News 16.12.2020

Need to Know

RTFKT’s fluid phygital sneaker sells in online auction, Feets destigmatises foot care for men and time in lockdown broadens job ambitions for young Britons.

A phygital sneaker that evolves with online bids

The X by RTFKT

Global – The X Evolutions is a unique trainer created by RTFKT, a collective of phygital creators, that evolves through an AI (artificial intelligence) painting technique.

Marking the first evolutive digital sneaker ever to be created, the procedural technique played out during an online auction on RTFKT’s MetaGrail platform. Designed in collaboration with artist MGSX, the final design sold for over £9,700 ($13,000, €10,500) via blockchain currency Ethereum. The X Evolutions final design includes a physical sneaker, a digital iteration that can be worn as an avatar in Sandbox and a version for an AR try-on experiences on Snapchat.

The AI technique results in an entirely unique design that can exist in multiple formats. Through blockchain technology, designers, buyers and sellers are granted a form of generative ownership that remains nascent in the realm of virtual trading.

With decentralised brand economies coming to the fore, we spoke to Drew Harding and Hammad Jutt, co-founders of MetaFactory, to explore more about cryptocurrency and its potential to redefine retail.

This digital platform gamifies vulva acceptance

Different Is Normal app by Thompson Brand Partners for Brook, UK Different Is Normal app by Thompson Brand Partners for Brook, UK
Different Is Normal app by Thompson Brand Partners for Brook, UK Different Is Normal app by Thompson Brand Partners for Brook, UK

UK – Studio Thompson Brand Partners has unveiled Love Your Vulva, a web app that aims to educate young people about their vulvas.

Developed for sexual health charity Brook in partnership with healthcare brand Canesten, the online quizzes and activities virtualise the in-school learning that Brook was unable to conduct in 2020 due to Covid-19. The app covers a wide range of vagina-related content including body confidence, pleasure and female genital mutilation (FGM). Even including a ‘build your own vulva’ feature where users can create personalised vaginas digitally while learning how to label their own sexual organs.

Using design to draw the line between scientific and cartoonish imagery, the app seeks to be approachable as well as informative. Opting out of traditional search engines displaying ‘reams and reams of text on a page’ and intentionally incorporating elements of play within the platform, the app is designed to be as interactive as possible.

A wave of design-savvy initiatives like this are challenging the taboo around feminine hygiene. For more discover The Vagina Reconsidered.

Feets’ foot masks encourage male self-care

Feets Feets

US – Feets is a new brand that encourages men to take better care of their feet.

Launching with a simple foot mask, the brand plans to expand its offering to an assortment of foot care essentials tailored to the specific preferences of men. The Hydrating Foot Mask, offered in packs of three, is available in larger sizes than common footmasks available for women – up to a size 14. Combining tea tree, witch hazel and ginger, among other ingredients, the masks are designed to provide a simple and effective way of revitalising dry feet.

'Seeing the trend of more men getting pedicures at spas and salons, we really thought there was an opportunity to create a line of foot care products that helped men take care of their feet,' explains Jay Bhankharia, co-founder of Feets.

After a rise in Middle Man wellness, new products are emerging in less common parts of men's care routines, such as their feet, in a bid to destigmatise this side of personal care.

Stat: Furlancing hints at the future of work

Finding a Digital Letter-form by Gang Buron-Yi Finding a Digital Letter-form by Gang Buron-Yi

According to a poll by banking app Anna and YouGov, young people on furlough in the UK have entrepreneurial ambitions amid life in lockdown.

When surveyed, 19% of 18–34-year-olds said they plan to start a business or go self-employed within 12 months, while 29% said they are thinking about setting up their own business and 12% are looking to set up a side hustle alongside their current job.

The research coins the term ‘furlancer’ to describe those who have been furloughed due to the pandemic and are starting new businesses to make extra money. As unemployment rises and excess free time becomes the norm, the report suggests that the move towards multiple jobs will be commonplace for young Britons.

For more on how young people, especially Generation Z, are using lockdown to re-evaluate their career goals, see our recent macrotrend, Reformation Generation.

Previous News Articles
Arabian Travel Market 2025: Connected transport and cruise tourism

News

Arabian Travel Market 2025: Connected transport and cruise tourism

Day three of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 cast a spotlight on the evolving role of connected transport and the booming cruise sector in shaping...
Travel : Middle East Travel : Global Events
Stat: Kenya and Egypt lead Africa’s accelerating AI investment race

News

Stat: Kenya and Egypt lead Africa’s accelerating AI investment race

New research from cybersecurity company Fortinet reveals that 85% of African businesses across five key markets plan to invest in AI within the nex...
Statistic : Stat : Egypt
Future Days 2025: How TimeOut turned a magazine into a destination food market

News

Future Days 2025: How TimeOut turned a magazine into a destination food market

Just days after a climate-induced power outage plunged Portugal into darkness, Lisbon emerged as a beacon of resilience and innovation with the ope...
Global Events : Sustainability : Placemaking
Arabian Travel Market 2025: The power of human and spiritual connection

News

Arabian Travel Market 2025: The power of human and spiritual connection

Day two of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 continued to spotlight the future of global tourism with a strong focus on human, cultural and spir...
Travel : Travel & Hospitality : Global Events
ChatGPT expands into e-commerce

News

ChatGPT expands into e-commerce

OpenAI has announced the launch of new shopping features within ChatGPT.
Technology : Retail : AI
Stat: American Gen Z are more optimistic about finances than their elders

News

Stat: American Gen Z are more optimistic about finances than their elders

Young people are surprisingly optimistic about their personal finances, reveals new data from the NBC News Stay Tuned Poll, powered by SurveyMonkey.
Politics : Finance : Economy
Arabian Travel Market 2025: AI and accessible tourism

News

Arabian Travel Market 2025: AI and accessible tourism

LS:N Global reviews the most innovative discussions, impactful presentations and new product showcases seen at The Arabian Travel Market 2025 ...
Travel : Travel & Hospitality : Global Events
Stat: Consumers are willing to pay more for brands they trust

News

Stat: Consumers are willing to pay more for brands they trust

More than two-thirds of consumers in the US, the UK and Australia are willing to pay an average of 25% more for their favourite brands, according t...
Retail : Advertising And Branding : Value
Heineken launches innovation studio to supercharge social drinking

News

Heineken launches innovation studio to supercharge social drinking

Brewing company Heineken has launched Heineken Studio, a new experimental platform designed to redefine the social drinking experience.
Hospitality : Food And Drink : Beer
BritBox reveals 14-hour one-shot film tribute to British tv

News

BritBox reveals 14-hour one-shot film tribute to British tv

In a bold stand against CGI and AI imagery, BritBox’s latest campaign See It Differently brings back the magic of real-time filmmaking.
Britbox : Storytelling : Interactive Storytelling
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN