Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

Kunshan Lily Textile Co., Ltd.

CONTEXT
H ow will bra nds re s pond to a n e ra whe re we
e xpe ct products to not jus t be good, but a ls o
D O good?

In this era, design matters. Its role will shift as we

expect products to serve the greater good, and its
contribution as a force for positive change will be
Pierre Ospina
increasingly recognised. Value will be redefined, as
people seek to spend with a perspective beyond
Manon van Hoeckel
themselves. In this world, product life cycles are
extended and new classics emerge. Sustainability
becomes
Future Trendssophisticated.
> A/W 17/18 > The Vision
 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Contemporary consumers want sustainability to be
an industry standard, not a marketing ploy. Brands
will have to work harder to meet these demands

Design not only has to be good, but also for the

greater good, to stand out from the blur of product
and advertising. When people do purchase goods,
they will want them to add value to their lives,
rather than just take up space

Designers will increasingly focus their efforts on

creating systems and services, rather than products
and things, and they will do this in collaboration
with each other and their customers

Designed-to-order will be the new order, as mass

production recedes, and product that is printed and
produced on-demand increases. The money used
to pay for these products will also become more
immaterial, with cryptocurrencies growing as an
alternative to cash

Sustainability will become sophisticated, with a

focus on solutions that turn waste into beauty.
Materials will become meaningful, evoking
experiences and expressing new values. Less will
become even less, and mean even more

materialsagency.com

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

G ood susta i na bi li ty
work wi ll requi re bi g
i nvestments. We wi ll
ha ve to be prepa red to
s a c r i f i c e s h o r t - t e r m
p r o f i t s f o r l o n g - t e r m
success.
K ar l- Joh an Per sson, CEO H & M

@siobanimms

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

JUS T DO GOOD
CONSUMER
Sustainability, eco- friendly, green these
buzzwords have floated around the
fashion and design industries for years.
Though some retailers have dipped their
toes in green initiatives (eco- friendly
capsule collections, in- store recycling
drives), companies need to dive deeper
to meet consumer demands.
On the whole, consumers want
sustainability to be an industry standard,
not a marketing ploy. The 2015 Nielsen
Global Corporate Sustainability report
found the majority of consumers prefer to
buy socially responsible brands, broken
down into the following regional
statistics: Southeast Asia (80%), Asia
Pacific (76%), Latin America (71%), Europe
(51%) and North America (44%). North
America may have the lowest consumer
environmental concern stats but
sustainability still plays a large part in the
decision-making process, with 64% of US
consumers considering the sustainability
of supply chain practices when deciding
between two brands.
Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision
DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18
Consumers understand that becoming
fully sustainable is a monumental task
and one that doesn't happen
overnight. However, companies need to
peel back the corporate curtain and make
consumers aware of their sustainability
road maps. For example, Eileen Fisher
recently unveiled Vision 2020, the
companys plan to be 100% sustainable
by 2020, and P&G released building
plans for a Texas wind farm to power all of
its North American factories by 2016.
Eileen Fisher
E- commerce is an emerging marketplace
for the conscious contemporary
consumer, with sites including Zady (its
corporate mantra is "The New Standard"),
Ethica and Green Point of View
resonating with early adopters.
Additionally, media outlets are rising to
the task. Conscious Magazine is a cultural
lifestyle publication that highlights
modern tastemakers, designers and
artists with sustainable values (think
eco-Kinfolk).
@reformation Zady

WHITE NOIS E
CONSUMER
As thespeed of technology grows, so
does our ability to process images. MIT
discovered that the human brain can
process entire images that the eye sees
for as little as 13 milliseconds. Compared
to the 100-millisecond average
suggested in previous studies, this is the
first evidence of such rapid processing
speed.
This discovery greatly impacts the way
we understand information processing,
especially in content- saturated
environments. Messaging and
advertisements blur and people are more
likely to turn off than tune in.
Font and typography play an increasingly
important role in breaking through the
white noise. Designers are using fonts for
good and tackling issues such as
homelessness. The Urban Type
Experiment and Signs for the Homeless
projects provide homeless people with
beautifully handwritten signs to help
increase donations and start
conversations with prospective
benefactors.
Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision
DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18
The Homeless Fonts organisation
creates fonts based on the handwriting of
homeless people, sells the typefaces to
companies and donates the proceeds
back to the owners of the fonts.
Fonts and typography are a growing
design priority for youth culture, as these
digital natives are increasingly
Morteza Vaseghi
responsive to the novelty of handmade
aesthetics. Recens, created by 15- year--
old Elise By Olsen, is a glossy youth
magazine quickly becoming a keepsake
due to high consumer demand. Zinester
is a charitable organisation giving Kenyan
youth a voice by teaching them to create
DIY magazines, a noticeable change for a
country undergoing a smartphone
revolution.
Prioritising fonts and typography is a win-
win for companies its a fresh update for
the youth market and a nostalgic
reminder for other generations.
@homelesssigns
@siobanimms

