FT3032

Fashion Futures Trend Prediction & Forecasting

Charlotte YoungU0721087

Contents• Module details• The 5 categories – what they mean• Primary Research• Initial ideas & research - What is

happening in each category at the moment?

• Emerging trends/ themes from these categories

• Event details

Module Details

Primary considerations:•A view of the future in terms of market changes

•new consumer needs and mindsets and their identities•Brand relevance in the emerging landscape

At the end of this module I will be able to:•Apply predictive changes to existing scenarios

•formulate value judgements and intelligent assumptions based on found information•identify key drivers of change within social environments

•explain the nature and principles of trend forecasting•consolidate networking and connectivity skills

•apply information obtained from personal public and professional networks•respond creatively to research findings

•synthesise received information, with intuitive knowledge•interpret forecasting decisions two dimensionally•generate a package of 2D forecasting outcomes

•apply range of technical media

"You will be delivering a range of insights which will reflect a global snapshot of rising trends in the generic sense of fashion - luxury, lifestyle, communication, clothing (fashion) and culture, but may include more depth into one aspect, for instance food....."

CATAGORIES: To get an understanding of the 5 categories I have found a dictionary definition of each and then written how I personally interpret it.

Communication:"noun 1 the action of communicating. 2 a letter or message. 3 (communications) means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers. 4 (communications) means of traveling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways."(the oxford online dictionary.)

To me communication is two things; one the way you interact with other people, the means you use to do so, for example by telephone, e-mail or post or even by video, web cam or painting. The other is how you represent yourself to other people, how you express who you are by the fashion you wear, the technology you use and the art you create.

Luxury:"noun (pl. luxuries) 1 the state of great comfort and extravagant living. 2 an inessential but desirable item." (The Oxford online dictionary)

I agree with what the dictionary says about luxury however i also feel there is a lot more to it, the second point touches on it that a luxury doesn't have to be 'luxurious' it could be something really simple and everyday to other people but if you cant have it all the time it can be a luxury. It could also be what you don’t have for example not having to worry about something like money or work.I guess it depends where about on the scale you are, something that is luxurious to you may be mundane to someone else.

Culture:–noun 1. "the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc. 2. that which is excellent in the arts, manners, etc. 3. a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period: Greek culture. 4. development or improvement of the mind by education or training. 5. the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group: the youth culture; the drug culture. 6. Anthropology. the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another." (dictionary.com)

Culture is a tricky one, to me it seems to incorporate everything. It is specific to each person and community incorporating traditions, customs and ways of life. It is also exploration in creative trades, art and design that makes us think and inspires us.

Fashion as in clothing is quite ambiguous, on the one hand it is quite personal to each individual and effects pretty much everyone even if they don’t know it. Now a days i feel fashion is inspired by the streets. street style and anti-fashion are the fashion.

Fashion (clothing):"noun 1 a popular trend, especially in dress. 2 the production and marketing of new styles of clothing and cosmetics."(the oxford online dictionary)

Lifestyle:" noun the way in which one lives. " (the oxford online dictionary)

lifestyle to me is the same as the definition. The way we live, our daily tasks and routines and the tings that affect them.

Primary Research...Questionnaires and interviews I conducted to get a range of the publics opinions and current thoughts...

What does the word luxury mean to you? It is something i treat myself to, not necessarily spending money, but things like having time off or seeing family

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did?Buying the Sunday Times!! its my favourite paper, but i normally forget to get it! I love it!

What does Communication mean to you?two things, physically communicating with people, through speak, mobile, networking sites, and mental things that people percieve about you

How do you communicate with other people? Through facebook, my mobile and face to face, face to face is my preferred method.

Age: 22Location: London, LeytonOccupation: Student, Fashion Futures UELinterests or hobbies: Listening to music, going to gigs, spending time with friends and family, reading magazines/paper,Sex: Female

How do you communicate who you are to other people? By what I wear i communicate that i really dont care about fashion. I like think that I communicate through what i say to people that i care about the important things in life and not materialistic things. im not into fads, i like good honest design that works.

What does the word fashion mean to you? Immediately it sparks the word fad in my mind, but this doesnt mean that i suppose. Im more into style, which is something that is more constant than a fad. Fashion means expression, and communicating to others what your interests are.

How would you describe your fashion style? casual, comfort, laid back, masculine

What would you say are the current fashion trends?erm, im not very up to date with fashion as i dontpay any attention to it, but i get the impression that a lot of people think this too. So i think that not caring at the mo is in fashion, i feel that people in london are waiting around fro seomthing new to come in and have gotten bored, so they like to think that they are individual now rather than following what is in.

Would you predict for the future of fashion?Tailor made clothing, not as far as customisation but something specific to their needs.

CONT...

What does the word culture mean to you? interlinkg subjects that all effect each other and shape what is happening at the mo and what we are interested in.

Are there any cultural movements you find interesting at the moment? (film, art, photography, theatre, politics, technology etc....) Smart living, and adjusting to coping with the current climate issues. I am getting very into Math rock at the mo, its been around a while but it something i have just started to get into, its intelligent rock.

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life? my laptop, my boots.....oh and FAGS!!!!! ye, thatsme in a nutshell, ive just also got an ipod touch, its amazing, and im assuming very soon i wont be able to live without it, if im out i have to be listening to something.

Age: 20Location: LondonOccupation: Student/ Part sales assistant Topshopinterests or hobbies: rugby, shopping, socializing, art (drawing)Sex: Female

What does the word luxury mean to you?Not worrying, just chilling out with my friends for a nice day and night out, but also cheeky purchasing. Not necessarily something expensive buy something i don't really need.

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did? Wednesday, going with all my friends to watch rugby and then just having a party with them, just having a giggle.

What does Communication mean to you? Talking to people and staying in touch.

How do you communicate with other people?Generally through facebook or texting and calling.

How do you communicate who you are to other people?I guess by the way I act or carry myself. My personality but I don't like to really let people in when they first meet me so on a deeper level just by talking to them wether this be by facebook or phone or face to face.

What does the word fashion mean to you?i think fashion means whatever you want it to mean. To me it shouldn't be taken too seriously, have fun with it and wear what you want. It should make you feel happy and comfortable.

How would you describe your fashion style? typical student look, comfy, relaxed and casual.

What would you say are the current fashion trends?well the trends in topshop where are work are jubilee, all about royal colours and rich fabrics like velvet and lace and stripes and spots. Reds, Navy and dark greens. Theres highland fling which is all checks, floral, tartan, military and thats all deep colours like moss and plum. Then there is Manhattan Dolls which is sequins, studs, shoulder pads, glitter and feathers. Mostly black and metalics. I would say that Manhattan Dolls is the most popular at the moment but it is full of all the christmas party dresses.

Would you predict for the future of fashion? I think this relaxed scruffy fashion will stay around but with an edge.

What does the word culture mean to you? it's someones upbringing and traditions and how that varies between generation and place.

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life? my phone, it got locked for an hour the other day and no joke i was pacing so much. It has all my contacts, e-mail, facebook and my music!

CONT...

Age: 25Location: bethnal greenOccupation: fashion buyerinterests or hobbies: cooking, magazines, styling, travelSex: Female

What does the word luxury mean to you? something thats expensive and good quality. or indulgent treat.

