Need to Know
08 : 06 : 22

Italy – During the pandemic, the home became an extended comfort zone for many people, with the objects within it becoming sources of joy and wellbeing. In recognition of how this will shape the future home, Italian brand Diesel has unveiled a new venture, Diesel Living, at Salone Del Mobile Milano 2022.

This new business arm sees the brand partner with real estate group Bel-Invest and Italian furniture, lighting, kitchen and bathroom designers to create branded Diesel residences – the first of which is being developed in Miami, a location known for luxury real estate.

Diesel will join a selection of brands migrating outside their primary sectors in an effort to infiltrate other aspects of our lives, including home and living. It hopes the project will remind people to ‘make the most out of being inside, a place where everything that surrounds you offers up hypnotic surfaces for your inner voyage’, suggesting the importance of living spaces for positive mental health and self-reflection. To read more on branded residencies, discover our Brandlords microtrend.

UK – Tour de Moon is a festival aimed at 18–25-year-olds, providing spaces of expression and exchange for one of the age groups hardest hit by the pandemic.

The event, which will take place this summer in regional cities across the UK, is themed around the lunar cycle. It will take over abandoned spaces to inspire young people to consider life beyond Earth, while also making connections and conversations with strangers. Kicking off in Leicester, the festival will travel to 10 places over two months, offering talks, cinema, sports and music all linked to a cosmic theme.

Creating a space for British youth – especially those outside the capital city of London – the festival demonstrates how nightlife can be a space for radical healing. ‘One of our main aims of the festival is to distribute essential funding and provide a high-profile platform to a sector and demographic which have been hit especially hard by the impacts of Covid and funding cuts over the last few years,’ explains Dr Nelly Ben Hayoun, founder of Tour de Moon.

Companies investing in metaverse marketplaces should be aware that consumers aren’t likely to abandon physical shopping just yet. According to research by Productsup, 60% of consumers have no interest in virtual shopping whatsoever.

The report, which surveyed more than 5,000 consumers aged 16 and above in the US and Europe, suggests that adopting a hybrid strategy might be the key to boosting digital sales. Across generations, for example, one of the most common desires that emerged was for the metaverse to be used as a vehicle for information and communication, particularly in relation to sustainability and environmental issues. When it came to information delivery, members of Generation Z were more likely to opt for data provided online (40%) or via QR codes (37%), whereas those aged 55 and older prefer data presented on the product itself.

Despite the hype surrounding the metaverse, the research reveals that hybrid experiences and product transparency are still important to consumers when it comes to virtual shopping. To learn how to strike the right balance between the physical and digital, readers can consult the Hyperphysical Stores report.