Need to Know
06 : 10 : 22

US – Denouncing America’s daily firearm casualties, Mother Goods has introduced Kickback, a line of bullet-resistant amenities and loungewear.

Designers Tian Wang and Teague Miller partnered with fashion designer Minnie Park from Mirae Studio to create the collection of ‘loungewear built for inaction’. The entire Kickback line is made with Kevlar, a synthetic fibre that is bullet-proof and knife-proof.

Soon available to purchase, the hand-crafted bathrobes are lined with ballistic aramid fibre body plates, offering protection and tranquillity needed in a country where ‘you can get shot by anyone, anywhere, at any time’. The robe comes with matching slippers to shield the wearer from self-inflicted accidents and is reportedly comfortable ‘unlike the truth’, according to the product description.

Through this collaboration, designers weaved in their know-how and used satire to call out America’s looming gun violence problem ­– an example of how Elastic Brands successfully respond and adapt to the social climate.

Global – Vogue titles around the world have unveiled Vogue Meta-Ocean, a virtual fantasy oceanic world that presents works from a diverse range of digital artists, including 3D designers accredited by global Vogue titles.

Meta-Ocean was first introduced by Vogue China to build on a previous creation by the magazine, Infni+. An avatar featured on the cover of a companion title was designed by artist Cattin Tsai, laying the foundations for the digital world. For Tsai, the virtual ocean serves as a space to start conversations about endangered marine life, as well as representing the global scale of the project. The experience is part of a wider project exploring the theme Fashion’s New World, an exploration of current shifts in culture and artists.

Magazines have always been authority figures in showcasing cutting-edge talent and other-worldly ideas and this project demonstrates Vogue’s continuing relevance in the digital fashion sector. Meta-Ocean also represents editorials in a 3D space and highlights growing interest in digital fashion outside the gaming world.

UK – As energy price hikes and inflation escalate, non-profit organisation the Money Advice Trust has conducted research on the biggest financial challenges that lie ahead for UK households.

The Money Advice Trust polled 2,000 UK adults in August 2022 to give an updated snapshot of how Britons are managing the increased financial strain. The report finds that one in five adults (10.9m people) are behind on at least one bill payment, and 14% of the UK’s population have already sold personal or household items to cover their bills.

‘Many households are already facing impossible choices, such as which meal to skip just to keep the lights on. With the impact of this crisis not being felt equally, further targeted support is needed for those on the lowest incomes,’ says Joanna Elson CBE, CEO of the Money Advice Trust, in response to the report’s findings.

At The Future Laboratory, we are continuing to monitor the cost of living crisis, looking at how brands can support their communities in times of turmoil.