Trends

The latest global consumer trends that we’re tracking across sectors, substantiated by expert opinions and the latest industry statistics.

The Synthocene Era

As AI redefines our understanding of intelligence, we begin to enter The Synthocene Era, an age in which the lines between what is natural and what is artificial are increasingly blurred – driving humanity into a future when technology will redefine what it means to be human

Micro Trends

Scent Retail Futures

Luxury fragrance retail is turning to AI and immersive experiences to provide bricks-and-mortar customers with curated and personalised scent discovery

Micro Trends

Glow-up Getaways

A new generation of health-focused hospitality hubs created with science-backed hyper-personalisation in mind are offering the ultimate longevity getaways for the ultra-wealthy

Micro Trends

Spirited Synthesis

Through creative and unexpected collaborations, food and drink innovators are redefining alcohol as a culinary flavour, appealing to a new generation of sober-curious, snack-happy consumers

Design Directions

Biofabricated Futures

A revolutionary sustainability breakthrough, biofabrication is the engineering of biological products. This report explores its market evolution and future potential in transforming materials to drive commercial success

Design Directions

Première Pièce

Google has built an escape game in which players have to apply its apps in creative ways to find clues and escape against the clock.

Google France : Prémiére Piece : Creative Phy-gital

Design Directions

Soft Aid

Healthcare brands and medical services are taking cues from the lifestyle industries and adopting a sensory aesthetic to de-stigmatise medical prod...

Healthcare Futures : Wellness : Branding

Micro Trends

Fresh-batch Beauty

Beauty brands are embracing the philosophy that fresh, small-batch production methods yield quality products.

Natural Beauty : Organic Beauty : Customisation

Design Directions

Hyper-reality

Hyper-reality is a dystopian vision of the future in which augmented reality dictates the way that people interact with their surroundings.

Keiichi Matsuda : Hyper-reality : Augmented Reality

Micro Trends

Countertop Connoisseurs

Technology is enabling drinks consumers to explore their palates in the comfort of their own home.

Connoisseurship : Beverages : Somm

Design Directions

The Collective: Old Oak

The largest co-living space in the world has just opened in northwest London, offering 550 residents shared living space.

Co-living : The Sharing Economy : Urban Housing

Micro Trends

Community TV

Digital technology is enabling a new wave of start-ups to curate and build video content around communities of like-minded individuals.

Gen Viz : Revelation Brands : Mega-Systems

Design Directions

The Estée Edit

Estée Lauder aims to attract a younger market with its new social media-inspired beauty range.

Estée Lauder : Sephora : Skincare

Design Directions

Thomas Traum: Digital Image-Making

Creative studio Thomas Traum takes digital image-making beyond single deliverables – a campaign, still image or video clip – and builds entire visu...

Poly-reality : Digital : Thomas Eberwein

Micro Trends

Social Wellness

Exclusive wellness clubs and apps are facilitating social interactions and redefining what it means to meet, mingle and be well.

Social Wellness : Social Clubs : Apps

Design Directions

Urban Dimensions

New spatial and digital initiatives are injecting a sense of discovery into the urban landscape by unlocking new viewing angles with a ju...

Revelation Brands : Field : Urban Landscape

Design Directions

Sea Hero Quest

Sea Hero Quest is a mobile game that is helping to speed up research into dementia.

Deutsche Telekom : Glitchers : Gaming

Micro Trends

Digital Disorders

When it comes to looking after our skin, we must combat our digital habits.

Skincare : Protective : HEV Rays

Design Directions

Act of Love

Condom manufacturer Sagami Original’s visual dictionary of courtship rituals is the first of its kind.

Sagami Original : Sagami Rubber : Condoms

Design Directions

Milan Salone 2016: Design Directions Part 2

In the second part of our Milan Salone Internazionale del Mobile review, LS:N Global reports on the emerging fascination with subtly fetishistic, s...

Milan Salone 2016 : Formafantasma : Fernando Mastrangelo

Micro Trends

The New Letter

Publishers are rethinking newsletters to keep younger audiences engaged.

Newsletters : Email : Opt-in Culture

Design Directions

The Nature of Motion

Nike’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile exhibition made a strong case for why a sportswear brand could feature at a furniture show.

Nike : Salone Del Mobile : Milan Salone Del Mobile 2016

Design Directions

Milan Salone 2016: Design Directions Part 1

Designers presenting at this year’s Salone explored a tongue-in-cheek, flamboyant aesthetic that elevated plastic finishes and bright synthetic mat...

Milan Salone 2016 : Dan Adlešič : ECAL

Micro Trends

Mobile Money

Digital-first banks optimised for mobile and with a focus on user experience and convenience could spell the end of retail banking as we know it.

Mobile Banking : Financial Services : Digital-natives

Design Directions

Pat McGrath Labs

Make-up artist Pat McGrath demonstrates how to use Instagram to create a cult following for a brand before it has even been launched.

Instagram : Pat McGrath : Makeup