Need to Know
01 : 05 : 20

Japan and Italy – Up To You Anthology is targeting eco-conscious luxury consumers with a range of self-assembly handbags.

Created in collaboration with Japanese design studio Nendo, the collection has sustainability at its core. Available in a variety of sizes, the colours of the bags are achieved through dyeing leather with a plant-derived tannins or the use of felt made from recycled PET plastics. The laser-cut 'flatpack' style of each bag is purposeful – they are made from a single piece of leather or felt, and therefore require less packaging during delivery.

In-built poppers on each bag allow customers to assemble them at home into a style that suits them, offering a sense of creative control and a uniqueness to the product they’ve invested in. In this way, Up To You is hinting at the ways luxury brands can achieve more sustainable practises and less waste, while educating and involving customers.

For more, read our interview with Jimmy Herdberg, co-founder of Swedish fashion studio Atacac, on how design and manufacturing process can foster more meaningful relationships with consumers.

Paris – Architect, designer and birdwatcher Antonin Yuji Maeno has created a free digital guide for urban birdwatchers.

The guide, titled Window Birds, is a response to the number of people currently in lockdown and the notable return of nature to many cities. Available as a download, it encourages city-dwellers to quietly spend time observing wildlife and nature directly from their windows or gardens as a way to beat boredom and engage with the living world. With information about more than 50 species of birds, including size, wingspan and weight, the guide also includes links to further information and birdsong.

‘Looking at the world and always being on the lookout for constant change – opening the senses to the immediate environment and the greater territories shared between beings. The city must once again become an environment conducive to the blossoming and natural proliferation of life,’ explains Antonin Yuji Maeno.

From birdwatching to baking, consumers in lockdown are currently forming new hobbies and habits, tapping into Practical Boredom as a way to disconnect from their usual scrolling and swiping past-times.

According to a study by Triptk, 26% of Americans say they are now prepared to change their habits for personal growth owing to the impact of Covid-19.

With increased time for self-reflection and at-home activities, the lockdown period is encouraging Americans to rethink their plans and what they determine to be successful. Some 35% believe ‘we’re not going back to normal, we’re creating a new one’. The reality of the pandemic has also ignited a greater sense of gratitude – with 35% stating they have ‘learned to live happily with less’.

Alongside a sense of ownership over their personal progression, many US citizens are also spending more time exploring their artistic side – some 26% have engaged in some form of creative expression as a result of the lockdown.

As a global obsession with economic growth has proved unsustainable, the advent of Covid-19 has reaffirmed the need for a Post-growth Society.