Need to Know   22 : 03 : 18
Oh My Eyes, Sweden

Need to Know
22 : 03 : 18

Oh My Eyes challenges Scandinavian minimalism, Universal Everything explores human-machine collaboration, packaged goods company Annie’s celebrates regenerative farming.

1. Luxury eyewear brand’s new take on Scandi-style 2. Universal Everything imagines new interactive design tools 3. CPG company Annie’s promotes soil health 4. Westin Hotels launches sheet recycling programme 5. Slow uptake on using home assistants to make purchases 6. Thought-starter: Do we need a new global contract for consumer data?

1. Luxury eyewear brand’s new take on Scandi-style

Oh My Eyes, Sweden Oh My Eyes, Sweden
Oh My Eyes, Sweden Oh My Eyes, Sweden
Oh My Eyes, Sweden Oh My Eyes, Sweden

Sweden – New luxury eyewear brand Oh My Eyes is built on the concept of collaboration. For each collection a new designer will use their background specialism to re-imagine eyewear design. The first range includes six unisex glasses developed by Italian eyewear designer Marco Galleani.

The Swedish brand aims to challenge the popularity of conventional Scandinavian minimalism by employing references from other design fields to reflect Scandinavian modernism. ‘Being Swedish, we know that Scandinavian fashion is often associated with minimalism and straight silhouettes,’ Jonna Dagliden Hunt, co-founder of Oh My Eyes, tells LS:N Global. ‘But when doing research we found amazing references from Scandinavian modernism, in particular architecture, furniture design, glassware and ceramics.’

Alongside the importance of quality design, Oh My Eyes has an inclusive target audience, stating that it is focused on everyone from young urban creatives to Flat-Agers. ‘In our network in Sweden we have lots of cool 50+ friends who share our interests. They love travelling, food and fashion,’ says Dagliden Hunt.

2. Universal Everything imagines new interactive design tools

Hype Cycle: Smart Matter by Universal Everything

London – Design studio Universal Everything’s latest speculative project uses the Gartner Hype Cycle chart – a method of examining past human behaviour to predict the future – to explore human-machine collaboration in the workplace.

‘On this chart we noticed emerging technologies on the upwards trend that have the potential to transform our working methods over the coming years, including 4D printing, smart dust, augmented reality and machine learning,’ Matt Pyke, creative director, tells LS:N Global. ‘From this, we are directing a series of films suggesting the potential of these possible futures.’

The film imagines smart matter – computers fitted with tiny mechanical devices like sensors – as a new interface that could be used by sculptors, automotive designers and architects to create life-size designs that respond in real time.

As explored in our Immersive Interfaces microtrend, the way that we consume data is no longer constrained to screens. These interactive mechanisms, like those shown in Hype Cycle, open up new possibilities for the work environment and beyond.

3. CPG company Annie’s promotes soil health

US – Annie’s Homegrown, known for its organic Macaroni and Cheese, has launched a range of limited-edition products to support regenerative farming. This is a proven method that rebuilds soil health through rotating crops and allowing livestock to naturally graze the land.

Working with farmers in Montana, Annie’s hopes to create a mutually beneficial relationship based on better farming practices. Products that use ingredients from these farms, such as wheat and golden peas, will have a new limited-edition packaging design. The words ‘Soil Matters!’ are on the front as well as the name of the farmer and farm.

The cause focuses on inspiring consciousness among consumers’ food choices while providing support for local farming communities. We first saw holistic farming systems implemented by Outdoor clothing brand Patagonia in its Wild Buffalo Jerky. For more on Regenerative Consumption, see our microtrend here.

Annie’s Homegrown, US Annie’s Homegrown, US

4. Westin Hotels launches sheet recycling programme

Project Rise by Westin

Global – Hotel group Westin has announced the launch of a sustainability programme that recycles hotel bed linen while also providing children in underserved communities with high-quality pyjamas.

In collaboration with Clean The World, the parties developed a system to collect, process and reweave the hotel’s old linen into new fabric, ensuring the material meets the standards and regulations of child product safety. In five months, the hotel gathered about 30,000 pounds of bed linen to be reproduced into pyjamas for children who are most prone to sleep anxieties. As part of its values, Westin believes in the quality of sleep and suggests that the simple act of putting on pyjamas in a child’s bedtime routine can improve their night cycle. The first 15,000 pairs of pyjamas will be donated by the company.

The hotel’s programme is the beginning of a shift in the linen market towards greater sustainability. In 2017, Coyuchi launched a subscription service for its luxury bed linens.

5. Slow uptake on using home assistants to make purchases

While consumers are increasingly shopping in-app on their smartphones, new research from global software company Episerver indicates that they are still reticent to use newer technologies such as voice-activated home assistants and smartwatches to make purchases.

‘It’s up to brands and retailers to set the tone here and nail down the search experience on these devices to ease customers into shopping with new technologies,’ explains Ed Kennedy, director of digital commerce strategy at Episerver.

6. Thought-starter: Do we need a new global contract for consumer data?

With General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation set to come into effect in Europe imminently, Rosamund Picton and Kourosh Newman-Zand, co-founders of semiotics company Axis-Mundi, argue that it represents an opportunity for brands to own the conversation on data rights.

The emergence of colossal global data systems has outpaced analogue security and governance apparatus. In a belated act of redress, the GDPR will come into effect on 25 May 2018. To ensure the free flow of data across European borders, the UK – despite Brexit – will be forced to comply.

A string of negative media stories affecting Facebook, Uber, Google and other data-controllers in recent years has compounded public perception that digital spaces are unruly and unregulated.

In response to GDPR, but also to this wider context of mistrust, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg announced a Facebook privacy centre. In an online statement, Facebook says the privacy centre will be ‘a new education campaign to help you understand how data is used on Facebook and how you can manage your own data’.

Read the full Opinion here.

Big Bang Data exhibition at Somerset House, London Big Bang Data exhibition at Somerset House, London
Discover More News
The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

News

The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion has launched Reskinning Reality, the UK’s first 3D garment volumetric capture service ai...
Fashion : Technology : Virtual Fashion
Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

News

Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

Premium beauty brand Elemis is stepping further into the world of Formula 1 with the launch of four exclusive skincare collections in partnership w...
Aston Martin : Elemis : Formula 1
Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

News

Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

Over half of cinema executives in the US believe the traditional cinema model will no longer be viable within the next 20 years, according to a new...
Movies : Entertainment : Stat
 New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

News

New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

A new retail concept is putting women’s sport centre stage this summer.
Sports : Retail : Fashion
Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday : Fashion : Sustainability
Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

News

Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

Despite driving an estimated £25 trillion ($31.8 trillion, €29.4 trillion) in global discretionary spending, nearly half of women worldwide say bra...
Branding & Advertising : Brands : Retail
Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

News

Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

Dutch design studio Modem has unveiled Dream Recorder, an AI-powered device that transforms spoken memories of dreams into cinematic video se...
Technology : Modem : Dreams
Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

News

Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

Australia has approved its first lab-grown meat products, with Sydney-food-tech start-up Vow set to serve cultured quail dishes in upscale restaura...
Cultivated Meat : Lab-grown Meat : Lab Grown
Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

News

Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

According to UBS’s 2025 Global Wealth Report, more than 1,000 people became millionaires every day in America in 2024.
Wealth : Society : The Great Wealth Transfer
Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

News

Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

As Instagram approaches its 15th anniversary, the platform has launched a new campaign spotlighting creativity on social media. Entitled Anyway, th...
Instagram : Social Media : Creativity
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN