News 22.01.2021

Need to Know

Transforming an airport runway into an urban park, Net-A-Porter’s digital beauty festival and Europeans are choosing to wear their clothes for longer.

Shanghai’s Runway Park used to be an airfield

Xuhui Runway Park by Sasaki, Shanghai
Xuhui Runway Park by Sasaki, Shanghai
Xuhui Runway Park by Sasaki, Shanghai

China – Global design firm Sasaki’s latest project has transformed a former airport runway into a linear urban park.

Built on the site of the former Shanghai Longhua Airport, the Xuhui Runway Park is 1,830m long, and takes design cues from the historic location, incorporating the original direction markings pilots would follow during landing and take-off. Other features of the park include designated pedestrian and cycle paths and divisions of smaller gardens for those who want to linger and enjoy the surroundings. Integrating circular measures, the park is designed to harvest rainwater to power its fountains and water the greenery.

By purposefully designing the Xuhui Runway Park to neighbour an adjacent urban development, Dou Zhang, senior associate director of Sasaki Shanghai, hopes that it will be 'a space of recreation for nearby communities as well as a respite from the high-density redevelopment around.'

Prioritising urban wellbeing, the park signifies how – as citizens embrace more sustainable modes of living – the design of our built environment and infrastructure will align. For more, explore Consumption Redesigned in our macrotrend, Post-growth Society.

A positively messy rebranding for Karma Kitchen

Karma Kitchen identity by Droga5 Karma Kitchen identity by Droga5
Karma Kitchen identity by Droga5 Karma Kitchen identity by Droga5

London – Creative agency Droga5 has tuned in to the honest side of food preparation with a playful rebranding for Karma Kitchen.

The London-based commercial catering company, which offers food and catering companies access to shared and private kitchens, has opted to rebrand after a surge in interest in its services during lockdowns in the UK. It hopes to better communicate its culture and concept through a vibrant rebranding that reflects the 'messy' reality of food innovation, preparation and catering.

Simplified graphics reminiscent of kitchen pans and equipment sit alongside capitalised typography. Meanwhile, imagery of real food shot close-up by photographer Maisie Cousins is purposely raw. Karma Kitchen says of the visuals: ‘[They] have nothing to do with overly styled food porn and everything to do with the visceral, messy business of cooking and eating.'

Moving away from refined aesthetics, more food and drink companies are using their branding to communicate the pleasure and escapism found in food – a design direction we explore in Frivolous Foods.

A virtual retail festival for beauty fans

Digital beauty festival by Net-A-Porter Digital beauty festival by Net-A-Porter

UK – Retailer Net-A-Porter is gathering influential names in the beauty and wellness sectors for its first digital beauty event.

Dubbed The Beauty of You, the social-first retail experience will feature original content covering a topics such as self-care rituals and confidence with colour cosmetics. Industry expert Dr Barbara Sturm will offer skincare education, while Charlotte Mensah will discuss hair maintenance.

Positioning The Beauty of You as a multi-channel event, viewers can tune in to industry panels or learn via tutorials, presented as Instagram Live streams, shoppable Reels and shoppable TikToks. Not forgetting its most loyal customers, Net-A-Porter will offer them access to invitation-only private beauty events online.

With this event, Net-A-Porter is uniting beauty aficionados with high-profile brand founders and tastemakers, while implementing interactive shoppable features. For more, our microtrend Luxtainment details the luxury brands exploring new content marketing opportunities that combine entertainment with expertise and acquisition.

Stat: Europeans are wearing their clothes for longer

Treadler by H&M Treadler by H&M

Consumers in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK are making more sustainable decisions when it comes to clothing.

According to a survey by Fashion Revolution, 62% of people say they wear the clothes they buy for 'at least a few years'. This behaviour varies across countries, with 71% of Britons making their garments last longer, compared to 39% of Italians.

A similar disparity was also found among genders when it comes to passing on unwanted clothes: 62% of women donate clothes to friends or charity, compared to 44% of men. This data suggests that, although there is widespread adoption of sustainable values, consumer mindsets and actions vary among demographics, offering brands an opportunity to connect with people in more nuanced ways.

As fashion continues to struggle with its environmental impacts, new innovations are emerging to empower consumers to make more sustainable decisions. Discover our Fashion 2030 scenario for future predictions in this area.

Previous News Articles
Burberry revives archival outerwear for National Geographic documentary

News

Burberry revives archival outerwear for National Geographic documentary

Burberry’s latest archival display at its London Regent Street store celebrates Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary 1914 Antarctic expedition.
Luxury : Pop-culture & Media : Fashion
Gob launches mycelium-based earplugs

News

Gob launches mycelium-based earplugs

Gob is revolutionising the earplug market with a mycelium-based alternative that promises to eliminate the environmental impact of traditional disp...
Sustainability : Health & Wellness : Design
Brenda Lee’s holiday classic enters the AI era with Spanish re-release

News

Brenda Lee’s holiday classic enters the AI era with Spanish re-release

Brenda Lee’s iconic holiday song, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, has been re-imagined as Noche Buena y Navidad in a Spanish-language release po...
Technology : Pop-culture & Media : Society
Stat: US Gen Z are the most likely to hide their voting choices

News

Stat: US Gen Z are the most likely to hide their voting choices

An October 2024 Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll reveals that nearly half of Gen Z voters (48%) in the US have lied about their voting prefere...
Society : Youth : Politics
Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

News

Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

This Sexual Health Awareness Month, condom brand Billy Boy and creative agency Innocean Berlin unveiled Camdom, an app that acts as a digital condo...
Health & Wellness : Technology : Pop-culture & Media
Resting Reef memorialises pets as eco-friendly marine reefs

News

Resting Reef memorialises pets as eco-friendly marine reefs

Eco-friendly funeral company Resting Reef has launched a pet memorial service that blends pet ashes with crushed shells to create eco-friendly unde...
Design : Health & Wellness : Sustainability
Netflix new unveils Moments feature to save and share scenes

News

Netflix new unveils Moments feature to save and share scenes

Netflix has launched a new feature called Moments, allowing subscribers to bookmark, save and share their favourite scenes from shows and movies.
Technology : Pop-culture & Media : Society
Stat: Mars’ study reveals strong pet devotion

News

Stat: Mars’ study reveals strong pet devotion

Mars has unveiled ‘the largest global pet parent study to date’ of more than 20,000 pet owners across 20 countries.
Pets : Society : Retail
Samsonite’s new durable suitcase can survive travelling to the edge of space

News

Samsonite’s new durable suitcase can survive travelling to the edge of space

Samsonite has unveiled its latest innovation, the Proxis Space collection, setting new standards in travel gear with sustainability and advanced te...
Luxury : Travel & Hospitality : Design
The Saudi Investment Bank celebrates national identity with bespoke typeface

News

The Saudi Investment Bank celebrates national identity with bespoke typeface

The Saudi Investment Bank and creative agency Impact BBDO have launched I am Saudi, a campaign celebrating national heritage with a bespoke typeface.
Design : Advertising & Branding : Finance
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN