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Fashion label upcycles car parts for its latest collection

Rave Review and Škoda, Sweden

Sweden – Swedish fashion brand Rave Review has teamed up with Czech car manufacturer Škoda to unveil its latest collection incorporating upcycled car parts. Founders Josephine Bergqvist and Livia Schück drew inspiration from the great outdoors, using repurposed parts including car seats, seat belts and textiles to create the collection. The garments are also accompanied by upcycled vintage kilts and blankets, which emphasise the utilitarian motifs running throughout the collection.

A bomber jacket made from car seats is a key piece in the collection. It features a Škoda key made into a zipper, playing with elements of the great outdoors while remaining fashion forward. Rave Review intended to repurpose car parts into these unusual pieces to show the power of upcycling and demonstrate how high-quality materials can be obtained from unconventional places.

Upcycling allows the brand to breathe new life into old items, transforming them into something that can be worn and ‘brought back into the shape of something new and desirable,’ explains a Rave Review spokesperson. You can learn more about fashion and car collaborations in our microtrend, Repurposed Roadwear.

Strategic opportunity

Work with smaller brands that are pioneering innovation to retain relevance with Gen Z and Millennials. Collaboration opens new ways of thinking and will keep you ahead of the curve

A physical NFT gallery opens in Paris

NFT Factory, France

France – Located opposite the Pompidou Centre in Paris, a new space dedicated to non-fungible token (NFT) art and Web3 education aims to become the Soho House of Web3. Created by a collective of 128 founding members, the NFT Factory is designed to educate the wider public on digital assets, showcase NFT art and strengthen the French NFT presence via a physical venue in the cultural hub that is Paris’ fourth arrondissement.

The inaugural exhibition, Factory: Première!, features 50 pieces curated from the co-founders’ own NFT collections. The space also hosts weekly events, such as round tables on crypto art, a crypto comedy club, and talks on legislation and entrepreneurship. The venue plans to offer Web3 training for individuals and companies.

‘The NFT Factory was born from the need to bring together the key actors and actresses of NFTs, in art but also gaming, luxury, finance and the metaverse,’ says Lucie-Éléonore Riveron, managing director of the NFT Factory.

Such physical spaces dedicated to Web3 allow Crypto-cliques to gather, but also make NFTs appear more accessible to the broader, crypto-unknowledgeable public.

Strategic opportunity

Educating consumers is key to democratising NFTs, and taking to the high street to do so is a great way to make Web3 less intimidating and attract newcomers

Givaudan launches a retinol alternative

Switzerland – Although it’s been celebrated as an effective anti-ageing ingredient, retinol can cause irritation, redness and dryness. Taking aim at these unpleasant side effects, Swiss beauty giant Givaudan has launched a natural retinol challenger, Siliphos.

Extracted by green fractionation from milk thistle fruits, Siliphos is said to offer the same anti-ageing benefits as retinoids without any of the drawbacks. The brand is hoping to tap into the market of people who enjoy the wrinkle reduction benefits of retinoids, but don’t want to worry about the potential side effects.

‘Siliphos is the first natural alternative to retinoids and bakuchiol capable of providing well-ageing benefits comparable to retinol. Extracted from Silybum marianum Gaertn fruit, it acts directly on collagen production to provide a natural, safe and efficient skincare solution, suitable for even the most delicate skins,’ says Giada Maramaldi, botanical actives category manager for Givaudan Active Beauty.

By using natural ingredients to achieve the same effects as retinoids, Givaudan is tapping into the power of Bio-positive Beauty, designing products that are suitable for even sensitive skin types.

Givaudan, France

Strategic opportunity

How can companies take a hybrid approach to clean beauty and change the narrative on chemicals? Emphasise the potential environmental benefits of using alternatives to chemicals

Stat: Young adults in China are buying more wine

Poytonic branded by KR8 Bureau, Austria

China – A report by consultancy GlobalData reveals that Chinese Millennials and Gen Z have a new-found taste for wine, consequently reshaping the local wine market by wielding their considerable purchasing power to satisfy their cravings.

Consumption habits evolve at lightning speed in China and can snowball on global markets. Youth’s increased interest in wine is driving the market’s growth, set to soar by 72% by 2026 to reach £55.2bn (Rmb462.4bn, $63.5bn, €64.1bn). In comparison, the entire Asia-Pacific wine market is expected to grow by 43% in the same period.

‘Wine is becoming a popular alcoholic drink among Chinese consumers, owing to its perceived health and beauty benefits, and the influence of Western lifestyle habits,’ explains Bobby Verghese, a consumer analyst at GlobalData.

China has traditionally been a large market for high-end wine and the revival of young people’s interest in wine opens up new opportunities. Now is a good time to ensure that wine branding resonates with younger demographics, and that retailers and wine-makers are using the right communication channels to reach their targeted customers.

Strategic opportunity

Tap into Chinese youth’s taste for wine. Building brand awareness and loyalty can shape their consumption habits in the long term, so adapt product offerings, marketing and branding to suit this generation’s preferences