Need to Know
04 : 07 : 22

Milan – The luxury brand is injecting a hit of creativity into its flagship store, with a vehicular installation hosting a roster of rotating artists. Created by London design studios Brinkworth and The Wilson Brothers, the installation features a caravan-shaped artist studio and a sculptural structure suspended vertically through a void in the ground floor ceiling.

Taking inspiration from nomadic travel and utilitarian vehicles, the aim of the in-store activation is to enhance the retail experience and boost shopper dwell time. ‘The project was born out of a desire to offer something more to the modern-day consumer: an experience, a creative interaction as opposed to a mere retail transaction,’ the brand explains. ‘In this digital-first post-Covid era of shopping, it promises Marni’s community and customers something different.’

In this way, Marni tunes in to the tenets of Hyperphysical Stores, a shift that explores the ways that changing consumer needs are driving retailers to rethink bricks-and-mortar stores to be more engaging, sensorial and memorable.

US – Amid fresh anger about abortion laws in America, healthcare start-up Stix has introduced an emergency contraception pill for £31 ($38, €36). The pill, called Restart, is also being offered to women in need as part of a fund by Stix. To access the pill for free, women can either reach out directly to the brand or go through one of its non-profit partners, which currently include Jane’s Due Process in Texas and the Utah Abortion Fund.

Along with the pill and access fund, Stix is also rolling out a series of billboards near crisis pregnancy centres in America. Through this multi-faceted approach, the company aims to raise both national and global awareness of issues surrounding women’s abortion rights. While it recognises that emergency contraception isn’t a solution for anti-abortion laws, the pill and accompanying campaign aim to empower health decisions on an individual basis.

In this way, Stix is establishing itself as an essential life-stage brand that is taking measures to protect women's futures.

While cannabis use is still largely seen as a recreational habit, a new study dispels this myth. The research, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of cannabis products company Curaleaf, reveals that a majority (91%) of US adults aged 21 and over who consume cannabis do so for health and wellness purposes.

When asked about their health-related reasons for consuming cannabis, the top answers from respondents were: to relax (52%); to help with sleep (49%); to reduce stress (44%); and to reduce anxiety (41%). Interestingly, 62% said they would prefer to use cannabis rather than pharmaceuticals to treat a medical issue. These figures point to a future when cannabis use in medical environments will be increasingly embraced and accepted.

As more US states legalise cannabis consumption – and adopt it into medical practices – such findings help to shift the narrative around the historical stigma surrounding the plant. In a similar vein, we’ve previously explored how psychedelics are making waves in the wellness sector.