YOU A RE S A F E
CONSUMER
The world is responding to the global
refugee crisis and 2018 is set to be a
pivotal year for assimilation. The US is
lifting the annual refugee cap to take
45,000 extra refugees by 2018 for a
combined total of 185,000 over the next
two years. Other nations including
Germany (more than 500,000) and France
(44,000) are also lifting refugee caps.
Safety remains a key priority for
successful assimilation both mental and
physical. Reclaiming identity is a pivotal
step, as refugees are not officially
recognised and/or eligible for protection
and aid (shelter, food, money, healthcare
and education) without proper ID.
Technology is streamlining this process
for the UN and NGOs, saving valuable
time and resources. As iris scans replace
fingerprints and photo IDs, the intake
process is shortened to less than
five minutes.
Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision
DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18
Technology is also enabling financial
donations, which, according to the UN,
allow beneficiaries to purchase products
at designated supermarkets in town or
camp, typically using paper or,
increasingly, smart-card- based
vouchers. Refugees are now surpassing
other citizens as leaders in digital
banking and currency.
An impending housing crisis is a growing
Vienna
concern for city officials. Solid short-term
solutions include safe, easily assembled Better Shelter and Ikea Foundation
and transportable shelters such as Better
Shelter, a housing unit designed by Ikea
and the UN Refugee Agency that has a
four- hour assembly time and a three-year
guaranteed lifespan, and costs less than
$1,800 to make.
Egocity by The Why Factory is a futuristic
look at long-term, high- density housing
solutions. Based on the hypothesis that
maximum density equals maximum
desires, it seeks to design space in the
fairest way possible.
The Why Factory

R E-VA LUE
CONSUMER
The long- standing economic debate on
cryptocurrencies has recently shifted from
if to which one a telltale sign of purpose of the item, and the monetary
things to come. Michael J Casey of the
Wall Street Journal claims that digital
currency is quite simply one of the most
powerful innovations in finance in 500
years.
There are more than 669 crypto-
currencies available for trade in online
markets. The most widely known is
bitcoin, which recently received an
undisclosed investment sum from
MasterCard, Bain Capital Ventures and
New York Life. Despite some major
setbacks over the years, bitcoin is now
thriving in countries including Brasil,
India, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, and the
expansion of bitcoin ATMs (Greece is
expected to get 1,000 by 2016) is a strong
indicator of mass adoption.
Why now? The short answer: lack of trust
in economic institutions and the rise of
global travel and connectivity. In a world
of swipes and likes, physical cash
seems pass.
Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision
DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18
There is an important turning point as
people redefine value, both in the
worth. Increasingly, people value
experiences over product. When they do
purchase goods, they want the items to
add value to their lives, not take up
space.
The mindset is a growing priority for
product design. Layer's wine carafe for
Menu in creases the surface area of the
wine by eight times, vastly improving its
flavour. The carafe elevates even the
most inexpensive wines and costs just Angela Mathis
$50. WeDid, a So Paulo "creative
movement", transforms waste into
products that are used daily (clothing,
furniture), adding value and purpose to
materials that would otherwise go to
landfill.
We Did
By 2018, paper currency may wind up in
landfills if cryptocurrency continues to
rise. Artist Angela Mathis proposes an
alternative solution: her Value project
makes beautiful multicoloured textiles
from recycled bank notes.
Layer
 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

