LSN : News : Chameleonic clothing that responds to its environment

ASYSTEM combines men’s wellbeing with community

ASYSTEM

California – ASYSTEM creates science-backed products that aim to help men look, feel and perform at their best.

Targeting men from ages 18 to 80, its range includes specialist supplements and performance skincare, designed to work together as a system. The products are available via subscription, with a three-step skin-care regimen and a supplement system of vitamins to increase focus, energy and stamina, which are either sold separately or as a bundle for £80 ($99, €90) a month.

Beyond products, the brand hopes to build a community with The Betterment Project, a limited-edition coffee table book featuring 48 creatives and entrepreneurs, and a clubhouse that will host lectures and events around the mind and body. ‘We looked at the space and no one was taking a 360-approach to men’s betterment or creating a brand with a strong focus on community, which spoke to the modern man,’ Oli Walsh, co-founder, tells WWD.

As beauty brands continue to embrace health and wellness, the Total Beauty Market is driving mindfulness and personal optimisation among consumers.

Chameleonic clothing that responds to its environment

Ying Gao

Canada - Designer Ying Gao has created a robotic fabric that can recognise and respond to its surroundings.

The clothing collection, entitled Flowing Water, Standing Time, is made with silicone, glass, organza, and electronics that, when combined, create ethereal, dynamic and undulating garments. The clothing contains sensors that react to light and mirror colours found in the surrounding environment, creating unique fabric silhouettes.

Gao describes the garments as ‘liquid and chameleon-like, adapting to the slow rhythm of their ever-changing environment. A mirror effect is at play: the garments are reacting to what they see’. The collection embodies the ways in which reactive clothing can alternate between different forms, embodying both their original design and evolving to reflect new contexts or moods.

As fashion technology becomes more sophisticated, clothing is becoming programmable and reactive to humans that wear it. Read our Material Far Futures report to find out more.

Tinder takes singles on interactive dating adventures

Los Angeles – The dating app is launching a first-of-its-kind interactive experience to disrupt the way its users match with one another.

Tinder’s Swipe Night story is a first-person, apocalyptic adventure that allows users to decide what happens next at key turning points. As the story unfolds, users are faced with moral dilemmas and practical choices. In addition to dictating the storyline, users’ choices also impact who they eventually match with.

‘Now that half of Tinder members are Gen Z (aged 18 to 25), we’ve built an entire experience that speaks their language,’ Tinder explains in a blog post. Starting 6 October 2019, a new chapter in the Swipe Night adventure will take place live every Sunday, inviting all users in the US to experience the feature together. After each Swipe Night story is release, users’ choices will be added to their profiles for potential matches to see.

The new feature reflects ongoing consumer appetite for interactivity, which we first identified in our Choose Your Own Adventure microtrend.

Tinder Swipe Night

Stat: Consumers are looking to optimise their eyes

Global – Consumer concern about the impact of always-on living, toxic materials and poor diet on their eyesight is leading to growth in the eye health supplements market.

A recent report by Persistence Market Research forecasts the market to be worth £2.31 billion ($2.85bn, €2.60bn) by the end of 2024. Both Europe and Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) are expected to post a notable CAGR of 6.3% and 6.7%, respectively, from 2016 to 2024.

According to the research, increased consumer awareness of cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other age-induced macular degeneration is prompting them to pursue more preventative healthcare to stave of eye diseases. Eye health supplement brands are responding to this growth by providing more information and education, developing products gear towards prevalent consumer concerns, and investing e-commerce channels.

As consumers seek to optimise their body, wellbeing brands are emerging that provide not only better education but more convenient and accessible supplements to aid wellness goals. Keep an eye out for our Certified Supplements market.