Need to know   22 : 09 : 17

Need to know
22 : 09 : 17

Friday’s top stories including Space10 looks at the future of urbanisation, Sweaty Betty opens social fitness hub and consumers seek budget groceries.

1. Sleek MakeUp encourages teen body positivity 2. Future living spaces explored at London Design Festival 3. Levi’s Circles promotes global connectedness 4. Sweaty Betty opens its own fitness destination 5. Consumer spend in budget supermarkets on the rise 6. Thought-starter: Why Youthful Nativism is the new season’s key trend

1. Sleek MakeUp encourages teen body positivity

My Face My Rules by Sleek, UK

UK – Colour cosmetics brand Sleek MakeUp has launched a campaign against the culture of make-up shaming. My Face My Rules is a response to a survey conducted by the brand, which shows that 75% of respondents think that women look better with no or less make-up, while 25% say they feel they have been judged for wearing make-up.

Known for its bright shades of lipstick and eyeshadow, the brand created the campaign to empower its young customers to embrace their creative side and not feel pressurised to look a certain way. The ad features a range of both male and female Sleek make-up enthusiasts showcasing their skills, while an accompanying video called Let’s Talk Makeup Shaming features the campaign’s stars speaking openly about the negativity they have faced.

Brands such ASOS and Sleek are creating playful, inclusive campaigns that celebrate a diverse vision of beauty that is not defined by stereotypes. For more, see our Teen Beauty market report.

2. Future living spaces explored at London Design Festival

Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival
Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival
Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival Exploring Spaces of Tomorrow by Space10, London Design Festival

London – Future thinking Danish design studio Space10 has commissioned a host of thought-leaders for London Design Festival to discuss the future of urban space. The series of six talks, which are running throughout the week, feature Ma-tt-er who will explore how materials and textures affect our perception of space, and Appear Here who look at the future of placemaking.

Earlier in the week, Space10 announced that it would be participating in Central Saint Martins’ Spatial Practices lecture series, which looks at London’s future as an urban space.

As part of its week-long residency at Protein Studios, Space10 is also introducing LOKAL, a microgreens salad bar and hydroponic farming system. LOKAL is an experiment in how local food production can provide for many people. As cities expand, designers such as Irene Pereyra and Space10 are probing how this will affect day-to-day life.

3. Levi’s Circles promotes global connectedness

Circles by Levi's, US

US – The latest Levi’s commercial, Circles – the fifth instalment in the brand’s Live In Levi’s campaign – promotes inclusiveness and connectedness. The advert, which is being shown in cinemas across America, demonstrates a New Bricolage cohesion of cultures and communities across the world through music and dance. ‘No matter where we are from or what we believe, music and dance are universal languages,’ said the company in a press release.

The ad is particularly pertinent at this time as US president Trump’s travel ban continues to be debated in the Supreme Court. The brand has also pledged £738,487 ($1m, €838,820) in grants to support organisations that protect civil liberties. In particular, the fund will be used to support vulnerable communities from around the world, including immigrants, refugees, the transgender community and religious minorities. In a Dislocated World, brands such as Levi’s are asserting their beliefs and acting in a civic-minded way in a bid to make a difference.

4. Sweaty Betty opens its own fitness destination

Sweaty Betty store, London Sweaty Betty store, London
Sweaty Betty store, London Sweaty Betty store, London
Sweaty Betty store, London Sweaty Betty store, London
Sweaty Betty store, London Sweaty Betty store, London

London ­­– Sweaty Betty has opened a new flagship store that includes a café, a blow-dry bar and a fitness studio. The curated space in Carnaby Street is the brand’s first permanent experiential retail experience.

The store offers a complete fitness, food and beauty package, and visitors are able to participate in classes led by GymClass, Paola’s BodyBarre and Frame, book a blow dry from Duck & Dry, indulge in healthy dishes such as millet porridge and garden soup served by Portobello Road’s Farm Girl, as well as shopping for the Sweaty Betty collection.

In our Destination Fitness microtrend, LS:N Global examined how athleisure stores are diversifying their offers beyond products and instead providing social spaces in which consumers can relax and perspire.

