Stay ConnectedWhat’s next – and how do you act on it?
Join Cassandra Napoli, Head of Consumer Insight at WGSN, the world’s leading trend forecaster, as she talks with inspiring industry voices about emerging trends and how they become real products and services, helping designers, product developers, buyers and marketers stay ahead.
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Is the low or no alcohol movement a passing fad or a new lifestyle choice that’s here to stay? WGSN discussed a more mindful approach to drinking alcohol back in November 2022. In this episode, we delve further into the low and no alcohol drinking movement, discover why it’s popular with Gen Z and discuss its global expansion. Plus we offer a taster of the interesting and diverse ingredients being used to enhance the flavours. Joining WGSN Editorial Director Bethan Ryder to talk low and no alcohol is Jen Creevy, Director of Food & Drink, alongside strategists from her team, Rachel Tan and Millie Diamond.
Tune in to find out about this growing billion-dollar drinks sector and how the sober-curious movement taps into the increasing importance of wellness, inclusivity and personal choice. Find out why low and no alcohol is expanding its influence beyond evenings to breakfast and brunch with drinks featuring flavour notes of marmalade and toast – and even into social sports with new brands like Racquet Rosé. It’s time to raise a toast to low and no alcohol, swap ‘damp’ for ‘dry’ and get your name down for the ‘sober party’.
At WGSN, our mission is to stay ahead of the curve for our clients. In this episode of Create Tomorrow, we explore the coastal cities making strides in retail, hospitality and culture. Our City by City team share insights on must-visit destinations in Asia, South America and Europe for fresh and inspirational experiences – all featured in our latest Coastal Guide. Globetrotting across continents, we pinpoint the most exciting spaces, places, designers and brands that offer escape and inspiration in equal measure. Our on-the-ground experts share the most noteworthy markets, must-try drinks and emerging brands from the Coastal Guide. And if you're tempted by the digital nomad lifestyle, we share the best locations to call home... join us on our coastal trip.
Could wood be the key to building more sustainable cities? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, architect Andrew Waugh and WGSN’s Editorial Director Bethan Ryder explore the power of engineered timber and how it might help us to build a better future for people and the planet.
Andrew Waugh is co-founder with Anthony Thistleton of British architecture practice Waugh Thistleton, which has completed a total of 30 projects built with cross-laminated timber (CLT) in the UK and France. CLT is a super-strong construction material made from layers of kiln-dried dimensional lumber, which are oriented at right angles to one another and then glued to form structural panels.
The conversation looks at how low-carbon cities could be built from CLT; the financial and wellness benefits of timber buildings and biophilia as opposed to concrete ‘cast caves’; the need for more diversity in architecture; and how AI will impact the industry. Plus, we hear the story of Waugh Thistleton’s first timber build in south London back in 2003.
Andrew and Bethan wrap up by talking about the need for more diversity within the architecture profession and a winning suggestion for the UK’s Houses of Parliament.
Jeans and a T-shirt? Cowboy boots or wellies? When it comes to festival wear are you more practical or performative? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, we find out what fashion trends are dominating the current and future landscape of festival fashion.WGSN has been tracking festival fashion across the globe for years now, delivering unique insights on emerging styles and aesthetics, product trends and evolving consumer attitudes – particularly among younger cohorts.With festival season upon us, and the TikTok hashtag #FestivalFashion approaching one billion views, we reflect on the diverse evolution of festival outfits – from ever-shifting youth culture to the rising influence of global stadium tours.In this episode, host Kraggy (Graham Krag), Prints & Graphics Strategist on WGSN Fashion, is joined by Youth Fashion Strategists Mia Jacobs and Jaeyeon Park to discuss what this truly means for brands – and why the industry should pay particularly close attention to this year’s festival season.Mia and Jaeyeon also talk about nostalgic tech and the impact stadium tour fashion is having. World tours – from the likes of Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift – have opened up opportunities for retailers because of their long duration, giving brands more time to market tour merchandise.In this episode, we chart the top festival trends we’ve been tracking, and predict the impact this will have on brands in the future.Learn more about WGSN forecasts here.
