EyewearFebruary 23, 2026
This week, The Last Optical founder Stacey Plank is heading to New York City for one of the most important events on the independent eyewear calendar: the LOFT Eyewear Shows, taking place March 5–7 in the Chelsea and Hudson Yards district of Manhattan. Now in its 26th year, LOFT brings together more than 150 independent eyewear collections from around the world — and Stacey will be there to hand-select the next wave of frames for our Montgomery, NY boutique.
For Stacey, these buying trips are not just about placing orders. They are about touching every frame, meeting the designers behind the collections, understanding the materials and craftsmanship firsthand, and finding pieces that will genuinely serve our patients. It is the difference between curating and simply stocking shelves.
LOFT NYC 2026 — two venues, one walkable eyewear district in Chelsea
What Is LOFT?
LOFT Eyewear Shows is the premier independent luxury eyewear event in North America. Founded in 2000 by Richard Mewha, it was born from a simple idea: bring together like-minded independent designers who share a passion for creating exceptional eyewear — sometimes funky, sometimes classic, always well-made — and connect them directly with the independent retailers who know how to fit and style them.
This year's New York edition unfolds across two closely connected venues on 28th Street: the familiar Chelsea Industrial (535–551 W 28th St) and the new High Line Nine (508 W 28th St), located just 100 yards apart. The short walk between venues is part of the experience, turning the surrounding neighborhood into an extension of the show itself.
LOFT is also the anchor of New York Eyewear Design Week, a citywide initiative that transforms Manhattan into a distributed eyewear experience. Alongside LOFT, attendees can visit showrooms and events hosted by Kering Eyewear, Thélios, Marcolin, and others — plus a three-day continuing education program sponsored by ZEISS and 20/20 Magazine.
Continuing Education: Staying at the Cutting Edge
Beyond the buying floor, Stacey will be attending complimentary CE (Continuing Education) classes offered daily at Chelsea Industrial. These sessions, delivered in collaboration with the Opticians Alliance of New York and Kayla Ashlee of Spexy, cover the latest in lens technology, fitting techniques, and patient care.
For an optician who has been in the industry since 1998, continuing education is not a checkbox — it is a commitment. The optical world evolves constantly: new lens coatings, digital measurement tools, advances in dry eye treatment, and shifts in frame engineering all require staying current. When Stacey returns from New York, she brings back not just new frames but new knowledge that directly benefits every patient who walks through our door.
The LOFT show floor — where opticians meet designers face-to-face. Photo: The Eyewear Forum
What Stacey Is Looking For
Several of the brands we already carry at The Last Optical will be exhibiting at LOFT this year. Stacey will be meeting with designers from Lindberg, Face à Face, Lunor, L.A. Eyeworks, Sabine Be, Bevel, OGI, Anne et Valentin, and Theo, among others — reviewing their latest collections and selecting pieces that complement what we already offer.
But the real excitement of LOFT is discovery. With 150+ collections under one roof, including brands from France, Japan, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the UK, Canada, and Austria, there is always something unexpected. Stacey has a sharp eye for frames that combine exceptional build quality with distinctive design — the kind of eyewear you will not find at a chain store or online retailer.
Some of the things she will be evaluating:
- New colorways and materials — exclusive acetates, lightweight titanium innovations, and mixed-material designs
- Emerging designers — independent brands making their first appearance at LOFT
- Limited editions — small-batch releases that will not be available through mass-market channels
- Prescription-friendly designs — frames engineered to handle complex prescriptions, progressives, and high-index lenses
Why This Matters for Our Patients
When Stacey buys at LOFT, she is not ordering from a catalog or clicking through a wholesale website. She is holding each frame, testing the hinges, examining the finish, and asking the designer about the inspiration and construction. That hands-on selection process is what separates The Last Optical from every other optical shop in the Hudson Valley.
In the coming weeks, you will start seeing new arrivals in our Montgomery boutique — frames that were chosen specifically for our patient base, with the same care and intention that goes into every fitting we do. If you have been thinking about updating your eyewear, this is the perfect time to book a visit and be among the first to see what Stacey brings back from New York.
LOFT Eyewear Shows — the premier independent luxury eyewear event since 2000
Stay Tuned
Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes glimpses from the show floor, and keep an eye on our News page for a full recap when Stacey returns. We cannot wait to share what she finds.
LOFT Eyewear Shows New York 2026 runs March 5–7 at Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine on 28th Street, Manhattan. Learn more at lofteyewearshow.com.
