News 19.07.2021

Need to Know

ITA Leisure is reclaiming leisure for people of colour, Bloomie’s turns department store into a micro-store and how Gen Z are redefining beauty retail.

ITA Leisure is bringing the outdoors to everyone

ITA Leisure, US
ITA Leisure, US
ITA Leisure, US

US The next-generation leisure brand has launched a collection of outdoor goods to engage those who have long felt ignored by the sector – namely Black and brown communities. Growing up lacking in exposure to the outdoors, founder Jade Akintola was inspired to build a brand around access, education and rejuvenation for all.

ITA Leisure has launched the Beach & Park collection, with items ranging from outdoor tables and chairs to towels and blankets. To centre inclusivity in the design process, the brand is working with designers who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of colour, ensuring the diverse traditions and cultures are treated with care. Future collections will focus on other activities with barriers to entry, including camping, hiking and gardening. By doing this, Akintola is working to diversify access to nature.

ITA Leisure acknowledges the modern structures that restrict people of colour from engaging in outdoor activities, positioning the role of leisure as a radical act for these communities. ‘The outdoors is anything but uniform, and ITA is created with Black and brown experiences in mind. Ultimately, this is a discussion on leisure and an invitation to embrace it,’ says Akintola.

Strategic opportunity

As citizens’ relationship with Earth changes, and people reappreciate the healing powers of nature, the problem of equal access remains. As a brand, find ways to remove barriers to entry and reposition outdoor activities as a right, not a luxury

Rotaro and Airbnb make travel wardrobes sustainable

Rotaro in partnership with Airbnb, London Rotaro in partnership with Airbnb, London
Rotaro in partnership with Airbnb, London Rotaro in partnership with Airbnb, London

UK – Fashion rental platform, Rotaro has teamed up with Airbnb to launch a series of sustainable fashion events listed under the travel platform’s Social Impact Experiences, with all proceeds going to reforestation charity, Protect Earth.

From sustainable styling sessions to panel discussions on how to consume fashion more mindfully, Rotaro’s experiences will focus on sustainability, community and curation. Costing £15 ($20, €17.50) per person, the experiences will be hosted at the rental service’s newly launched zero-waste pop-up in Carnaby Street, London.

The partnership aims to help people experiment with fashion rental while travelling, thereby reducing wasteful consumption. ‘With so many single-use outfits being bought around holidays and weddings, it felt natural to work with Airbnb to encourage guests, when travelling, to dress more sustainably,’ says Georgie Hyatt, co-founder and CEO of Rotaro.

As travel starts to slowly resume, the travel and fashion industries are seeing the return of Voyage Apparel. In response, new opportunities are opening up in the fashion rental sector – something explored in our upcoming fashion rental market.

Strategic Opportunity

The travel sector’s recovery presents a chance for fashion brands and services to collaborate with hotels and travel platforms in new ways. In particular, fashion rental can be reframed as a sustainable travel solution.

Bloomingdale’s scales down with a casual micro-store

Fairfax, Virginia – Using its long-standing pet name, Bloomies is the department store’s first downscaled retail format. By offering a high curated and ever-evolving range, the new concept can react quickly to local tastes while also experimenting with novel in-store technologies.

Bloomie’s is built around three retail concepts: a tighter fashion offering featuring an ‘approachable’ selection of premium and designer brands; convenience in the form of a Returns Dropbox, kerbside order pick-up and personalisation services; and technology, with digital-first customer service that allows staff to help digital customers simultaneously. It also features a tech-enabled stylist service model and a restaurant experience.

Recognising that its future lies in stripping back its big-box department store format, Bloomingdale’s is championing Micro-mmunity Retail. By focusing on the hyper-local needs of these experimental neighbourhood shopfronts, the store can keep abreast of behaviour changes in its customer base and respond accordingly.

Bloomie’s by Bloomingdale’s, Virginia

Strategic opportunity

Bigger is no longer better when it comes to the retail experience. Rather than expecting customers to flock to your store, follow where they’re going and cater for them with personalised products and services built around their real-time needs.