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did? i bought some quite expensive winter boots and a coat recently but this was more neccessity than luxury. however i chose to spend more money than i usually would seeing as the boots would be more of an investment, lasting me through a couple of winters. the coat was £225 but luckily igot it with a discount.

What does Communication mean to you? a way to keep in touch with people. its very important i think, i feel a bit lost when i don't have my mobile on me. and it feels a bit weird when ihaven't been on facebook for a while, but thatsjust a bit sad!!

How do you communicate with other people? facebook, texting, chatting on the phone.

How do you communicate who you are to other people? facebook pictures, although most of them are taking on drunken nights out! trying to look different but not too different with what i wear. don't care about phones, just one that works is cool.

What does the word fashion mean to you? fashion is important to me as my job is a fashion buyer and sales assistant. mainstream fashion is a quite fickle, there are so many different trends in just one season, its like the public are being force fed what they are goin to like this month whether they like it or not which equals fashion victims! fashion is also more of a lifestyle too, you can tell a lot from what someone is wearing, you can guess what music they like, where they hang out etc.

How would you describe your fashion style?it depends what mood i'm in. if i'm having a lazy day i'll look quite street-weary jeans, high top reeboks etc. but otherwise i try to keep it quite classic, i try to wear things that are on trend but not taking it to the maximum. i like the occasional unusual piece or accessory.

What would you say are the current fashion trends?studs are all over everything at the moment it seems. military. over-sized coats/jumpers.

CONT...Would you predict for the future of fashion?due the primark craze, fashion has become quite throw away. but it think people will start to get tired of this and start spending their money more wisely soon. fast cheap fashion will always be around now as the demand is so high. i think the fashion industry needs to inform the consumer somehow, and let them know the reasons behind why these clothes are so cheap. i went to an ethical fashion seminar recently where i found out that there are government-run cotton factories in countries like uzbekistan who make children between the ages of 8 and 14 take 3 months off from school to go and live in a factory and work long hours for no money. this cotton then gets sold onto to manufacturers and it is shops like primark who buy their fabric as it is so cheap. if a booklet explaining this was made accessible for lots of people to read, they'd probably think twice b4 spending their money in primark!

What does the word culture mean to you?on one level it means going out to a gallery and "getting a bit of culture." then on a deeper level it can be a country's history, beliefs, religion etc. i find sub-culture interesting, its more gritty!

Are there any cultural movements you find interesting at the moment? (film, art, photography, theatre, politics, technology etc....)a few of my friends put on burlesque shows thats quite fun and interesting. the whole burlesque/50s scene has become its own sub-culture now, its massive.

CONT...

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life? mobile, girly things like foundation and mascara.

Age: 19Location: MarlboroughOccupation: Studentinterests or hobbies: Photography, graphic design, musicSex: Female

What does the word luxury mean to you?Being able to do what ever you want

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did? Went to Paris

What does Communication mean to you? Talking to people, not just with your voice though, knowing what's going on.

How do you communicate with other people? Talking, smiling, sometimes frowning.

How do you communicate who you are to other people? Not very well.

What does the word fashion mean to you? Not much because it's not something I end to worry or know about. I guess it's something 'cool' people know about. I guess it means when something is popular.

How would you describe your fashion style? Different every day it depends on my mood. I'm not very trendy or stylish. Sometimes I accidently dress up as characters from films or people I have in my head.

What would you say are the current fashion trends? STUDS SEQUINS AND EMBELLISHMENTS. Vintage and quirky. Even though no one buys anything genuinely vintage and how can something be quirky if thousands of them were made?

Would you predict for the future of fashion?No idea ! I hope technology becomes integrated so we have TV's in our handbags (oh wait, they're called Blackberrys) and headphones in hoods ! That would be fun, you could have a sound track to your life playing all the time.

CONT...

What does the word culture mean to you?Ways people live, traditions mannerisms etc. It's quite a broad word.

Are there any cultural movements you find interesting at the moment?(film, art, photography, theatre, politics, technology etc....) My heads in the clouds I don't really know what's going on.

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life?I forget something different every day and I'm still alive. I don't think I could survive without talking to real people every day. Or seeing.

Age: 21Location: Sofa bed, Axford, But lay me hats in Pig Down.Occupation: Student, being taught Graphic Design Access.interests or hobbies: I'm very interested in how the world works, Manipulation, confusion, life and death, the thought that there is no beginning interests my minds thoughts most. Music, anything that makes me think, get me jiggly, Psychedelic early 70's late 60's psych folk..90' UK hip hop, 2008/2009 rock . experimental.. instrumental, World music, heavy drums panio synth random... lots n lots. Photography taking photos, Exploring my country, old abandoned places, sun, sea, sex, I like making music... playing with music... anything interesting in the art world to me...Sex: Male

What does the word luxury mean to you? A good service, feeling more then happy with something the way it feels looks tastes ect.. paying more then you would normally for better build, design, quality ect...

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did? Buying a brand new Mac book Pro..

What does Communication mean to you?Function.

How do you communicate with other people? Speaking ,

How do you communicate who you are to other people? With drawings, collages, and talking about them and what each aspect means to me and what relates to me as a person... I find this gives a lot more information the a conversation.... I've got no bother to repeat my life 100's of times to all people, I'd like me to come out with in my passions in life, through art and music, poems, and actions..

CONT...What does the word fashion mean to you? Trend that keep renewing them self each year..new colors and designs every year decided by world famous designers, inspired by trends of the famous, new looks and outrageous styles, toned down for the every day human to buy and follow there ideas... To be honest I don't know... I like to wear what no one else has, where all different, fashion seems to make us all look the same, even them out there that look different still look the same, and that's down to the genres and trends of fashion.... and shopping in the same shops!!

How would you describe your fashion style?I wear things I like, mostly I like to buy old 90's t shirts and not the fake remakes from the shops of today, I like patterned jumpers and hoodys from Europe and not the UK... I like bright colors and simple designs, always Black jeans nothing skinny, sometimes some bright jeans for those happy days

What would you say are the current fashion trends? Faking old genres... Vintage re makes, flowery pattens, 50's, What ever the people with in the music world wear, is a cool trend to follow, for men I'd say smart is in cardigans, old sweaters, and at the same time having your boxers on show is very hip.....My skater friends like a plain XXXXXL t shirt in the summer, an a XXL hoddy in the winter with a simple logo on, and baggy jeans, following the US of the past 30 years ....but that's just the people I know....

Would you predict for the future of fashion? A riot.... we keep going back in years we had the 90s 80s ....70s60s Maybe we will go to the cave days next...or maybe its time to go forward??? everyone has run out of ideas, this is why we all learn about the old styles all the time to inspire the new ones, maybe we should inspire our selves, with something new....

What does the word culture mean to you? Difference.

Are there any cultural movements you find interesting at the moment? (film, art, photography, theatre, politics, technology etc....) not right now..I don't follow cultures. I live by my own thoughts and decisions.

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life? Clothes, being naked all the time would be very embarrassing. My cameras also.....

CONT...

Age: 21Location: Leyton, east londonOccupation: Student / filmakerinterests or hobbies: Surfing, Photography, Film, Band,

What does the word luxury mean to you?Super smooth loo roll especially right now....

