultant with the EssilorLuxottica North America Product Team, highlighted the personal dimension of the brief:

“The brief was Olympic-inspired, but at its heart, this competition was about understanding my father — his curiosity, his rigor, and his respect for craftsmanship.”

Industry consultant Ketty Cereda added that the strongest projects combined creativity with purpose, reflecting values central to Sergio Cereda’s approach to design.

International Jury

The Top 10 Contenders were selected by an international jury of eyewear industry leaders, including executives, designers, and brand founders from across the global eyewear landscape.

With the final announcement set for January at MIDO, the Sergio Cereda Eyewear Design Award once again positions itself as a meaningful platform for recognizing emerging talent and reinforcing the link between heritage, innovation, and the future of eyewear design.

Click HERE for the press release.

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!