Need to Know
19 : 01 : 18

New York – Online shoe and clothing company Zappos is driving the hype surrounding female streetwear with the launch of its new editorial platform The Ones. The brand will publish weekly articles on its microsite, featuring interviews with female artists and style influencers, discussing their work and their favourite type of shoes.

The launch is in response to research by the company that shows a massive discrepancy between male-dominated sneaker-marketing and the expansive size of the sector’s female audience.

‘We’re also focused on firing up the more casual, feminine and gender-fluid side of the sneakerhead world – the fashionista/sneakerista who dabbles in sneakers, increasingly considering them wardrobe staples,’ a representative from the brand tells LS:N Global.

US – Daily Harvest, the frozen food delivery service, which until now has focused on lighter breakfast options and snacks, is diversifying its offer with the launch of a new, more substantial range of vegetarian food bowls. Consisting of six dishes, the new line incorporates an eclectic mix of exotic ingredients such as chimichurri, kimchi, kitchari and tahini .

‘We’re setting out to prove that a convenient meal and a nutrient-rich meal aren’t mutually exclusive,’ founder Rachel Drori told Well + Good. 'Frozen allows you to have it all.'

Time-pressed consumers are increasingly prioritising convenience when it comes to eating, and this is driving growth in the frozen food market, which in the UK exceeded £6bn ($8.3bn, €6.8bn) for the first time at the end of 2017, according to Kantar Worldpanel. For more on the consumer quest for ease, see our Convenience Culture Markets 1 and 2 .

New York – In order to better serve New York's residents, BE TIME is a new meditation studio on a bus. Founded by Carla Hammond, the service will be launched on 22 January with a free event open to the general public, after which meditation classes will be charged at £15.86 ($22, €18) for a 30-minute class. In addition to instructor-led classes, the bus will be available as an Open Space for people to lead their own practice.

‘BE TIME invites people to come in, and take a breath from the urban hustle while in a serene space that incorporates self-care bonuses: aromatherapy, light + chromotherapy and weighted blankets to add to your meditation experience,’ explains Hammond.

In our Drop-In Mindfulness microtrend, we examine how a growing interest in self-care practices such as mindfulness and meditation are encouraging brands to provide easy access to studio space.

Global – Research by ride-share company Lyft demonstrates the significant impact that it and others like Uber have on the way that people get around. The report shows that some 50% of Lyft passengers report using their car less because of Lyft, while 25% said that owning a personal vehicle is now less important to them.