What was the last luxury item/ action you bought or did?i bought a ping pong table for my girlfriend its portable but you can also play at home i think thats luxary, it gives you the luxary of playing anywhere anytime.

What does Communication mean to you? Talking, expressing your self. its an important part of life, as a film maker i feel most of what i do is a form of communication in w=one way or another.

How do you communicate with other people? Through the films i make , talking to people via the internet or the phone or face to face. Right now i'mcommunicating to you through facebook. oh the world wide web what a wonderful thing!

How do you communicate who you are to other people? I guess by the way i act and what i make films about are the main ones. What does the word fashion mean to

you? A cycle of trends (mainly relating to clothing) which come and go and repeat themselves. cant wait till its fine to wear suits of armor out in town.

How would you describe your fashion style? Cheap, Alternative, Geeky (i wear tee shirts with comicbook things on) I want to look like i'm from slacker (Linklater)...

What would you say are the current fashion trends? 3D glasses, i think at the moment people have a very post modern approach to fasion and people tend to look back at styles from the past which they fancy and adopt that look so we end up with lots of different groups of people. Its all about nostalgia!

What would you predict for the future of fashion?I think that maybe sustainability and simple design is inevitable, young people aren't as ignorant to whats happening to our planet as many people think. So much has been done things can either get super outrageous or back to basics. I dont know maybe people will start wearing chain mail made of coca cola cans.

What does the word culture mean to you? When i think of culture i automatically think of east london and how all the different nationalitysof people have bought different morals and traditional codes into the area. I think that when you say someone is cultural it means they are well rounded and maybe have traveled loads and not only what is different about people but more importantly what is the same.

Are there any cultural movements you find interesting at the moment? (film, art, photography, theatre, politics, technology etc....) I find the film culture interesting, at the moment everything seems to be heading in the direction of the 3D film and i very much feel like i'm apart of that because we're actually making a film which experiments with 3D effects.

What couldn't you live without in your day to day life? My computer. I reckon thats a pretty common one. But my computer is like my HUB it has everything i'm interested in on it. I play my keyboard through it, make my films on it, put my photos on it, communicate on it, read my comic books on it, watch films on it and of course do lots of essays and hardwork on it....

CONT...

Initial Research & IdeasThe next few pages are the initial research in to each of the 5 sections to get an in-depth and detailed view of what is happening now, what is about to happen and what will happen in the future. From This a number of key trends will be picked out to look at in more detail.

CommunicationLive Communication

Tracking & Alerting

Generosity

Augmented Reality

Live Communication

London – Pop star Rihanna’s live concert will be streamed online as part of the Nokia Play 2010 partnership between Nokia, Island Def Jam Music Group and Universal Music Group International today. In addition, selected bloggers at the event will record, broadcast and share elements of the concert with fans around the globe using social networks. The singer’s new album will also be launched in simultaneous listening parties scheduled to take place around the world, and Nokia ‘Comes With Music’ customers will be able to download an exclusive version of the album, with additional content available for free aspart of their subscription.(lsnglobal.com)

Live Streaming

LIVE BROADCASTING of our events on WWW.THEPLAYGROUND.CO.UK !! The bands that play at PLAYGROUND are live streamed to the internet to be watched in real time.

London – The world’s largest virtual race is about to commence, allowing running enthusiasts around the world to compete with one another –in different cities and at the same time.For the Nike+ Human Race 2009, the sportswear brand is asking runners from around the globe to log their ultimate 10-kilometre race, which they will all run on the same day: 24 October. Using the Nike+ SportBand or iPod Sport Kit, participants can register the times from their race on the Nike+ website for comparison with the other runners.With internet communication ubiquitous in most nations, real-time and inline activities such as these take advantage of a connected world. What’s more, Nike effectively pushes the brand into an experience and a global context with this event – one consumers will remember as Nike’s. The race is on.(lsnglobal.com)

Leader of the pack: Nike launches global race....

Tracking & Alerting

First of all, 'TRACKING & ALERTING is the new searching', as it saves consumers time, makes it impossible to forget or miss out, and thus ultimately gives them yet another level of control. Count on everything being tracked and alerted on (there's more than FedEx packages!): from friends (MASS MINGLING!) to enemies to fuel prices to flights to authors to pizzas to any mentions of oneself. Oh, and ALERTING, when done well, is of course the ultimate in INFOLUST: relevant information findingconsumers, based on (voluntarily revealed) preferences.

The real opportunity in 2010? TRACKING and ALERTING is something that consumers actually need and want, that delights them, that they crave. They are quite literally asking for relevant information, even giving you permission to provide them with more. What’s not to like? Learn from examples below, then start adding to the current information overload in meaningful ways ;-) (trendwatching.com)

A Box Life is an

initiative by the Columbia sportswear company to promote the reuse of boxes used to ship purchases made from their online store. The program allows consumers to track the path and life of their boxes through Columbia's A Box Life website. Customers can enter a box's unique tracking number or QR code and see where it's been, how far it has travelled and find out about the other people who have passed the box on. In just over one month after A Box Life's launch in 2009, over 66% of all Columbia's orders were being shipped in reused boxes.

Tracking & Alerting

Fitbit is a small device

the user can wear around the clock for continuous, automatic and comprehensive fitness reporting. With a 3D motion sensor the Fitbit tracks the user's activity in three dimensions and converts that data into useful information. Once this is uploaded onto the Fitbit website, users can view detailed data about their fitness-related activities; they can also enter data about what they've eaten and participate in collaborative fitness goals.

Launched in San Francisco in early August 2009, Curtis Kimball's mobile Crème Brûlée Cart has attracted more than 8,000 Twitter followers, who rely on his tweets to find out exactly where he'll be, and what flavours are on the menu.

The Warm Cookie Radar from Specialty's Cafe & Bakery sends customers email alerts when batches of just-baked cookies have rolled out of the oven.

Kogi Korean BBQ sells its Korean/Mexican fusion food primarily through two trucks that are always on the move to new locations in the Los Angeles area. To know where to find them, customers must follow Kogi on Twitter.

Food Alert!

Generosity GENERATION G(ENEROSITY). It was big in 2009, and it will be even bigger in 2010. In particular all things EMBEDDED GENEROSITY. It incorporates all giving initiatives that make giving and donating painless, if not automatic (after all, pragmatism is the religion ;-). On top of that, with collaboration being such an integral part of the zeitgeist, expect lots of innovative corporate giving schemes that involve customers by letting them co-donate and/or co-decide. (trendwatching.com)

Australian Baby Teresa manufactures and sells a variety of 100% cotton onesies for babies, and, for each one purchased, donates another to a baby in need somewhere in the world.

TOMS Shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair they sell online. As of August 2009, TOMS has given over 150,000 pairs of shoes to children in need. TOMS shoes plans to give 1 million shoes by 2012.

Play Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 on the weekend of the 5/6 December 2009 and do your bit for the charity War Child. You play. We give.

