Need to Know
25 : 09 : 17

London – Designer Faye Toogood has invited 50 creatives to take part in The Trade Show for London Design Festival. Themed around the idea of artists sustaining themselves through bartering, the exhibition’s name is a reference to the concept of trading as well as the design trade at large.

The collection includes an assortment of furniture pieces including Toogood’s own Spade Chair and Max Lamb’s Splatter Stool, as well as photography and art works such as Rolf Sachs’ Sisyphus sculpture, a spade with a hole in it.

Food designers Arabeschi di Latte have created a site-specific installation that re-interprets folk art superstitions to bring healing energies to the show, offering incense, dreamcatchers and holy water-inspired cocktails. See our Post-Faith design direction for more on how designers are embracing religious iconography in their work.

Global – Nike has created a connected National Basketball Association (NBA) jersey that enables wearers to access exclusive NBA-related offers and content, such as players’ Spotify playlists.

Jersey owners scan their garment’s smart tag using an app to unlock game highlights, scores, statistics and player information, as well as shareable images and GIFs. The jersey is part of a partnership between the NBA and Nike, which has replaced adidas as the league’s official uniform outfitter.

As LS:N Global explored in our Gateway Garments microtrend, companies are developing smart garments that enable consumers to feel part of a brand’s world in a way that does not feel gimmicky.

UK – The BBC has launched a short film series as part of its educational hub BBC Teach to help teachers communicate the topic of mental health to primary school students. When I Worry About Things explores obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression, panic attacks, eating disorders and bullying from the perspective of both a bully and a victim of bullying.

The short films, which feature animation and personal testimonies from children, are designed to empower teachers to help youngsters become aware of these issues from an early age.

‘This collection has been created with guidance from clinical psychologists and is designed to support teachers in introducing a potentially challenging subject,’ says Andrew Tomlinson, executive producer at BBC Teach.

A new report from Mintel has found that champagne sales in the UK fell significantly in 2016, due in part to the weaker pound following the Brexit vote. In the run-up to the General Election, LS:N Global explored the effect that Brexit will have on consumer behaviour in our film An Uncertain Future.