With the UK’s largest retail trade exhibition, Spring Fair International, just around the corner, home and gift experts at global trend forecasting agency WGSN Homebuildlife have set out their macro trend predictions for Autumn/Winter 2014/15 to help guide buyers attending the show.
Visitors are invited to keep their conceptual eyes peeled for products reflecting:
Industrial Evolution, Modern Myths and Rendering Reality.
image: Petra Borner Prisma card and envelope, part of the Cosmos range and Vanessa Conyers large cups from the Inside Out collection.
Industrial Evolution: WGSN has found that 3D printing, open-source design processes and small-scale batch making have brought about a new industrial age. Industrial evolution objects might be organic and handmade or – on the other hand – mass-manufactured with precise and weighty materials. Molten metals inspire fluid and imperfect home accessories. Print and pattern is angular and geometric, with grid structures translating to loosely-drawn checks, and quilted surfaces for cushions.
images: Nakshatra gift wrap by Lagom Design and ceramic wall art by G.Vega Ceramica, inspired by the Suzani fabrics from Uzbekistan.
Modern Myth: This theme explores a contemporary, multi-ethnic world filled with legends and fairy stories, which designers can tap into to create richer and more relevant products. This taps into the recurring folkloric theme that is already popular in the greeting card industry and surface pattern design.
On-trend objects feature symbolic animals laser cut into bronze and old gold metal, while mosaic surfaces and multicoloured inlay are applied to boxes, lampstands and frames. Patterns have a slightly tribal feel and come from a mix of cultural influences. Tartans are redrawn and recoloured for a refreshing update.
images: Kingdom Springs and Kelly Hyatt reversible gift wrap by Lagom Design, Febland Mosaic Fruit and Tretchikoff cushion.
Rendering Reality: As indicated by the rise in popularity of Instagram and Pinterest, we live in an image-driven culture where every detail of existence is photographed and circulated those snapshots worldwide.
This trend looks at what is real or genuine, and how we manipulate images through filters: dissecting, deconstructing, distorting, interweaving, tearing apart, stripping back and multi-layering.
For interiors, this idea is interpreted with faceted forms, raised textures and mirrored surfaces. gradients and layers of colour are abstracted into computer screen glitches for print and pattern. Optical patterns use black and white or bright colour to generate vibrant, almost animated illusions.
images: Lagom Design Kelly Hyatt Michiko and Carnovsky Damasco Negro gift wrap and Tony Laverick glass work.