Augmented Reality"Experienced consumers are lusting after detailed information on where to get the best of the best, the cheapest of the cheapest, the first of the first, the healthiest of the healthiest, the coolest of the coolest, or on how to become the smartest of the smartest. Instant information gratification is upon us. So forget information overload: this desire for relevant information is insatiable, and will soon move from the online world to the ‘real’ world to achieve true ubiquity. Get ready for a click-and-know, point-and-know, text-and-know, hear-and-know, smell-and-know, touch-and-know and snap-and-know world." (trendwatching.com)

New York – Actor and musician Robert Downey Jr near literally leaps out of the December issue of Esquire magazine, the latest title to use 3D augmented reality (AR) technology in its pages. Readers hold the physical magazine up to their webcam to discover 3D visuals of the cover star on their computer screen.Additional interactive content comes via the QR codes printed throughout the magazine, which can also be scanned using a webcam. It’s not just editorial content that benefits from the high-tech treatment: automaker Lexus has booked two AR advertising slots in the issue.Esquire’s move into AR is the newest example of traditional print media harnessing the excitement of new technology to counter online media. See our interview with Abdel Bounane, editor of French digital arts magazine Amusement, to see how offline content connects to the internet for an inline experience.

Augmented RealityHilversum, the Netherlands – A new wine brand is bringing innovative technology to a traditional market, allowing internet-savvy consumers personalisation options and simplifying the wine-buying process.94Wines allows customers to add a personal message to a gift bottle using QR codes that can contain text, photos or video. Buyers upload selected files to the 94Wines website, which generates a unique code printed on a particular bottle. The QR code can then be read using a mobile phone’s built-in camera.

Further, for consumers who are unsure about which wine to pick, the brand offers WineID, a six-question test that will help drinkers discover the selection that best suits their tastes. The quiz is available on the 94Wines website and through the brand’s iPhone app, which also lets users see their friends’ 94Wines profile. A simple bottle-labelling system of numbers and eye-catching colours makes the wines easy to identify and select. Most consumers don’t have the time to be connoisseurs. By simplifying the process of wine buying, 94Wines takes some of the mystery out of an often-bewildering activity.(lsnglobal.com)

AugmentedReality

Florida – Burger King is using augmented reality (AR) – the layering of 3D digital visuals over real-world footage – in a new online advertisement to promote its Value Menu. To see what a dollar can buy at the fast-food outlet, viewers of the ad hold a dollar bill to their webcam and watch as their cash translates into a selection of burgers on screen. The AR application can also transform participants into the Burger King figurehead on screen.While other companies, such as automaker Nissan and the US Postal Service, are using augmented reality on their websites, Burger King’s is one of the first online banner ads to interact with consumers using this new technology. (lsnglobal.com)

NEW YORK Augmented reality is the latest tech trick brands are deploying on their sites. Until now, however, it has been employed mostly in the service of creating cool 3-D brand experiences.

Enter the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS is using the technology not to immerse consumers in a brand experience, but for a more prosaic purpose: to help them determine if objects will fit in shipping boxes.

Treviso, Italy – A magazine is giving readers a chance to experience augmented reality, with printed codes in the publication triggering 3D animated content when placed in front of a webcam. The codes, in issue 76 of Colors magazine. reveal 3D interviews and behind-the-scenes footage when activated on screen. On newsstands today in English, Italian, French and Spanish, the teenager-themed issue is the latest example of a print publication fighting the decline in magazine sales by enabling consumers to experiment with cutting-edge technology. (We previously featured French magazine Amusement, the world’s first internet connected magazine.)

Augmented Reality

LuxuryThe non-luxury

luxury

Limitations Luxury

New Markets

Personal Taste

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New Markets

The new target consumer

Mumbai – Spending on luxury goods in India has grown substantially, with a surge in wealthy individuals within the country. Indian consumers spent about £2bn on luxury goods last year, and spending on luxury goods is expected to reach £15bn by 2015, according to consultancy AT Kearney. Meanwhile, the number of Indian billionaires has almost doubled since last year, growing from 27 in 2008 to 52 this year, according to Forbes Asia.

India(lsnglobal.com)

(F)LuxuryAnything commissioned? Providing 'access'? Secrets? Stories? Time with one's loved ones? Time for oneself? All things local? Peace and quiet, if not escape? Eco-friendly? Human-friendly? Animal-friendly? Caring? Empathy? Perks? Craft? Friends? Having a larger-than-life perspective? Households of six or more? An audience? Eccentricity? Appointment-only? Relevant information? Extreme personalization? Not having or wanting to consume? Being opinionated? Anything premium? Fuck-you money? Curation if not the absence of any kind of choice? Philanthropy? Bespoke goods and services? Knowledge? Skills? Frugality? Health? Etiquette & manners? Or a mix of any of these?

“In 2010, luxury, and what it means to a bewildering number of ‘consumer segments’, will remain in flux. So how will luxury brands fare in the next 12 months? What will define luxury over the next few years? The answer is ‘luxury will be whatever you want it to be'. After all, what constitutes luxury is closely related to what constitutes scarcity. And, beyond the basic needs, scarcity is in the eye of the beholder, especially those beholders who are desperately trying to be unique. Now that there are so many more ways to be unique than just buy the biggest and the most expensive, how about luxury constituting:

P.S. We’re not saying ‘traditional’ luxury is going to disappear. (trendwatching.com)

So don't worry about missing out on the next big thing in luxury, focus on defining it. How? By finding and coining the right (status) trigger for the right audience. Just declare that the end is nigh for anything that’s getting a little too affordable, too accessible, too polluting, or just too well-known. Then introduce something very different (if not the opposite), appealing to the in-crowds who are ready to jump ship anyway ;-)” (All text from trendwatching.com )

The Non-Luxury Luxury Luxury. Is it a family of six? Owning a SUB instead of a SUV? Needing nothing at all? You decide.

Limited Luxury“We know you all know about limited editions as an enduring luxury-strategy; it is an easy way to appeal to consumers’ need for exclusivity and scarcity, amidst a 'Sea of Sameness'. So why not introduce LIMITED LOCATIONS to extend the scarcity theme to the distribution channel? In 2010, just sell something special, something premium, something desirable in just one (geographical) location. Which means forgoing a chain-wide rollout or selling to all from a borderless e-shop. The limitation this will put on distribution opportunities will be compensated for by enthusiasm, PR and premium prices. For shoppers, it brings back the thrill of (literally) having to go places to pick up something for others or themselves.

Examples from brands already having fun with LIMITED LOCATIONS: •Fashion brand Bape sells some of its limited edition lines only in stores in the Kagoshima, Harajuku, Nagoya and Matsuyama regions of Tokyo.•Burberry’s Blue Label is a line of Burberry stores exclusive to Japan that features a more fitted, sassier version of Burberry styles.•Le Labo fragrances, with fragrance boutiques in New York, LA and Tokyo, and mini-shops in department stores in cities like London, Las Vegas and Berlin, produces an exclusive scent for each major city it sells in, restricting the fragrance's availability to that city alone.•At Heathrow's Terminal 5, a number of brands have designed exclusive products for their airside stores. Travelers can purchase a range of one-off items, including a pendant from Bulgari, a silver model of the terminal itself from Links of London, and an exclusive KrispyKreme T5 doughnut.

