News 03.12.2019

Need to Know

Universal Standard launches a free community space, AI is helping people to find their perfect whisky, and why consumers are gifting second-hand this Christmas.

Orrery rethinks how menus communicate flavour

Orrery bar menu designed by DutchScot
Orrery bar menu designed by DutchScot
Orrery bar menu designed by DutchScot

London – The Marylebone restaurant has a new visual identity inspired by planetary orbits.

Designed by DutchScot, the rebranding centres around the planetary system, playing on the eponymous word orrery – a scale mechanical model of the solar system. As well as a new logo, the studio collaborated with artist Jemma Lewis to create a series of marbled prints for the restaurant’s menus, coasters and wall art.

The prints are inspired by the feel of items on the menu, from cocktails to dishes such as crab and wasabi. The aim for Orrery is to translate the flavours, colours and ingredients of each dish, imagining a new way of representing food and drink in an abstract way that diners will simultaneously understand.

Restaurateurs and designers are experimenting with unusual ways of visualising what we eat and drink, as explored in our design direction Future Foodscapes.

Universal Standard unveils a community clubhouse

Universal Standard 1:1, New York Universal Standard 1:1, New York
Universal Standard 1:1, New York Universal Standard 1:1, New York

New York – The concept store moonlights as a free events space for the local community.

Renowned for its inclusive approach to sizing, Universal Standard’s new store on Mercer Street doubles as a community space, with the option for customers to reserve it for free for their own personal use. As well as lending itself to intimate dinners with friends, book clubs, exhibitions or networking events, the brand will curate regular local programming.

Entitled Universal Standard 1:1, the store concept hopes to make shopping an experience rather than simply a transaction. ‘Universal Standard is about access, period. And the community we see coming together in these spaces all over the country is everything we intended to bring into being when we started our company,’ says Alexandra Waldman, co-founder and chief creative officer.

As we enter the 2020s, the retail experience will change as brands are re-imagined as service providers, repurposing their spaces for a civic purpose after hours.

Diageo turns to AI to galvanise whisky discovery

Global – Drinks group Diageo is helping consumers to navigate the world of single malt whiskies with a little help from machine learning.

Debuting in nine markets, the What’s Your Whisky digital platform asks 11 questions in order to understand individuals’ taste and flavour preferences, from sweet and fruity to smoky and spicy. Questions such as ‘do you like piña coladas?’ and ‘how do you feel about chillies?’ are presented on a sliding scale, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning used to build a personal FlavorPrint for each respondent. A series of corresponding whisky recommendations are then presented from brands including Talisker, Mortlach and Lagavulin.

What’s Your Whisky is also designed to drive curiosity and discovery with a series of QR codes set to appear in bars, restaurants and shops, encouraging consumers to take part in the survey to instantly find their ideal whisky.

As explored in our new food and drink macrotrend Home Eatertainment, artificial intelligence and machine learning could soon shape our flavour preferences, based on what we see others consuming and sharing online.

Diageo

Stat: Second-hand gifting could rise this Christmas

As concerns about mass consumption multiply, used clothing is increasingly becoming an acceptable gift, according to a survey by Accenture. The US study found that nearly half (48%) of consumers would consider giving second-hand clothing as gifts, while 56% would welcome gifts of these kind for themselves.

With a climate emergency imminent, fashion rental is also booming. One third (34%) of older Millennials say they are likely or extremely likely to rent garments for Christmas parties, demonstrating how Americans are taking a more considerd approach to over-consumption this holiday season.

Fuelled by the spending power of eco-conscious Millennial and Generation Z consumers, the market for reselling fashion is on the rise. For more, read our Market.

Previous News Articles
The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

News

The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion has launched Reskinning Reality, the UK’s first 3D garment volumetric capture service ai...
Fashion : Technology : Virtual Fashion
Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

News

Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

Premium beauty brand Elemis is stepping further into the world of Formula 1 with the launch of four exclusive skincare collections in partnership w...
Aston Martin : Elemis : Formula 1
Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

News

Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

Over half of cinema executives in the US believe the traditional cinema model will no longer be viable within the next 20 years, according to a new...
Movies : Entertainment : Stat
 New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

News

New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

A new retail concept is putting women’s sport centre stage this summer.
Sports : Retail : Fashion
Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday : Fashion : Sustainability
Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

News

Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

Despite driving an estimated £25 trillion ($31.8 trillion, €29.4 trillion) in global discretionary spending, nearly half of women worldwide say bra...
Branding & Advertising : Brands : Retail
Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

News

Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

Dutch design studio Modem has unveiled Dream Recorder, an AI-powered device that transforms spoken memories of dreams into cinematic video se...
Technology : Modem : Dreams
Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

News

Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

Australia has approved its first lab-grown meat products, with Sydney-food-tech start-up Vow set to serve cultured quail dishes in upscale restaura...
Cultivated Meat : Lab-grown Meat : Lab Grown
Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

News

Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

According to UBS’s 2025 Global Wealth Report, more than 1,000 people became millionaires every day in America in 2024.
Wealth : Society : The Great Wealth Transfer
Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

News

Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

As Instagram approaches its 15th anniversary, the platform has launched a new campaign spotlighting creativity on social media. Entitled Anyway, th...
Instagram : Social Media : Creativity
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