Need to Know
14 : 03 : 23

The Netherlands – Merging automotive with haute couture, the uber-luxurious Phantom Syntopia was born from a four-year collaboration process between Rolls-Royce and Dutch fashion trailblazer Iris van Herpen. The haute couture designer transposed her sculptural, awe-inspiring and biomimicry-heavy style to the car. The outside is coated in the patented Liquid Noir iridescent paint while the inside features three-dimensional textile sculptures and a star-studded roof.

Rolls-Royce has called the model the most complex Phantom ever made, and it is the first to feature a bespoke scent, creating a synaesthetic luxury experience.

The pinnacle of a new movement we called Guilded Luxury, this commissioned car comes with a bespoke haute couture garment designed by Iris van Herpen for the client. ‘The way we work, which is a very personalised process, is similar to how Rolls-Royce works with its clients. It’s a customised process of making a one-off,’ explains the designer, making a solid case for a new era of meaningful and craftsmanship-centred luxury collaborations.

Australia – Fourth Wave Wine is taking sustainable packaging to the next level by launching Crate, one of the world’s first label-less wines. Designed by drinks branding specialist Denomination, Crate upholds the high quality of its barrel-matured red wine while stripping away any unsustainable branding materials. There’s no label printing, adhesives or paper usage, so less energy is spent on the bottling line. The Australian family-owned importer of wines also limits Crate to a case-only purchase option, shipped in 100% recycled cartons with minimal print.

All relevant information can still be found on the bottle's capsule containing brand logotype, varietal, region, vintage, brand messaging and a QR code for further legal information. The design works with other regenerative elements, including the bottle of transition glass and 100% recycled cartons with minimal print. ‘Fourth Wave Wine is constantly striving towards greater sustainability, and the launch of Crate is shining a light on alternatives to conventional paper-label packaging, an increasingly precious commodity,’ says Nicholas Crampton, co-owner of Fourth Wave Wine.

In Redemptive Diets, we previously highlighted how innovations like Crate emphasises the political and social value that will be placed on food and drink, especially in order to combat environmental waste.

UK – As women's incapacitating symptoms during perimenopause are increasingly acknowledged, new research reveals what people think about governments and companies supporting women through the process.

The British government has recently rejected a proposal to make menopause a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, which would make discrimination against menopausal women illegal. A poll by YouGov reveals that 62% of Britons favour the idea. Unsurprisingly, more women (71%) would support the proposal and over half (53%) of men.

Besides governmental action, Britons believe companies should also be doing more – 55% support paid menopause leave – twice as many as those who would oppose it. In addition, three-quarters of respondents think employers should implement policies that help women manage menopause symptoms, such as flexible working hours, cooler offices or uniform adjustments.

In our Perimenopause Wellness Market, we delve deeper into new approaches and holistic health solutions encompassing how women eat, move, sleep, focus and relax during this life stage.