Think about it, what better cure for retail blandness than to turn a Stockholm or Istanbul flagship store into a true destination again? Or what if every one of your stores/outlets/venues had its own unique experience and assortment?Like aforementioned URBAN PRIDE, turning locations into destinations is something that will mainly benefit bigger brands, helping them become less cookie-cutter, less bland, as niche brands almost practice LIMITED LOCATIONS by default.” (trendwatching.com)

Personal TasteFashion is changing an the luxury market is no exception. It appears today that it’s much more about being unique and original as opposed to following the crowd and owning the new ‘IT’ item.

CultureExchangePrideswap

Cultural Exchange

The Art Barter event revolves around the idea that artwork will beacquired by individuals through alternative means to money. Artists have always beenfamiliar with the use of barter. From Picassoexchanging sketches for hismeals, to hotels (such as The ChelseaHotel in NY) accepting art as payment for rent and select YBA’shaving tabs at restaurants such as The Ivy in exchange for piecesof their work to adorn the restaurant walls. However, the ArtBarterevent is unique because it is the only exhibition to promote such aform of exchange amongst a wide array of artists and the generalpublic all at once.There is a catch at Art Barter where you will not know which artwork belongsto which artist until after the show’s end. This will create a gamble for thepublic and will make people value the art for what it really is, not for thename or price tag that formerly was attached. As curator Lauren Jones says“We want to make art available to a more diverse crowd, not just peoplewith disposable income. ArtBarter is the perfect setting to make this happen,whilst also providing a fun way to get people involved with the arts .” Sowhether you have a special talent or skill to offer or something unused thatmay be desirable to others; or if you just wish to view a great exhibition andtry your luck with bartering, come down and become part of ‘Art Barter’.We would also like to take this opportunity to announce that we have linkedup with charity ‘Arts Against Knives.’ We feel passionate about this causeand will be collecting donations during our event.

FRED ALSOP – NINA AMBERG - JOHAN ANDERSSON - MAXIME ANGEL- IVYARMOUR – TOM BEARD - JESS BONHAM - IAN BRUCE - OLIVER CLEGG -PHOEBE COLLINGS-JAMES - MAT COLLISHAW – DAVID DORRELL -JENNIFERDUBET - TRACY EMIN - ABIGAIL FALLIS - ADHAM FARAMAWY - MIKE FIGGIS –PAUL FRYER - TOM GALLANT -THOMAS GIDDINGS - MARISHA GREEN -BYZANTIA HARLOW - NORIAKI HATTORI - PHILLIPA HORAN – NICK HORNBY -RACHEL HOWARD - LORA HRISTOVA -HENRY HUDSON – GARY HUME - SAMKAPRIELOV - HANA KIM - ABIGAIL LANE - TYRONE LEBON - VALERY LIPPENS –ROB MONTGOMERY - POLLY MORGAN - ANNIE MORRIS - FRANKIE NAZARDO –LAURENCE OWEN – ZOE PAUL - JO ROBERTSON – WILL ROPER-CURZON - BOOSAVILLE - JOHNNIE SHAND KYDD -JAMIE SHOVLIN - GAVIN TURK -SIMONTYSZKO – SASHA VINE - TIM NOBLE & SUE WEBSTER - HUGO WILSON

Artists

Urban pridePreparing for URBANY and more sophisticated consumers is one thing, runningwith this trend is another. So here's a hands-on sub-trend to get you going: URBAN PRIDE.

Basically, in thriving mega-cities, whose economic and cultural power already often surpass that of entire nations, inhabitants’ identities will be closely tied to a city's culture, its brand, its heritage, its 'being'. This means that for big brands, delivering city-specific products, services and communications that truly incorporate a city's character, will be a great, human and fun way to pay respect to urban citizens around the world. (trendwatching.com)

•The Absolut Cities Series first launched in New Orleans in 2007, when the brand developed a special mango and black pepper blend inspired by the city. Later in 2007, Absolut rolled out the City Series to Los Angeles, and in August 2009, Absolut released the taste of Boston - a black tea and elderflower vodka that has a backdrop reminiscent of Fenway Park's Green Monster.

•Since August 2009, people using five Bank Machine ATMs in East London have been able to opt to have their prompts and options given to them in Cockney rhyming slang.•Guerlain launched a series of city-themed perfumes in July 2009, exclusively available at UK department store Harrods for GBP 130. Paris - Moscow is a combination of musk, fruit and wood; Paris - New York mixes vanilla, cinnamon and cedar; and jasmine, violet and green tea combine to create Paris - Tokyo. (trendwatching.com)

Urban prideStarbucks revealed a new look today at their Conduit Street location. There was less green -even the logo sign out front was sans vert - and more earthy, woody tones. The mood was certainly easier on the eyes than the standard Starbucks that Londoners have grown accustomed to. The furnishing were comfier, as well. And with long tables, “conversation caves” and an overall more open and airy feel, the Conduit Street re-fit promised better sipping and off-site working.The idea behind the new design was “to inspire the look and feel of new stores and refurbishments throughout the UK and Ireland in the future, meaning no two Starbucks will ever be entirely the same.” With recent plans to scale back their London presence, stepping up with more individual coffeehouses might prove fruitful. For fans of this global “third place”, interiors featuring locally sourced materials and the incorporation of reused and recycled materials should provide a more pleasant Starbucks experience while those folks who cringe at the thought of ordering their java in tall, venti or grande form, the coffee's still gonna taste the same anyway. To take a gander at the new “loft-like” Starbucks, visit their location at 2/3 Conduit Street off of Regent Street. (londonist.com)

Urban prideThe Brixton Pound (B£) is money that sticks to Brixton. It’s designed to support Brixton businesses and encourage local trade and production. It’s a complementary currency, working alongside (not replacing) pounds sterling, for use by independent local shops and traders.

The B£ is the UK’s first local currency in an urban area and the fourth transition town to have its own currency, following the Totnes Pound in Devon, Lewes Pound in Sussex and Stroud Pound in Gloucestershire.

The B£ project has been initiated by a group of volunteer from Transition Town Brixton (TTB), a community-led organisation for action on energy issues and climate change.The B£ story is a great example of local traders getting together to support each other and maintain the diversity of the high street.

To begin using the B£ all you need to do is:Exchange pounds sterling for B£s at issuing pointsSpend B£s with participating businesses (instead of sterling or in part-payment)Ask for B£s in your changeAccept B£s yourself if you trade in BrixtonAsk your staff or suppliers if they will accept (part) payment in B£sGive B£s as gifts or to pay for informal activities, e.g. baby-sitting… and keep them circulating!If you’re a business the B£ group can help you find local suppliersIf you need to change them back to sterling, visit an exchange point

Fashion (Clothing)

Futuristic / Digital

Fashion On-line

Playful Fantasy

Revivals

Fashion On-lineTry it on in our Virtual Dressing Room!

We are always looking for new and fun ways to make shopping with us more personal. If you've ever wondered, how will this look on me? We've got you covered!

Grab your webcam and visit our virtual dressing room to try on hundreds of our dresses. This feature will simply overlay dresses onto live video of you. Now, you can have your very own fashion show with the privacy and convenience of online shopping.

Need a second opinion? Take a snapshot of yourself in your favorite dress and share it with friends on Facebook, or email them for their feedback!