DESIGNING NO-THING
CREATIVE

Designing no-thing, as opposed to an rights and wider human rights, she

item, is a main priority for 2018. Layer is
one such example. Founded by Benjamin
Hubert, this human-centred design firm is
based around building concepts to
deliver meaningful experiences. Its most
recent project, Worldbeing, is an app and
a wearable that tracks your carbon
footprint, enabling users to make better,
more informed decisions to improve the
wellbeing of our planet. This is design
with a conscience.
blurred the border to blend in with the
sky, giving onlookers the illusion that
they could pass between the two
countries freely.
Social Label is designing work for other
people to make them socially visible.
It invites vulnerable people and
disadvantaged individuals to get involved
Donnie Hedden for Worn Wear
and be a part of the process of socially
sustainable design for the future. Layer

Also hard at work to keep our

environmental impact to a minimum is
Patagonia with its Worn Wear
programme. This initiative celebrates the
clothes we have and the stories they
hold, extending the life of our belongings
through repair, or, when necessary,
recycling them into something new. This
way we can do more with what we have.

Designing for change, Mexico-born artist

Ana Teresa Fernndez painted the US-
Mexico border sky blue. Using her art as a
platform to raise awareness of migrant

Ana Teresa Fernandez

Social Label

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

COLLA BORA TIVE DES IGN

CREATIVE

In 2018, collaborative design will go a Similarly, the future is about design to

step further. Istanbul design group
Kmlatif, for instance, is built on the
premise of shared authorship.
It describes itself as a non- hierarchical
initiative that aims to define the design
process as a collective experience. A
wholehearted believer in democratic
design, this collective shares resources,
workspaces and skills. Earnings are also
shared equally among members.
As we approach 2018, we also see
creatives designing for other priorities.
The short film Phone curated for the MIT
Media Lab heads to Shenzhen to check
out the variety and unpredictability of
consumer- driven phones in China. It
takes a look at what happens when we
start designing for the people, by the
people. The result? A variety of phones
that satisfy the needs of people, not
corporations. Ultimately, this is a
reminder to listen to the individual needs
of our customers.
order, where people have a hand in the
creation of their products. Unmade, which
has just received 2 million in funding, is
kick-starting this movement. Disrupting
the garment production industry, this
company allows you to design and print
knits to order, ensuring that nothing is
ever made that nobody wants.
Ben Alun-Jones, one of the three
founders of Unmade, explains his vision:
"Imagine a place where a more
appropriate, better use of resources
makes things that people want and are
involved in. You want to own it and it's
something to be proud of."
Unmade X Studio Moross

Kmlatif MIT Knotty Objects

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

BEA UTIF UL WA S TE
CREATIVE

Going forward, increased importance will
be placed on sophisticated sustainability:
solutions that turn waste into beautiful
materials and objects. The proposed new
home for the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau
is a great example of design derived from
waste. The project is currently at concept
stage, but if all goes ahead it will be made
of recycled windshield screens,
highlighting the potential beauty
of recycling.
Also trying to cut down on waste food
waste this time, which is estimated to
cost $400 billion a year is Silo, the UKs
first zero- waste restaurant based in
Brighton. Generating absolutely no
waste, it is a sign of things to come. It
also represents a truly sustainable
business model that can be both
financially and ethically viable.

Korean-born Seongil Choi and Swiss Bauhaus Museum

designer Fabio Hendry of Studio Ilio have

also come up with a new way of recycling
the waste material left over from 3D
printing. Seeing the potential where
others may see waste, they dip wire
structures in a bath of this unrecyclable
3D waste, which, when heated, melts and
adheres to the wires, creating a solid
body of work. The flexibility of the wire
also means that any desired structure can
be achieved.

@silobrighton

Studio Ilio

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

M EA NINGF UL M A TERIA LS
CREATIVE

As we approach 2018, design moves
beyond the material and looks into the
meanings of things. Aram Mooradians
work highlights how value is becoming
more bound in meaning. He imagines a
future where gold is used to store
memories. The project features gold
objects that can be played back much like
a vinyl record playing a song, such as an
heirloom necklace that plays back the
laugh of a loved one. Interestingly, the
gold is valued not for its financial worth
but for the memories and stories that it
holds.
Design brand Menu has teamed up with
four Scandinavian studios to launch a soft
Bureo also designs to bring about positive
change. This company has found a solution to
the growing issue of plastic pollution in Chile,
creating sustainable skateboards out of
recycled fishing nets collected along
the coastlines.
Michiel Martens is another designer injecting
more meaning into his material. For Baars and
Bloemhoff, he worked with less to create a
more planet- conscious product. How? By
using Homapal metal laminates, ordinarily
added for sturdiness, to create a robust range
of furniture no more than one millimetre (0.04
inch) thick. As focus turns to responsibility and
Baars and Bloemhoff
accountability, less becomes even less, and
means even more. @bureo

furnishings collection produced in Nepal,

offering local craftswomen an alternative
to working in the sex trade. These
cashmere and wool products not only
represent the idea of comfort and
security, but also the continued elevation
of socially conscious design. Nepalese
know-h ow meets Scandinavian
aesthetics.

