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Spaceship meets Italian modernism in Bottega Veneta’s redesigned Paris store

Bottega Veneta, Avenue Montaigne, France

France – Luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta has built a futuristic, walnut-walled boutique at 12 Avenue Montaigne in Paris.

Wood, leather and glass textures cover the floors and walls of the store, mixing the traditional craftsmanship of luxury with creative director Matthieu Blazy’s contemporary vision for the future.

Tetris-like walnut fixtures reference the brand’s signature Intrecciato woven leather technique, while the brass hooks and handles interspersed throughout the space are reminiscent of the brand’s best-selling Drop earrings.

Blazy collaborated with Venetian glass artist Ritsue Mishima and Italian furniture designer Mario Bellini to create one-of-a-kind furnishings for the space and described the new boutique as ‘between an Italian modernist, domestic interior and the futuristic essence of a spaceship’.

Open to the public, the boutique offers slouching sofas upholstered in Bottega Veneta leather for a shopping break and is fully stocked with Bottega Veneta’s autumn 2023 collection. There is also an in-store personalisation service for select leather goods.

Intimate, stylish and a fitting homage to the brand’s rich design legacy, Bottega Veneta’s 12 Avenue Montaigne boutique is the perfect example of Luxury Brands Recrafting Heritage In-Store.

Strategic opportunity

Let your online store focus on fulfilling sales and redesign your physical retail spaces to visually reflect your brand’s craftsmanship, ethos and heritage. This will help to create an established brand identity and foster a sense of community and customer loyalty

Ganni and Modern Synthesis create a handbag out of bacterial leather

Ganni Bou Bag in Modern Synthesis material, Denmark

UK – At the 2023 London Design Festival (LDF), Danish designer Ganni unveiled a one-off edition of its Bou bag made from a bacterial leather alternative.

Unveiled during LDF’s Material Matters 2023 event, the bacterial leather material was made by London biotech company Modern Synthesis using a process developed by CEO Jen Keane during her degree course at Central Saint Martins. Modern Synthesis grows bacteria over a framework of threads by feeding it agricultural waste. The microbes then convert sugar found in the waste into nanocellulose, a finer form of the cellulose fibres found in cotton and eight times as strong as stainless steel relative to its weight.

The resulting fibres create a material that drapes in a similar way to cowhide, but has the potential to generate up to 65 times fewer greenhouse gas emissions than real leather and doesn’t require the use of plastic coating for durability. The bag’s lining, however, does contain plastic microfibres, although the two brands are working together to create a 100% cellulose-based version of the Bou bag in the future.

‘Collaborating with Ganni on the Bou bag has allowed us to showcase the viability of bacterial cellulose-based materials in real-world applications,’ Keane told Dezeen. ‘These one-off showcase pieces are pivotal in evaluating a material’s workability and appeal to both designers and consumers – which paves the way for its eventual integration into everyday fashion.’

Ganni and Modern Synthesis hope to make the handbag commercially available by 2025.

Read our full rundown of the London Design Festival on LS:N Global now, including key takeaways from the Material Matters event.

Strategic opportunity

Identify where unsustainable materials such as leather are used in your industry and begin experimenting with alternatives. Explore partnerships with companies like Modern Synthesis to incorporate sustainable and eco-friendly materials into your product lines

Stat: Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic threaten alcohol sales

US – The alcohol industry is confronting an unexpected threat – GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Eli Lilly & Co’s Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy have gained popularity for their ability to help people shed pounds, not only curbing food cravings but also dampening the appeal of addictive substances like alcohol.

As reported by Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley’s AlphaWise research unit found that people consumed 62% less alcohol while taking weight loss drugs. Among those consuming less, 22% said they stopped drinking alcohol entirely. By 2025, the firm estimates an overall 1.8% reduction in alcohol consumption from weight loss drugs – potentially costing the alcohol industry £2.8bn ($3.5bn, €3.3bn) in sales in the US.

As the number of people using obesity drugs is expected to grow significantly – the same study suggests 24m people in the US will be taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs by 2033 – alcohol companies must innovate, focusing on low-alcohol and premium options to cater for health-conscious consumers. In Sober Bars, we analyse how innovators are already investing in this area by opening safe spaces for sober and sober-curious consumers.

Sippers, UK

Strategic opportunity

Drinks companies should consider investing in low-alcohol and premium beverage options to cater for health-conscious consumers who may be reducing their alcohol consumption. As explored in No-lo Taste Lifts, how can flavour make sober drinks more exciting?

Stat: Halloween spending to reach new heights despite cost of living crisis

The Occult by DEATH TO STOCK® (DTS), New Zealand

US – American households may be suffering from inflation, but they are willing to splurge on holidays like Halloween nonetheless. A new survey reveals that a record number of people (73%) will participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022.

After a pandemic-induced slowdown, the Halloween craze is back in full swing, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, which polled about 8,000 Americans on their holiday plans. Total spending on Halloween is expected to reach a record £10bn ($12.2bn, €11.5bn) nationwide, exceeding last year’s record of £8.6bn ($10.6bn, €10bn). As in previous years, top activities include handing out confectionery (68%), home decorating (53%) and dressing up (50%). This year, however, more consumers are planning to throw or attend parties (32%) or participate in trick-or-treating (28%).

The paradox between inflation struggles and record-breaking spending on superficial fun shows the deep cognitive dissonance consumers are feeling, and the need to alleviate chronic anxiety and frustration with some light-hearted enjoyment.

Strategic opportunity

Despite having tighter budgets, consumers want to splash out on fun. Bear that in mind in your marketing strategy – being a cost of living ally isn’t just about austerity and gloom, but also about learning how to spark joy in our daily lives