LSN : News : A world-first multi-storey skate park

Palm Heights hotel unveils a covetable beachwear collection

Palm Heights Grand Cayman and Marrakshi Life, Caribbean and Morocco

Caribbean and Marrakesh – The hotel is partnering with Marrakesh-based fashion label Marrakshi Life to create a keepsake line of traditionally crafted beachwear. For the collection, Marrakshi Life draws inspiration from Palm Heights hotel and local flora, with pieces ranging from striped beach towels and bright yellow beach umbrellas to hats and loose garments.

This collaboration extends the hotel’s status as a cultural hub working across the design, art, music and food sectors. In this way, the partnership also reflects the creative and craft-driven values of both companies. ‘I have long been a fan of Marrakshi Life, who have a particularly refined interpretation of craftsmanship and comfort,’ says Gabriella Khalil, founder and creative director of Palm Heights. ‘There is an easy glamour to all of their pieces, which perfectly aligns with the spirit of Palm Heights.’

Here, this keepsake collection shows an evolution of Voyage Apparel, with hoteliers now recognising that fashion collaborations can create powerful and long-term touchpoints for their guests.

Strategic opportunity

Leisure and hospitality brands should take inspiration from this partnership, and explore fruitful collaborations with creatives across the fashion and arts industries

A world-first multi-storey skate park

F51, UK

England – The small port town of Folkestone in Kent is now home to the world’s first multi-storey skatepark. Opening in April, F51 will serve the local community and be a hub for youth culture.

Described as a full-tilt ‘adrenaline building', the park includes three floors of concrete skateparks, boxing gyms, climbing walls and a café. Located in a once-neglected area of Kent, the building is using the recent skateboarding boom – fuelled by the sport's inaugural inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games – to create community and a place of exchange. The three floors of the building have been organised according to ability in descending levels of intensity, with the bottom floor being the most difficult to master.

In addition to being a new Gen Z hangout space, the building is also an architectural feat. ‘It’s an incredible building. It’s extremely complicated in terms of its construction because it's a world first. We’re going to have skaters skating above your head and you’ll be able to hear the wheels of the skateboard going into the bowl right above you,’ explains architect Guy Hollaway.

Strategic opportunity

Facilities that cater for unique interests and burgeoning hobbies can help to support youth culture. How might your company host an in-person gathering for a largely online or niche community?

London’s mayor leads the way with menopause policy

London – While people experiencing the menopause have often been left unsupported by their company or workplace, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a policy to better support colleagues through this life stage.

Put into practice at London City Hall, the policy includes elements such as adjustments to working environments, accommodating the need to take breaks, and offering suitable adjustments for work tasks.

Such changes aim to reduce existing taboos around the menopause in workplaces, with Sadiq Khan aiming to shift perceptions on a wider scale. ‘Employers have a responsibility to create truly inclusive workplaces and part of that means ensuring there is an understanding of the menopause and how it can affect staff, and challenging the taboos surrounding the subject, which all too often prevent people from getting the support they need,’ he says.

As more companies work towards diverse, inclusive and accessible workplaces, such policies are imperative for ensuring people feel empowered and supported by their employers during the menopause.

Me.No.Pause campaign by Holland & Barrett

Strategic opportunity

Employers should consider the unique needs of their workforce, even asking for direct feedback about the types of adjustments that they would like to see. Hiring managers should also advertise such policies to attract diverse talent

Stat: Gender stereotypes persist among young children

Oddokids Manual by Oddobody, US

More needs to be done to address entrenched gender stereotypes among young children. According to research by creative agency CPB London, 39% of 5–11-year-old children in the UK still believe that mothers should care for children and perform all the housework.

The study, which asked kids and parents a simple set of questions about gender, was completed in conjunction with International Women’s Day (IWD) and served as the foundation for the creative agency’s Imagine campaign. Respondents in the survey were asked to imagine the gender of people who perform specific jobs, including a CEO, nurse, doctor and make-up artist. With 39% of kids agreeing that male figures should go to work and 45% believing that nurses are always women, the findings reveal that unconscious gender bias still exists among children.

Although Generation Zalpha have already proved themselves to be wise beyond their years, this research is a reminder that more needs to be done to tackle ingrained gender stereotypes. ‘When these are views held by our children – our future – that tells us we have so much work yet to do,’ explains Helen James, managing director of CPB London.

Strategic opportunity

What can your company do to dismantle long-standing gender stereotypes? Consider implementing gender-neutral retail displays, marketing or branding to remove associations from products and services