Browse our dresses and look for the "try it on" button below to enter the virtual dressing room

Print out the marker and hold it towards the camera for positioning; drop when set Now try it on! Cycle through dresses with the flick of a wrist Motion over "thumbs up" to place it in your cart, or "thumbs down" to move on Need a second opinion? Take a snapshot and share it with your

friends on Facebook or through email! To exit the dressing room, motion over "done" TIPSGood lighting! The addition of a second lamp will help Minimize possible moving distractions in background Wear a camisole or bandeau top If webcam is inactive, right-click and choose Settings, then set webcam to "USB Video" (tobi.com)

Fashion On-line

students.We are inviting exceptionally stylish people to lend us the gems of their own wardrobes, so we can share them with you.And we're just getting started.

AboutLooklet is a brand new styling studio where you can combine every piece in our fashion collection to mix, match and create your personal looks. All clothes are real, selected by stylists, from real designers.

By the sweat of our brow, and our aching backs, our collective wardrobe is growing by hundreds every week.We are bringing in the latest trends from top designers.We are chasing down the coolest vintage from dusty stores and attics.We are keeping track of new designers, and highlighting promising

Why?

Because LOVE! That's why. It's all about the love for creativity, style and old-fashion new-technology fun. We don't sell clothes, we create looks.

This is fashion in a way the world has never seen before.

Fashion On-lineNew York – A virtual make-up website is taking the cosmetic counter out of the department store and placing it online so that consumers can try before they buy, virtually. The Makeover Studio by cosmetic website Daily Makeover has created an online application that allows users to upload photos of themselves and test various beauty products using innovative facial recognition technology. An online makeover is just a few clicks away.From lipsticks to waterproof mascaras, the site allows users to complete a total makeover using their chosen photo, while brands have the opportunity to let consumers test their products. While it lacks the obvious physical advantage of the traditional cosmetic counter, the Daily Makeover website gives users the chance to test colours and tones of potential new purchases against their own skin. Hairstyles and colours are also available.

London – Digital and interactive design are the focus of a forthcoming exhibition at the V&A museum. ‘Decode: Digital Design Sensations’, which was curated in collaboration with digital arts organisation onedotzero, will include digitally growing plants and a mechanical eye that mirrors the blinks of visitors’ eyes. In a first for the gallery, the V&A has also commissioned a digital work for its website and will provide remote access to some of the works.The exhibition explores three main themes: user interaction in digital art; the use of computer code to create new, organic designs; and the network of digital traces left behind by everyday communications. As the line between our online and offline lives increasingly blurs, the importance for brands to offer a seamless experience increases. With its new show, the V&A will bring the arts into this new dimension.

Futuristic / Digital

Futuristic / Digital

Digital

“Inspired by the digital revolution of the last decade...”

Futuristic / Digital

Futuristic / Digital

Futuristic / Digital

Playful fantasy

Playful fantasy

Playful fantasy

Playful fantasy

Playful fantasy

Playful fantasy

Lifestyle

Eco-easy

involvement

Nature city

Eco-easy While the current good intentions of corporations and consumers are helpful, serious eco-results will depend on making products and processes more sustainable without consumers even noticing it, and, if necessary, not leaving much room for consumers and companies to opt for less sustainable alternatives to begin with.

Which will often mean forceful, if not painful, government intervention, or some serious corporate guts, or brilliantly smart design and thinking, if not all of those combined. Think anything from thoroughly green buildings, to a complete ban on plastic bags and bottles, to super-strict bluefintuna quota — anything that by default leaves no choice, no room for complacency, and thus makes it 'easy' for consumers (and corporations) to do the right and necessary thing. (trendwatching.com)

•The small town of Bundanoon in Australia's New South Wales has banned the sale of bottled water for environmental reasons. The community voted to replace branded water bottles with empty bottles labeled "Bundy on tap" that can be filled and refilled with water from taps and fountains on the main street.•In September 2009, French President Nicolas Sarkozyannounced plans to introduce a carbon tax to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in France. Polluters will have to pay EUR 17 per ton of carbon emitted, which includes not only businesses but individual households as well. The tax will cover 70% of the country's carbon emissions and bring in about EUR 4.3 billion of revenue annually.•The government of Mexico City recently passed a law restricting businesses from giving out plastic bags that are not biodegradable. Mexico City becomes the second large metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere to outlaw the bags. San Francisco enacted an ordinance in March 2007 that gave supermarkets six months and large chain pharmacies about a year to phase out the bags.•UK sandwich chain Pret a Manger decided to stop selling tuna sandwiches after the Earth Day 2009 release of End of the Line, a documentary exposing over-fishing of the world's oceans.(trendwatching.com)

Eco-easy

London – With its latest edition, design magazine Creative Review tackles the niggling issue of plastic packaging. The November issue of the publication comes in a transparent plastic bag so eco-friendly it dissolves in water. The compostable, biodegradable material was developed by packaging specialists Cyberpac to avoid using the regular polybags that can last years in a landfill.With increasing numbers of consumers expressing concern about excessive packaging, Cyberpac’s Harmless-Dissolve bag is an eco-aware solution to an everyday problem. (lsnglobal.com)

Copenhagen – A striking multimedia installation aims to draw attention to the climate cause during the UN climate change conference this month. Floating on the lake in front of the Copenhagen Planetarium, ‘CO2 Cube’, designed by artist AlfioBonanno and Los Angeles-based architect Christophe Cornubert, represents one metric ton of carbon dioxide – the monthly carbon footprint of the average person in an industrialised nation. Using an interactive media delivery system developed by technology lab Obscura Digital, the cube will screen video footage and real-time statistics to draw attention to the focus of the summit. Further, content will be distributed via digital and broadcast media outlets, as well as through social networking sites and partner websites.Beyond the impressive multimedia, multiplatform effort, the illuminated installation is also noteworthy for its Light Futures approach to highlighting a particularly pressing issue.

Naya has introduced the first 100% recycled plastic water bottle. Bottled water companies usually use up to 50% recycled plastic, otherwise known as rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) to create new packaging. The 100% recycled plastic water bottle has been approved for use by Health Canada and meets all of the same required safety standards and non-recycled plastic bottles. Naya’s new eco-friendly 100% recycled plastic water bottles will begin shipping to retailers in January 2010. (trendhunter.com)

Eco-easy

Kit Kat is to become the first Nestle chocolate to carry the fairtrade mark on its packaging from January.Four finger versions of the chocolate-coated biscuits will feature the fairtrade mark as of January next year. An advertising campaign to coincide with the fairtrade certification will run simultaneously with the launch.Nestle chose Kit Kat to debut its fairtradecertification because it is its “leading confectionary brand and the UK’s favourite chocolate biscuit”. It will rival Cadbury’s partnership with the Fairtrade Foundation in Britain and Ireland - which saw FairtradeCadbury Dairy Milk bars launching in July.(marketingweek.com)

Eco-easy

As we become more environmentally conscious, it’s important to continue to expand that knowledge base with convenient tools such as the GoodGuide iPhone app. Though we may know a lot more about consumer choices, there are just too many products out there to know which to purchase and which to avoid.With the GoodGuide iPhone app, this information can be right at our fingertips—literally. This barcode scanning tool allows you to immediately and properly inform you about particular products. (trendhunter.com)