5. Consumer spend in budget supermarkets on the rise

Budget supermarkets in the UK are thriving as inflation drives shoppers to seek out low-cost groceries. ‘Own-brand sales are growing across all leading food retailers, but fastest at the discounters Aldi and Lidl,’ says Mike Watkins, UK head of retailer and business insight at Nielsen. In 2011, LS:N Global began tracking the plight of The Just Nots, a consumer demographic who until now have been largely ignored by brands but whose combined spending power is considerable, and brands such as Brandless are beginning to recognise their potential.

6. Thought-starter: Why Youthful Nativism is the new season’s key trend

Senior journalist Maks Fus Mickiewicz argues that members of Generation Z are re-evaluating their cultural heritage and pushing for new positive definitions of national identity. Nowhere is this more evident than on the runways during Fashion Week.

A host of new labels are emerging that no longer want to pander to Western tastes. At Fashion East in London both Asai and Supriya Lele exhibited clothes that had fresh takes on Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian heritage. At VFiles in New York, Christian Stone showed a collection inspired by the obsolete electronics he grew up around in Hong Kong.

Kenzo is one of the first bigger labels to recognise this trend for cultural re-appropriation. Creative directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim chose 83 exclusively Asian models for their Paris spring/summer 2018 show in order to pay homage to the brand’s Japanese roots.

Tired and frustrated at stereotypical Western representations of their culture, as well as the well-worn aesthetics of T-shirts and jeans, a new wave of designers from around the world are being driven to create contemporary representations of their heritage.

For more, read our Made In China microtrend.

Asai spring/summer 2018, London Asai spring/summer 2018, London
Discover More News
SXSW London 2025: The Store of 2050 and Minecraft’s chicken jockey opportunity

News

SXSW London 2025: The Store of 2050 and Minecraft’s chicken jockey opportunity

On day two of SXSW London, the panel Retail Remix: The Store of 2050 brought together executives from Co-op, Mondelez International and creative ag...
Pop Culture & Media : Technology : Branding
Nike and Lego team up on creative play experiences and products

News

Nike and Lego team up on creative play experiences and products

Nike and the Lego Group have launched a global partnership to inspire kids through active and creative play, combining sport and imagination.
Technology : Nike : Lego
Stat: Consumers globally are buying clothes they never wear

News

Stat: Consumers globally are buying clothes they never wear

According to Statista Consumer Insights, a notable number of shoppers admit to buying clothes they never wear – a wasteful habit most common among ...
Fashion : Retail : Sustainability
SXSW London 2025: Biological age, AI-powered abundance and Substack’s in-person future

News

SXSW London 2025: Biological age, AI-powered abundance and Substack’s in-person future

The first edition of SXSW in London brought hundreds of visitors to Shoreditch for a mix of music, film, experiential workshops and forward-thinkin...
Pop Culture & Media : Global Events : Wellness
QuiteLike unveils rebranding to inspire joyful home cooking

News

QuiteLike unveils rebranding to inspire joyful home cooking

Meal kit brand QuiteLike has unveiled a striking rebranding designed to elevate dinnertime beyond mere convenience.
Food And Drink : Advertising & Branding : Design
Stat: US teen beauty spending soars to record high fuelled by fragrance boom

News

Stat: US teen beauty spending soars to record high fuelled by fragrance boom

Teen beauty spending in the US has surged to record levels, according to Piper Sandler’s latest Taking Stock With Teens report.
Beauty : Gen Alpha : Gen Alpha Consumers
Oura flips the script on ageing in new Give Us the Finger campaign

News

Oura flips the script on ageing in new Give Us the Finger campaign

Oura is challenging cultural norms around ageing with its latest brand campaign, Give Us the Finger.
Health And Wellness : Longevity Lifestyles : Technology
Oxford Economics Global Cities Index launches 2025 report

News

Oxford Economics Global Cities Index launches 2025 report

Global urban influence is shifting, according to the newly released Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025.
Society : Cities : Oxford Economics
Stat: Consumer confidence is on the rise in the US

News

Stat: Consumer confidence is on the rise in the US

Consumer confidence in the US partially recovered in May after five consecutive months of decline, according to The Conference Board.
Retail : Value : Consumer Confidence
Elf taps into adventure culture with mid-ocean skincare drop

News

Elf taps into adventure culture with mid-ocean skincare drop

Beauty brand Elf cosmetics has orchestrated a high-impact cultural intervention by airdropping a skincare package to solo sailor Oliver Widger, who...
Beauty : Social Media : Culture
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