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Black Tomato is curating fairytale travel experiences

Take Me On a Story campaign by Black Tomato

New York – Bespoke travel platform Black Tomato is inviting families to immerse themselves in getaways inspired by children’s stories.

The luxury travel brand’s Take Me On a Story programme is targeted at families seeking new experiences, offering them bespoke trips based around popular children’s books. It was launched with travel experiences in the US, the UK, the British Virgin Islands, Morocco and Iceland. Each region aligns with different fairytale settings, such as a trip to Oxfordshire inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The trips will include activities such as mountain climbing and camping to fully immerse families in the fairytale-inspired worlds. According to Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato: ‘After the hardships of last year, being able to transport both children and adults into these rich, whimsical worlds feels like the ultimate joyful way to reconnect with family and welcome back the magic of travel.’

As the Millennial Family Travel market matures, this demographic is seeking bespoke forms of travel that allow them to be totally immersed in new worlds.

Prabal Gurung and Etsy spotlight homeware artisans

Etsy and Prabal Gurung collaboration. Photography by Anisha Sisodia

US – Fashion designer Prabal Gurung has partnered with online marketplace Etsy to create a home décor collection in collaboration with global artisans.

The homeware line takes inspiration from Prabal Gurung’s nomadic lifestyle, leaning on Etsy’s global community of makers to create a diverse range of products. Designed with 11 Etsy artisans based all over the world – including the US, India, Germany and the UK – each piece reflects the creator’s unique aesthetic and background. The collection features a range of table linen, hand-painted dinnerware and hand-made candles.

Gurung’s limited-edition collection is available to buy on the Etsy shopping platform, with accessible prices that start at just £20 ($28, €23). ‘This collection welcomes you to take a seat at the table and celebrate the art of living, with a worldly sensibility that shines a light on the diverse independent makers in the global Etsy community,’ explains Gurung.

Luxury brands such as Prabal Gurung are recognising the benefits of artisanal retail. For more, discover how ethical fashion and homeware brands have been supporting artisan suppliers throughout the pandemic.

Lidl is fighting period poverty with free products

Ireland – Supermarket chain Lidl Ireland is improving access to sanitary products for those in period poverty.

The initiative, which marks a first for the retail sector, will enable women to freely access products without financial barriers. Making use of the Lidl app, the supermarket is allowing its customers to claim a dedicated coupon in order to access one free box of sanitary pads or tampons each month.

‘The guiding principle of this initiative is the inherent respect for the dignity of all those concerned, and it is our hope that it will have an impact on those who would otherwise have to use less suitable materials or none at all,' explains Aoife Clarke, head of communications for Lidl Ireland. As part of the initiative, the retailer is also pledging to give quarterly donations of period products to homeless people.

By going beyond tokenistic efforts and overcoming financial barriers, Lidl sets an example of how Civic Brands can work towards eradicating period poverty.

Blume, US

Stat: Women across the globe are lacking sex education

Sexual wellness company Smile Makers has released a global study revealing the lack of sex education prevalent across the world.

The research shows that 28% of women globally did not receive any formal sex education, with the most significant lack of access in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia (32%) and Singapore (29%). Among those who did receive sex education, 75% say that it did not prepare them to understand their own pleasure.

The report also identifies that 63% of women who use a vibrator say that they are sexually satisfied, compared to 43% who don’t use the sex toys. Building on this disparity, those who have taken pleasure into their own hands were found to be more aware of their sexual wellbeing, with 80% of vibrator users considering sexual wellness to be important, versus 58% of people who don’t use vibrators.

With this in mind, health and wellness brands have an opportunity to reframe conversations around sex education to offer more realistic perspectives that centre on self-pleasure.