We are witnessing a developing interest in localised farming, particularly re-scaled for small, urban spaces including high-rise, vertical and rooftop farms. Green buildings are the future of architectural developments that find ways to move buildings from their current unproductive, non-interactive state into smart structures that transform and adapt to harness and produce energy from the outside to the inside – a living building that enables extreme self-sufficiency for its inhabitants as natures commodities become a new form of economics.Cityscapes and countryscapes merge as we invite nature into urban environments rather than trying to keep it out…Nature takes over…Co-existence is key. Pivotal to this trend is the World Expo 2010 –Shanghai (May-Oct). The Expo’s theme of ’Better City, Better Life’ represents the common wish for improved lifestyles in future urban environments globally. The need to develop new and improved urban strategies is now crucial and the World Expo 2010 will create blueprints for future cities and harmonious urban lifestyles. One of the main aims of the Expo is to address successful interactions between urban and rural areas. As the world becomes intensely urbanised we begin to recognise our dependency on nature and begin to sow the seeds of change. (trendsblog.com)

City Nature

When it’s complete, the Urban Forest by MAD Architects may look like a mountain in the middle of the city, but it will function as a 70-floor commercial and residential skyscraper in Chongqing, China. One of the most amazing parts about climbing a real mountain is the view from the top, a trait MAD Architects incorporated with floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive balconies with lush gardens to make the most of the view.“Each floor is seen as a separate and unique level of the urban forest and is meant to combine both nature and the urban metropolis,” Inhabitatdescribes. They also note the Urban Forest was “Inspired by mountainous Chinese landscapes and the traditional villages built their hillsides.”Check out some other sustainable architecture and communities around the world in the related articles below. (trendhunter.com)

City Nature

Trees and plants are our friends. When surrounded by skyscrapers and highways, urban gardens are any patch of greenery found in metropolitan areas. Space-saving solutions that increase green space for city dwellers come in all shapes and sizes from vertical wall gardens to space age plant capsules. Surrounding yourself with nature and tending to urban gardens is becoming an extremely easy, fun and eco-friendly activity.

City NatureUnfold your own green space anywhere you like with the Caravan Garden - a portable garden that you can hook up to the back of your car.“Living in a giant city, I often really miss sitting amongst flowers and bushes and greenery. Living in a concrete jungle can get to you sometimes, and it would be nice to have a personal oasis to relax in once and a while. Enter the Caravan Garden” -Adam Frucci, Sci Fi Blog

City Nature

The beauty and wonder of nature have provided inspiration for artists and architects for centuries. Since the 1960s, the increasingly evident degradation of the natural world and the effects of climate change have brought a new urgency to their responses. Radical Nature is the first exhibition to bring together key figures across different generations who have created utopian works and inspiring solutions for our ever-changing planet.

Radical Nature draws on ideas that have emerged out of Land Art, environmental activism, experimental architecture and utopianism. The exhibition is designed as one fantastical landscape, with each piece introducing into the gallery space a dramatic portion of nature. Work by pioneering figures such as the architectural collective Ant Farm and visionary architect Richard Buckminster Fuller, artists Joseph Beuys , Agnes Denes , Hans Haacke and Robert Smithson are shown alongside pieces by a younger generation of practitioners including Heather and Ivan Morison, R&Sie(n) , Philippe Rahm architects and Simon Starling.

Radical Nature also features specially commissioned and restaged historical installations, some of which are located in the outdoor spaces around the Barbican while a satellite project by the architectural collective EXYZT is situated off site.

InvolvementBACK TO BASICS: Bye bye complex financial products – at least for a while. Following the sub-prime fiasco, simplicity,transparency and products that are not over-engineered or overly complex are back in vogue. So too arelocal lenders where what you see is what you get. But this swing back to the old skool doesn’t just apply tofinancial services. Uncertainty and anxiety are driving people towards people and products that they knowand understand in all spheres.IMPLICATIONS: If people are strapped for cash they will do many of the things that they did the last time there was a majorrecession. Therefore expect to see a resurgence of fresh home cooked meals (because cooking from scratchcosts less money but also because home cooking tends to pull the immediate family back together). Weshould also see more people growing their own food, mending their own clothes, cleaning their own housesand fixing their own cars. At least we will for a while until people remember how difficult and frustrating someof these activities are and revert to previous behaviour.OPPORTUNITIES: Products that are basic in the sense of being stripped down or simple to understand and use. For instance,own brand or house brand products in supermarkets will do well as will supermarket brands that arethemselves basic (e.g. Aldi and Lidl). We may also experience an increased level of interest in old-fashioned,ecologically responsible items such as hand-powered lawn mowers, washing lines and bicycles. Having saidthis, if the economic crisis is short-lived people will revert back to type pretty quickly.LINKS WITH: Nostalgia, simplicity, localisation, provenance, no-frills, austerity, value for money.

IMBYS: People are becoming disillusioned with the effects of globalisation. Thus we are starting to see the developmentof campaigns to make production and consumption more local. Hence IMBYs (In My Back Yard). This trend isthe opposite of the previous NIMBY trend (Not In My Back Yard).This links with environmental concerns but is also driven by a desire to control outcomes. Thus, in the sameway that people once campaigned to stop things happening locally, there will now be campaigns to ensurethat everything from factories to schools are built around the corner and support the local community.The trend is most evident with food where localisation and provenance are already important but the trendwill move beyond this to affect everything from politics to business.IMPLICATIONS: An interest in all things local, including protests. Add a pinch of austerity and thrift caused by economiccircumstances and this trend could be a catalyst for a major shift towards local interactions. Also expect tosee boom in domestic travel and local holidays.OPPORTUNITIES: Life -Story labelling of products and services when these products and services are ‘home grown’.LINKS WITH: conomic protectionism, localisation, nationalism,regulation and provenance.

(nowandnext.com)

InvolvementSan Francisco – One of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the US has turned to its customers to help create its new packaging identity. Recognised for helping to change the face of the fast food industry with its high-quality, sustainably raised food, Chipotle Mexican Grill has nurtured a passionate base of customers who were happy to provide personal messages for use on the chain’s paper bags and cups. These messages have been turned into quirky handwritten and illustrated packaging by San Francisco-based design agency Sequence.By simply letting its customers do the tough talking, and getting some thoughtful comments in the process, Chipotle Mexican Grill serves up an effective DIY packaging aesthetic. (lsnglobal.com)

Purchase, NY – A popular soda brand has turned to those who know it best for its new tvad campaign. Mountain Dew is inviting its fans to submit a “12-second video, the best of which are available to view at the Dewmocracy site.The winning filmmakers will also contribute to the choice of three new flavours, and their names, colour and packaging. By observing the three cs of our Brandtocraciestrend, conversation, collaboration and creativity, Mountain Dew is giving its market some fizz.

