Lifestyle, Design and Media trends from LSN Global

I went to a fabulous trend briefing with LSN Global yesterday and want to share my notes with you. This is what the future looks like :)

Design and Lifestyle trends:

Mix Mash. Against a backdrop of optimism and experimental attitudes, and a willingness to take risks, we map a vibrant aesthetic direction fuelled by a mix of cultural and semiotic references. Designers mix materials and styles - ehnic blend, a global chaotic "mi mash". It´s a clash culture celebration, driven – I would say – by that the power balance in the world is changing, making room for India, China, and reducing the impact of the Western world as we have seen it. (Nick Cave´s creating pictured as an example)

Utility. In a world of über-choice and information overload, we are witnessing the emergence of a culture of leanness, lightness and smart thinking. We feel we are “stuffocating” from all the things we buy, and consumers are now spending more time elsewhere than in shopping malls. Consumers seek products and services that offer compact, mobile and flexible solutions. Honesty in everything from clothes to furniture and home wares. Back-to-basics philosophy. True functionalism. Simple, well-made, functional products that are meant to stand the test of time and that we have a meaningful relationship with. The humble, the pure and unadorned are celebrated. (pictured: Lim Code hair salon in Tokyo. Spot on TREND)

Wilderness. In the world of iphones, augmented realities and virtual worlds we are seeking the primitive. Luxury is re-adressing craft, with an emphasis on slowing down to promote the understanding that true luxury isn´t swift of nature. Raw and rough luxury is evolving, as sustainability and an ecologically aware sensibility become embedded in the everyday. We are finding our way to long-forgotten skills and craft techniques when feeling the need to work with our hands. New mood for handmade in the luxury industry.  

Colours and materials for these three: brown, dark green, sand, orange, yellow, grey, linen, felt, wood, leather, jute and industrial.

Trend drivers in media: move to mobile and video and multi-screening. Media is becoming more about magic, storytelling and cinema and less about data. People will pay for ‘living the experience’.

Other media trends:

• The rise of branded content: As the cost of making and delivering content falls, brands will be more able to bypass media owners and create their own magazines. This will grow. Tab mags will also be more common.
• Social gaming! Hundreds of millions spend time on sites like Farmville.
• Content is king. the value is the value not volume, music not noise, content not circulation. Information will be for free, while we pay for insights.
• We go from:          
• broadcast to narrowcast
• mass to micro media
• multichannel to unichannel
• solitary to social media
• non-active to interactive
• 2D to 3D