Trends

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

What’s New on LS:N Global?

From shifting definitions of value to TikTok-fuelled commerce and hormone health retreats, our analysts unpack what’s new and next on LS:N Global.

Macro Trends

New Codes of Value

In this new era of scarcity, richness is expressed through rituals, and abundance is found in regenerative pursuits and deeper connections. New codes of value are emerging around connection, care and human flourishing.

Macro Trends

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

Coffee Shop Raves

Boosted by a new generation of sober-conscious consumers seeking real-life connection and fun, coffee shops are taking over the party scene as the new destination for daylight raves.

Micro Trends

Resilience Branding

As the Trump administration rolls back nationwide government DEI initiatives, progressive businesses are choosing to re-affirm their commitment to inclusion by adopting new language rather than retreating from their efforts.

Design Directions

The Impossible Project

Polaroid’s decision to pull the plug on 51 years of instant film production in 2008 could have been a disaster for Florian Kaps. His online busines...

Design Directions

New York fashion week A/W11

New York kicked off the fashion season for autumn/winter 2011 with a distinct division of styles. On one side were the glamorous, Upper East Side p...

Nomadic : 1970's : Masculine

Micro Trends

Hacktivism

In a world of open-sourcing and free information, people are routinely modifying and hacking branded goods to create even better products. In the A...

Music : Fireplayer : Modifying

Design Directions

The Great Melbourne Treasure Hunt

February is a quiet month for Australian cities. The Christmas shopping rush is over and summer is coming to an end. The City of Melbourne had othe...

Twitter : Trend Forecasting : Treasure Hunt

Design Directions

Survivability

By Franklin Till

Salvaged : Nomadic : Recycle

Micro Trends

Rebuilt heritage

Today’s consumers prefer their products to have history and to evoke a sense of the past. In response, smart – and new – brands are creating instan...

Quality : Engagement : Union Cycle Works

Design Directions

Minibar For the Mind

Often, to open the door of the average hotel mini-bar and confront another identical row of dwarf vodka bottles and dry-roasted peanut packets is t...

The School Of Life : Poetry : Mini-bar

Design Directions

Maison & Objet 2011

The first international home and interior trade fair to be held at Maison et Objet in Paris highlighted pared-back designs and colour schemes. Desi...

Cookware : Colour Blocking : Home

Design Directions

Nendo: Product Design

From ceramic speakers to a peel-away chair, Nendo is making its mark in Japan and Europe.

Milan : Poetic : Shanghai

Design Directions

Post

Magazines tend to be passive. We might skip to an article, or scan read copy, but the experience has little interaction. With the launch of the iPa...

Interactive : Meri Media : POST

Micro Trends

Show Your Working

Just as consumers are interested in the provenance of their food, so they also want to know about other products too. To communicate this, retailer...

Craftsmanship : Moleskine : Mechanism

Design Directions

All About Tea

Tea has an image problem. Traditional tea brands can be too fusty. Contemporary tea brands are too green. How you can create a fresh identity for t...

Branding : Proper Tea : All About Tea

Design Directions

Paris Menswear A/W 11

After what felt like quite a tame fashion week in Milan, many were relieved when Mugler’s catwalk spectacle started Paris’s event with a bang, set ...

Bleisure : Sportswear : Urban

Design Directions

Campaign : Retail Design

Retail design agency Campaign sprang into life after its founder, Philip Handford, project managed and created a two-bedroom flat for Burberry’s ch...

New York : Dr Marten's : RIBA

Micro Trends

Superphones

Smartphones have changed how we do business and entertain ourselves on the move. Now a breed of phone exists with complete desktop power. This is t...

Gaming : Angry Birds : HD

Design Directions

Truman's

It was, to say the least, an unusual love affair. Michael-George Hemus and his best friend James Morgan realised they had fallen, head-over-heels, ...

Branding : Brick Lane Brewery : Truman's

Design Directions

DIY (Design it Yourself)

Traditional rules of creating, marketing and doing business are being broken. A new DIY economy (as in Design/Download It Yourself) and punk-onomic...

D.I.Y : Hack : Open-source

Micro Trends

Coffee Plus

First there was the global coffee emporium. Then in 2010 we reported on the rise of the Coffee Sensorium. These spaces adopted a slower approach to...

Coffee : Bikes : Commuters

Design Directions

Heimtextil Trends Forum

Textile trends could be experienced as well as seen at this year’s Heimtextil trade show in Frankfurt. This was thanks to the innovative way in whi...

Architecture : Trend Forum : Structure

Design Directions

Milan Menswear A/W 11

This season the designers at Milan Menswear Fashion Week opted for a distinctly low-key, back-to-basics approach to their collections. The buzzword...

Heritage : Authentic : New Gents