Now you can invest and earn returns on the music you love. All you have to do is become a ‘KissBanker’ with the site Kisskissbankbank. Kisskissbankbank is a company with a crowd-funding business model like Sellaband, that lets fans invest in their favourite bands and receive rewards when the band is successful. Fans invest about $15 for each artist they choose on Kisskissbankbank. Then, according to Springwise, fans get to share in the, “success of that band’s efforts in proportion to their investments.” Kisskissbankbank users also receive special access to exclusive content and may additionally get to contribute to the band’s decision-making. (trendhunter.com)

From December 11-20, pioneer image-maker and founder of SHOWstudio Nick Knight, will make 100 portraits for i-D Magazine’s 30th anniversary. Knight will allow the public to watch this creative process with the usage of a two-way mirror. Today, a Lady Gaga shoot took place at SHOWstudio. Each day, the shoot will be broadcast

from the Live Studio from 11:00 GMT. Another stunning offshoot of Knight and Lady Gaga is the Lady Gaga Submit project, in which the duo is looking for unique videos to be reedited for a possible feature in Lady Gaga’s upcoming Monster Ball tour. (trendhunter.com)

Brand interaction with consumers via new media has gone from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have over the years, a development supported by research from Cone. More than one-half of new media users (53%) believe brands should have a presence in new media, interacting with consumers as needed or by request only, while a further 36% demand a new media presence with regular interaction. Contact with brands is still popular through both traditional online and newer channels, with 58% of respondents interacting with companies through e-mail and 45% through Websites, compared with just 30% communicating with brands via social networks. New media contact with companies and brands fosters goodwill in a majority of users, with at least seven in 10 respondents reporting positive impressions, stronger connections and a greater willingness to engage with the company. (emarketer.com)

Brand interactionInvolvement

Involvement Houston, Texas – A collective of architects, designers and builders aims to rethink and improve residential architecture via the internet. Hometta offers home designs from 24 studios, focusing on small, sustainable plans and aiming to take the mystery out of building a new home.Hometta users can browse floor plans, slideshows, blogs and video podcasts from contributing architects, all for free. Fee-paying subscribers can view all plans in detail and access a comprehensive guide for budding builders.‘We believe great design should not be limited to a small, elite market,’ says Mark Johnson, co-founder of Hometta. In our Homestead 3.0 report we found that consumers are making furniture from plans downloaded from designers. Could these ambitions extend to a home to house that furniture? (lsnglobal.com)

London – A premium butcher is offering meat lovers the chance to learn all about the belly of the beast – along with the loin, the ribs and the oxtail. Allens of Mayfair’s butchery classes for beginners are set to return to the block in January 2010.Consumers are increasingly expressing the desire to deepen their gastronomic knowledge – a demand that led everyman chef Jamie Oliver, for instance, to open his food emporium and cookshop in south London earlier this year.Allens of Mayfair hold butchery classes for beginners around the wooden block at the heart of the Mayfair shop.

The classes feature varying seasonal cuts which are selected to demonstrate different techniques and skills.The classes are priced at £100.00 per person and include the prepared cuts of meat to take home. Classes last for one and a half hours and take place every Wednesday at 1pm.

InvolvementHo Chi Minh City – A luxury resort on Vietnam’s south-central coast now offers guests in its restaurant an interactive dining experience that may even see visitors picking out their own ingredients.Princess d’Annam, a 57-villa resort and spa in Ke Ga Bay, some 150km west of Ho Chi Minh City, has introduced daily menus based on the fresh produce available. Each menu is created in consultation with guests, who are free to suggest items they may want to eat. ‘There is no default menu,’ says general manager Jean-Philippe Beghin. ‘In the same way that performance artists feed off their audience, we’ve charged our chef and food-and-beverage manager with acquiring new information about that day’s group of guests, and using that information to develop that evening’s menu.’Beyond indicating a preferred dish, guests are invited to accompany the chef to the local fishing village, where they may pick out the seafood that catches their eye.In offering customers not just a personalised experience but an immersive one as well, Princess d’Annam writes a menu for guest satisfaction. (lsnglobal.com)

Sage Hospitality is encouraging consumers to complete 8 hours of volunteer service in exchange for 50% - 100% off published room rates in their 52 hotels. To take advantage of the 'Give a Day, Get a Night' scheme, customers must present a letter from the organization they worked for. (trendwatching.com)Give 8 hours of community service and Get a complimentary night stay or 50% discount on hotel rooms at all 53 Sage hotels across the country. Offer ends March 31, 2010The Details:Complete 8 hours of volunteer service to a registered 501(c)3 non profit organization by March 29, 2010 to qualify to receive 50% off the published room rate -- or maybe a complimentary night (limited availability). (sagehospitality.com)

BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2010, when you sign up here to volunteer a day of service with a participating organization(and your service is completed and verified) you'll get one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland®theme park, FREE! We want to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service.

Campbell's Help Grow Your Soup campaign aims to raise money to maintain farm buildings in need of refurbishment. The campaign asks consumers to vote for one of ten barns in need of work, and for every vote until January 2010, 1 USD will be donated, (up to USD 250,000) to restore the five barns which receive the most votes.

Involvement

Current themes and trends

Anxiety • Recession• Global warming•Swine flu•Terrorism•2012

The reasons are various. Digitalisation means that news is now captured and disseminated in seconds, so there is little time to properly reflect. Global connectivity also means that there are now more elements rubbing together and this increases volatility. Experts and politicians are also under pressure from 24-hour news cycles, so even when there is nothing to say there is still pressure to react. But the real reason for our anxiety may have less to do with the explosion of information and more to do with our cynicism surrounding institutions.

No trust•Corporate blunders•Politician promises

Previously, people would put their faith in institutions, and experts and leaders were carefully listened to. Nowadays, the authority of both has been eroded. Moreover, a series of recent scandals ranging from WMD to Enron means that people have lost faith in the ability of institutions to tell the truth or give moral guidance. In short we don’t know who, or what, to believe anymore. The result is an atomised society where the individual reigns supreme. Too many voices compete for ideas.

Localization• IMBY

People are becoming disillusioned with the effects of globalisation. Thus we are starting to see the development of campaigns to make production and consumption more local. Hence IMBYs (In My Back Yard). This trend isthe opposite of the previous NIMBY trend (Not In My Back Yard). Thus, in the sameway that people once campaigned to stop things happening locally, there will now be campaigns to ensure that everything from factories to schools are built around the corner and support the local community. special

Key Words

Localisation Personal

IndividualUnique

Involvement

Contribution

Event details

Location: The Saatchi Gallery would make a great location for the trend

briefing event due to the fact the main theme will be locality and the gallery is a famous London cultural destination. It has the

capacity to hold up to 1500 people and the choice of any of the rooms to hire.

Invitations & details...

The invitation will the a QR code although it will be on paper sent by post to keep a personal touch... The website the code will take you too will be clear and simple.

The event ideally should be held sometime in October or November, so i have picked November 14th at 2pm as most of the guests will be from marketing and design backgrounds from all over the country and hopefully abroad too so it’s not too early and not too late if people need travel and accommodation requirements. The tickets will cost £200 as an introduction to the new company and an estimate of 500 people to attend.

Sponsors & Goodies..

Renzo di Renzo – former editor-in-chief for Colours magazine and current editorial editor would be a perfect guest speaker as Colours is a ‘international platform for the rest of the world’ and it’s recent issue used AR throughout. It would be interesting to see what he thinks about AR and its progression and also what is happening around the world. He also has a degree in business communication and has worked within in other fields of communication research.