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18 : 09 : 18

London – Sketch has unveiled an interactive new platform that challenges the typical format of restaurant websites.

The Mayfair restaurant enlisted design studio Hato to create a digital world for each of its five imaginative dining rooms. Reflecting the character of each dining room, visitors to its website are presented with a colourful set of avatars, which they can select to play corresponding games.

Among these virtual pastimes is food ‘Jenga’, where players stack a selection of Sketch’s pastries, neon sign design, and the chance to create a piece of music based on the beeping sounds emitted by the restaurant’s sci-fi-inspired bathroom. The online experience also follows customers to the booking process, where diners receive a unique avatar based on their reservation requirements.

Hato’s interactive design represents a new breed of restaurant website at a time when many dining brands offer mundane sites with little by way of user experience beyond a downloadable menu. Entirely immersive websites have, until recently, been the preserve of experimental fashion companies, but Sketch is demonstrating a new direction for food and drink brands to emulate.

London – Curated by Modern Design Review and artist James Shaw, the Plasticscene exhibition aims to change the perception of waste plastic and showcase the innovative, experimental and often ad-hoc methods of working with the material.

Fourteen independent design studios including Silo Studio, Jorge Penadés and Max Lamb have created a range of interior products that demonstrate how the spectrum of plastic waste available should not be used out of obligation, but viewed as an exciting resource.

Studio Thing Thing has utilised a hand-crafted approach by sorting, grinding, melting and hand extruding waste plastic to create a set of abstract sculptures, while textile brand Kvadrat has used discarded plastic bottles to create the large, sweeping curtains that divide the exhibition.

The exhibition space also houses a plastic library to highlight the 28 different types of plastics commonly used today and the subsequent challenges for designers to identify their varying properties, behaviours and uses. Plasticscene will host a serious or talks and demonstrations throughout the week to explore how plastic re-use will impact the public, private and industrial landscape.

Seattle – Technical sportswear brand Buki has released a range of clothing infused with collagen.

The Collagen Collection uses a beauty-inspired fabric to create high-end garments designed to moisturise and protect the skin. Unlike similar fabrics, which use topically-applied collagen, Buki uses technology to impregnate the protein into textile fibres. It has used this collagen fabric for a series of products, including a women’s turtleneck, a scarf and pillow cover.

According to the brand, wearers will also benefit from UV protection up to UPF 50 alongside the clothing’s deodorising qualities. ‘We define purpose as building wardrobes that benefit people’s everyday lives by combining state-of-the-art fibre technology with luxurious fabrics,’ says Joey Rodolfo, co-founder of Buki. ‘We are excited to extend collagen from the health and wellness category to everyday sportswear.’

To learn more about the diverse future functions of tomorrow’s materials, download our Material Far Futures report.

A recent Bloomberg analysis found that India’s youth population will skyrocket to 472m in 2019, 51% more than China’s projected 312m.

With brands focusing their efforts on China’s influential next generation, many are overlooking the power of young people in India. Yet, with major societal shifts taking place in India, including the recent decriminalisation of homosexuality, there are growing opportunities for businesses to positively engage with its youth.

Explore how to reframe your services for young Indians with our Emerging Youth: India market or attend our upcoming Future of Youth presentation in London, where we will be comparing the behaviour of global Gen Z consumers.