In this episode, Bethan Ryder, Editorial Director at WGSN is joined by guests Simon Mitchell, co-founder of architectural studio Sybarite, and Laura Saunter, Senior Strategist at WGSN. Together, Bethan and guests explore the landscape of luxury retail, from the return of the mega flagship in the post-pandemic era to how luxury brands are meeting the needs of the most discerning consumers by delivering memorable in-store experiences. Simon and Laura bring valuable insights on designing luxury retail spaces around the world, how China is leading the way, the influence of sustainability on the design process, and the evolving relationship between consumers and brands within the physical retail environment. Find out why retail design is theatre. Why stores and malls need to deliver delight and joy. And how luxury brands are becoming cultural curators. Hear from Simon Mitchell, co-founder of luxury retail design specialists Sybarite, on how a Katharine Hamnett store inspired him to follow a design career back in the 80s and how working with Marni taught him how you could push the boundaries of retail design.
Welcome back to Create Tomorrow. On this week’s episode Claire Lancaster, WGSN head of Food & Drink and Katherine Schub, Forecaster and Strategist on our Food and Drink team join Bethan to discuss snacking culture.
Consumers are snacking more than ever, whether for comfort, for their health or for convenience. In this episode, host director of Editorial at WGSN and her expert guests explore consumers’ evolving snacking tastes plus the pioneering brands on the market right now.
Bethan, Claire and Katherine find out why snacking has cult appeal, how brands are collaborating with creators to release limited edition snacks and how this is impacting the food and drink landscape.
Listen to hear Katherine and Claire’s favourite snack, we don’t get to hear Bethan’s because well… listen to find out why.
Vollebak is a British fashion brand focusing on designing clothes that will see us through extreme environments, war and space exploration.
Co-founder of the clothing company Steve Tidball joins host editorial director Bethan Ryder and WGSN head of activewear Yvonne Kostiak to discuss the future of clothing for the next century, innovations in the activewear market and why Vollebak doesn’t produce seasonal collections like most clothing brands.
Steve talks about Vollebak's inception, the brand's journey into the future and of course the Jason Bourne-esque pants designed to last 100 years.
This is the concluding episode of our Milan Design Week Special series in which we’ve explored some of the key trends and brought you insights and interviews from the 2023 edition, which takes place across the city and also at Fiera Milano exhibition centre located just outside the city.
Bethan Ryder, WGSN Executive Editorial Director is joined by Director of Interiors Lisa White and Head of Interiors Gemma Riberti as we explore materials, a trend that had a strong focus at this year’s Milan Design Week.
Tune in to hear about creative material contrasts, recycled glass, a biodegradable hemp chair and an innovation that might help us to detect dangerous UV rays in the future.
This is the third in our series of episodes in which we bring you some of the key trends, insights and interviews from Milan Design Week 2023.
The annual Milan Design Week is considered the world’s biggest event dedicated to design which takes place at Fiera Milano exhibition centre located just outside the city, plus across the city as Fuorisalone in showrooms, palazzos and other venues.
Bethan Ryder, WGSN Executive Editorial Director is joined by Director of Interiors Lisa White and Head of Interiors Gemma Riberti as we explore our sustainability trend.
In this episode we focus on an interview with Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, co-founders of Formafantasma, the research-driven design studio who are leading the conversion on sustainability and design not just from a materials perspective but also a human one. And also catch up with Dutch designer Maarten Baas, who created a private jet of recycled denim for his collaboration with G-Star RAW.
This is the second in our series of episodes in which we bring you some of the key trends, insights and interviews from Milan Design Week 2023.
The annual Milan Design Week is considered the world’s biggest event dedicated to design which takes place at Fiera Milano exhibition centre located just outside the city, plus across the city as Fuorisalone in showrooms, palazzos and other venues.
Bethan Ryder, WGSN Executive Editorial Director is joined by Director of Interiors Lisa White and Head of Interiors Gemma Riberti as we explore our outdoor lifestyles trend.
We focus on an interview with Marie Kristine Schmidt, chief brand officer at the Danish company Gubi, speaking as we toured their installation at the iconic Bagna Misteriosa in Milan.
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