Stat: Gen Z consumers value diverse beauty content

Youthforia, US Youthforia, US

The global Generation Z beauty community is becoming more inclusive than ever, according to a Kyra Media’s Gen Z State of Beauty report. The research finds that Gen Z’s open mindset is broadly re-imagining and challenging beauty norms, prioritising personal values and authenticity.

As part of this, their trust and values are evolving, with over two thirds welcoming content from beauty influencers of a different gender identity to their own. Customer online reviews are also the most influential on this group’s purchasing decisions, driving them to platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for beauty content and information.

Demonstrating the power of peer-to-peer influence, this generation’s research-driven approach to beauty is built on a foundation of personality, authenticity and open dialogue. For more insights on how social influence is disrupting online purchasing among younger consumers, read our Community Commerce macrotrend.

Strategic Opportunity

With reviews and recommendations proving to be vital influences for Gen Z beauty consumers, brands should explore solutions that use peer-to-peer dialogue.

Previous News Articles
AI-generated images of animals in plastic help WWF-Korea raise awareness about pollution

News

AI-generated images of animals in plastic help WWF-Korea raise awareness about pollution

WWF-Korea has launched Animal Trash Fashion, a powerful out-of-home campaign using AI to starkly illustrate the devastating impact of plastic pollu...
Sustainability : Design : Advertising
Rixo launches pre-loved resale platform

News

Rixo launches pre-loved resale platform

British fashion brand Rixo is expanding its circular ambitions with the launch of Rixo Pre-Loved, a resale platform where customers buy and sell it...
Retail : Fashion : Sutainability
Stat: Global business travel spending hits historic high

News

Stat: Global business travel spending hits historic high

Business travel is set to reach a record £1.18 trillion ($1.57 trillion, €1.36 trillion) by the end of 2025, according to ...
Stat : Statistic : Global Travel Market
Axe gamifies fragrance sampling with arcade-inspired bus stop activation

News

Axe gamifies fragrance sampling with arcade-inspired bus stop activation

Axe is making fragrance sampling fun again with a new campaign for its Cherry Fizz body spray.
Advertising : Fragrance : Retail
New wearable tracks hydration levels in real time

News

New wearable tracks hydration levels in real time

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a non-invasive wearable that continuously monitors hydration levels in real time.
Wearable Technology : Healthcare : Hydration
Stat: Online resale is booming in Britain

News

Stat: Online resale is booming in Britain

Online resale is booming in Britain, with pre-owned shopping now worth £4.3bn ($5.8bn, €5bn) annually and is set to rise to £4.8bn ($6.4bn, €5.5bn)...
Retail : Fashion : Technology
Prada’s 2025 Qixi campaign turns Shanghai’s bridges into a stage for love

News

Prada’s 2025 Qixi campaign turns Shanghai’s bridges into a stage for love

Prada’s campaign for the 2025 Qixi Festival – often referred to as Chinese Valentine’s Day – reimagines China’s legendary love tale through an...
Luxury : Fashion : Chinese Folklore
M&S tracks plastic’s afterlife with invisible UV packaging tags

News

M&S tracks plastic’s afterlife with invisible UV packaging tags

M&S : Sustainability : Retail
Stat: Britons are increasingly turning to biohacking through wellness supplements

News

Stat: Britons are increasingly turning to biohacking through wellness supplements

According to a July 2025 YouGov poll, one in five Britons (21%) have taken a wellness supplement in 2025 – pointing to the rise of personalise...
Health And Wellness : Supplements : Stat
Ocado’s Shopping List Stories campaign finds emotional value in the weekly shop

News

Ocado’s Shopping List Stories campaign finds emotional value in the weekly shop

Ocado is reframing grocery shopping as an emotional experience with Shopping List Stories, a new campaign by Uncommon Creative Studio.
Food And Drink : Supermarket : Branding And Advertising
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN