News 14.10.2019

Need to Know

Strange Bird combines Chinese skincare with wellbeing mantras, M&S plants IoT-connected vertical farms in stores, and tech leaves a bad taste for diners.

Topshop turns care labels into wellbeing manifestos

Topshop and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) collection, campaign by Havas London
Topshop and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) collection, campaign by Havas London
Topshop and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) collection, campaign by Havas London

UK – Coinciding with World Mental Health Day, clothing retailers Topshop and Topman have launched a series of garments promoting self-care.

Targeting younger consumers, the brands have partnered with mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on a range of T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts. The designs take cues from clothing care tags that normally provide washing instructions; instead the oversized labels encourage wearers to take better care of themselves by sharing problems, taking time to ‘iron them out with a mate’, and if they’re ‘feeling completely spun out’ to call CALM's helpline.

Priced from £16 to £35, a donation of £5 from each item purchased will be given to CALM to support its helpline and webchat service. The clothing collection is part of the wider campaign led by Havas London, #LetWhatsInsideOut, urging people to reach out to friends, family or CALM’s services.

Topman in particular is demonstrating how a men’s retail brand can help to destigmatise notions of the sad boy, using fashion as a marker of progress and openness.

Alchemic skincare with a spiritual edge

Strange Bird Strange Bird
Strange Bird Strange Bird

US – Emerging skincare brand Strange Bird unites consumers’ rising interest in spirituality with traditional Chinese beauty regimes.

Created by life coach Tina Rudolf, the brand aims to turn skin cleansing into a daily wellbeing ritual – something she calls Positive Impact Skincare. The range, which includes the Inner Clarity Cleanser and Inner Balance Serum, takes inspiration from the skincare routines of Rudolf’s Chinese mother and grandmother. Its ingredients include ginger, ginseng and goji berries, alongside mineral essences from rose quartz, amethyst and clear quartz crystals.

To elevate skincare routines ‘into a ritual of self love’, each product is inscribed with a mantra and a spiritual prompt. ‘Strange Bird combines ancient Chinese beauty traditions with high vibrational alchemy to help women create a daily practice that supports their skin goals and their life goals,’ Rudolf explains.

With traditional Chinese medicine tipped to be a growth market in the 2020s, Strange Bird represents a new direction in Ritualistic Beauty.

Vertical farms to grow Marks & Spencer’s services

UK – Retailer Marks & Spencer is planting intelligent vertical farming units in a number of UK stores, providing customers with access to fresh, shop-grown herbs.

With the aim of reducing food miles, the retailer is working with Infarm, a vertical farming specialist that uses machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to create the optimal growing conditions.

The consumer-facing units allow M&S Food customers to hand-pick Italian, Greek and Bordeaux basils, mint, curly parsley and mountain coriander as they shop. The units will adjust the light, air and nutrients provided to the herb plants, using a cloud-based platform to continuously learn and ensure each plant grows better than the last.

Explaining the launch, Paul Willgoss, director of food technology for M&S Food, says: ‘We operate as part of a complex global food supply chain and want to understand the emerging technologies that could help provide more sustainable solutions.'

Infarm’s vertical farming will roll-out to a further six London M&S stores by the end of the year, demonstrating New Urban Farms in action.

Marks & Spencer Urban Farm, Clapham Junction

Stat: Technology leaves American diners cold

The presence of order kiosks and contactless ‘wallet payments' in restaurants is spoiling hospitality, according to fresh research from Mintel.

In a survey of American consumer attitudes, 28% agree that technology is ruining hospitality. In terms of specific technologies that are leaving diners cold, nearly half (48%) have not used and are not interested in trying mobile wallet payment options, while two in five (40%) who are not interested in using kiosks to order food say they avoid using kiosks because they prefer human interaction.

‘The majority of Americans are not interested in fully-automated restaurant concepts mainly because they prefer human interaction,’ notes Jill Failla, foodservice analyst at Mintel. ‘However, on-premise restaurant technology offers operators multifaceted solutions to growing labour challenges and consumer demand for speedy service.’

As we look to a future in which convenience-led technology becomes ubiquitous in hospitality and retail, human service could be transformed into the ultimate luxury.

Previous News Articles
James Turrell brings light and space to Saudi Arabia’s Wadi AlFann

News

James Turrell brings light and space to Saudi Arabia’s Wadi AlFann

Saudi Arabia’s Wadi AlFann (Valley of the Arts) is holding a landmark exhibition celebrating James Turrell’s mastery of light and perception as par...
Design : Travel & Hospitality : Architecture
Adidas Originals unveils premium line A-Type

News

Adidas Originals unveils premium line A-Type

Adidas Originals has introduced A-Type, an evolving collection that re-imagines the brand’s most iconic designs with premium craftsmanship.
Luxury : Sports & Leisure : Fashion
Stat: Europeans prioritise wellness over sustainability in food choices

News

Stat: Europeans prioritise wellness over sustainability in food choices

A new survey from the EIT Food Consumer Observatory reveals a declining focus on sustainability in European diets, with only 9% of respondents prio...
Sustainability : Food & Drink : Society
Aesop’s new Hainan store uses algae to elevate the luxury retail experience

News

Aesop’s new Hainan store uses algae to elevate the luxury retail experience

Luxury cosmetic brand Aesop’s latest store, in Hainan, is pushing the boundaries of sustainable design, using algae to create an immersive, ocean-i...
Retail : Beauty : Design
Conceivable Life Sciences is transforming IVF with robotics and AI

News

Conceivable Life Sciences is transforming IVF with robotics and AI

Conceivable Life Sciences – the biotech company using AI to revolutionise IVF – has secured £14.3m ($18m, €17.2m) in funding led by Artis Ventures,...
Technology : Health & Wellness : Society
Stat: Fragrance becomes the second-largest luxury beauty category in 2024

News

Stat: Fragrance becomes the second-largest luxury beauty category in 2024

Fragrance took centre stage in beauty retail in 2024, emerging as the second-largest category in prestige beauty behind make-up, according to year-...
Beauty : Luxury : Retail
LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

News

LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

Meet our new AI tool, Ember.
The Future Laboratory
Opera Air turns browsing into a mindful experience

News

Opera Air turns browsing into a mindful experience

Norwegian software company Opera is reimagining web browsing with the launch of Opera Air, a first-of-its-kind browser designed around mindfulness.
Health & Wellness : Technology : Pop-culture & Media
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we wrap up the topics, issues, ideas and viral moments everyone’s been discussing. This week, deputy foresight editor Dan Hastings de...
Society : Pop-culture & Media : Technology
Stat: Consumers admit to choosing inaction on climate change due to eco-guilt

News

Stat: Consumers admit to choosing inaction on climate change due to eco-guilt

More than a quarter of people (28%) in 31 countries fall into the category of ‘anxious inactives’, according to the latest GlobeScan Healthy & ...
Society : Sustainability : Retail
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN