LSN : News : H&M lures fashion creators with wholesale basics

Deutsche Telekom is future-proofing Gen Z careers

Project Futureproof by Deutsche Telekom, UK

Germany – Telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom is launching a platform to support and inspire future careers for Generation Z.

Its Project Futureproof platform is a collaboration between Gen Z contributors and skills and employability experts, featuring free-to-access digital tools to further the career paths of young people. Using vocational personality modelling, the platform connects users with potential future career options as well as helping them to uncover skills they might not have previously been aware of.

The platform comes at a time when 61% of European Gen Z feel anxious about their future job and career prospects, according to research by Deutsche Telekom. ‘Gen Z are stepping into a world of work that will have been fundamentally changed by both the Covid-19 pandemic and digital transformation,’ explains Ulrich Klenke, chief brand officer at Deutsche Telekom. ‘We believe that it is our collective responsibility to help them navigate the opportunities and challenges they face.’

As the future of work remains uncertain, Alumni Incubators are stepping in to nurture the next generation of talent.

H&M lures fashion creators with wholesale basics

Blank Staples by H&M, personalised by @byplantmanp

Blank Staples by H&M

US – The fashion retailer is introducing a wholesale purchase option, providing individual creators and businesses with blank canvas garments for their own projects.

Through its Blank Staples’ Wholesale option, customers will be able to purchase H&M’s men’s streetwear line of essential garments, along with premium-quality basics in bulk. The items on offer elevate basic items by including subtle but considered design elements, along with blank labels that can be customised by buyers. Targeting artists, designers, small businesses and entrepreneurs, the brand also encourages customers to add their own stamp to garments – using fabric pens, iron-on stickers, embroidery or various printing methods.

To mark the launch of the wholesale format, H&M is also partnering with three creatives to showcase how full collections can be created using Blank Staples garments as the starting point.

In this way, the brand is demonstrating how its supply chains and models can support smaller ventures which tune into DIY Dressing mindsets.

Google’s AI innovation enables skin self-diagnosis

Global – The technology giant is launching a breakthrough innovation in the healthcare field, assisting consumers in self-diagnosing hundreds of skin conditions.

Its AI-powered tool, Derm Assist, will initially be introduced in Europe before being rolled out globally – targeting about 2bn people who suffer from skin conditions ranging from acne to melanoma. Google users of the platform can upload images of their medical conditions and ask questions relating to their symptoms. Derm Assist will then analyse the information and generate a list of possible conditions to support people in their health journey.

‘The tool is not intended to provide a diagnosis… rather we hope it gives you access to authoritative information so you can make a more informed decision about your next step,’ says Google in a press release. This development is a response to the 10bn searches that are made each year relating to skin, nail and hair conditions.

With consumers increasingly demanding personalisation in the health and beauty sector, this area is ripe for continued innovation. For more, delve into At-home Aalysis.

AI-powered dermatology assist tool by Google

Stat: China’s Labour Day prompts tourism boom

Capsule Hotel and Bookstore by Atelier Tao+C, Qinglongwu, China

As China’s domestic tourism industry continues to flourish, research from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism revealed that Labour Day travel has reached record highs.

During the five-day national holiday – on 1–5 May – some 230m domestic trips were made across the country, a year-on-year increase of 120%. And on the first day of the holiday alone, 18.8m passengers used China’s railways, a new high for the number of passengers travelling by train in a single day.

This rise in tourism is particularly apparent on the island of Hainan, which is becoming a popular luxury retail destination due to its duty-free offerings.

To discover more on the post-lockdown mindsets of Chinese travellers – and the ways that businesses are responding – read our dedicated Chinese Travel Market.