Aram Mooradian Menu

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

SOFT
STYLE

INDUSTRIAL
man-made, industrial feel influences this
A
practical theme for items that are not necessarily
mass-produced but can be made to order, with
craft artisan details and textures. Colours and
materials may at first appear tough, flat and
functional, but are surprisingly tactile to touch.
Shapes are easy and move away from rigid,
uniform-style constructions to more relaxed and
comfortable proportions. Functional elements
and practical details are key, but evolve to have
a more understated and elevated look. Florian Milker

Olivia Frlich

Grillagh Water House Ccile Charroy

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

NEW HEIRLOOM S
STYLE

Timeless classics form the basis of this thoughtful

style direction, which rediscovers their value and
reinvents them for the future. Life cycles are
reworked, as we look to invest in items and
products that last in terms of make, quality and
style, and become even better with age. Design
interventions are considered and meaningful
Handmade Industrials
nothing is gratuitous. Sustainability takes on a new
elegance. Classic products and materials are
invisibly updated with performance technology
and innovative finishes.

adidas Futurecraft Tween Jaime Tai

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

RE-F ORM ED
STYLE

Modern designs are disrupted and reworked

with a confident eye as well as a focus on new
shapes and proportions. This is a theme of
deconstruction and reconfiguring, where design
rules are bent without breaking. Everyday
shapes and materials are combined out of
context to create newness with a recognisable
materialsagency.com
core. Remade, rewoven, reactive colour a new
approach to recycling and repurposing is key
here, with sustainable fibres, post-industrial
materials and a responsible design ethic at its
core.

Will Yates-Johnson

adidas and Parley A Cold Wall

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

R E SE AR C H & R E FE R E NC E S
CON S U ME R

Michael J. Casey quote 2015 Nielsen Sustainability Report

Bitcoin investment Procter & Gamble wind plans

Greece Bitcoin ATM H&M 2014 Sustainability report

India bitcoin use Zady

Brasil bitcoin use Ethica

We Did Green Point of View

Refugee Estimates

ME D I A & T E CH N OL OGY

Conscious Magazine Refugees Welcome

Peppermint Magazine Silo Brighton

Recens Magazine Phone, MIT Media Lab

Zinester Unmade

MIT study on human processing

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 DES IGN MATTERS A/W 17/18

R E SE AR C H & R E FE R E NC E S
A RT & MU S I C

Pierre Ospina Printed Matters, Manon van Hoeckel

Hot Wire Extensions, Studio Ilio Egocity, The Why Factory

Erasing the Border, Ana Teresa Fernndez Trehalose Artefacts, Jaime Tai

The Atlas of Gold Fictions, Adam Mooradian Soulection

Oxidation Aftermath, Handmade Industrials Colectivo Futuro

Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Young and Ayata Landfill Harmonic

FA SHION & DE SIGN

Polyspolia, Will Yates-Johnson Michiel Martens

Value, Angela Mathis Coup-Coll, Ccile Charroy

Worldbeing, Layer O_Serie, Florian Milker

Worn Wear, Donnie Hedden adidas Futurecraft 3D, adidas

New Industry, Kmlatif Grillagh Water House

Menu Bureo Skateboards

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 THE VISION VIDEOS
A/W 17/18

T HE GREAT RESET D ESIGN MATTERS E ARTHED

N OC TURNE INFUSION

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

 FUTURE TRENDS CRITICAL PATH A/W 17/18

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S E AS ONAL D R OP S To help with your A/W 17/18 planning, we are mapping WGSNs four Vision trends across six key seasonal drops. This provides clear insight into which Vision
trend is be most relevant for which part of the season, so you can plan your product development more effectively.

Future Trends > A/W 17/18 > The Vision

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