Interdependence Research Book

In this module, we have been asked to predict a future forecast that we think is heading our way in two years, this is referred to as ‘close-to-season forecasting’ in the fashion industry. Building on my summer research into trend forecasting, I have gathered a range of contextual research that supports my prediction and have created a research book to display this. My research book looks at care culture, as this is something that we experienced a lack of during the pandemic. Care culture covers many topics including mental health, child care, self-care and health care, meaning it is fundamental to communities and our economies. Human capital is our most precious resource; people are our most valuable asset, so the care they receive is highly important. Since the pandemic, there has been a shortage of caregivers due to growing demand, low pay rates and inadequate supply, so many people have had to go without the help and support that they need. This is particularly common in the mental health care industry due to the lack of mental health care professionals. During the pandemic, people had to spend so much time alone without seeing friends, without going to work and without their favourite sports or pass times. This caused an incredible amount of loneliness resulting in many cases of anxiety and depression, especially in young people. Throughout this book, I have explored many areas which have later supported the development of my final trend forecast.

Trend Forecasting…

Trend forecasting - Trend forecasting uses market research and consumer data to formulate predictions about consumers’ future buying habits and preferences, as it aims to ‘master the changeability of fashion’ to prepare designers and merchants to effectively plan their collections. During this process, forecasters must be creative and envision the bigger picture to join the dots between culture and product, as it is important to understand the process behind why things are how they are. This means that products can then be designed behind cultural intelligence.

Micro trends are often referred to as ‘one-off’, ‘short-lived’, or ‘under-the-radar’ kinds of trends, as they rise to popularity quicker and then leave the trend cycle faster, giving them a short life span. The influence of these trends is indirect as they impact a certain demographic. Examples of these consist of sweater vests, checkerboard prints and dad sandals. In contrast to this, macro trends are major shifts in consumer behaviour that will dictate our business environment in the long term, they have a lasting effect of 5-10 years and are on a much larger scale than micro trends. An example of a macro trend is social media, as this is now the main route of communication and shopping and has presented a cultural shift surrounding the future of the workplace.

Fashion Snoops - Fashion Snoops is a global trend-forecasting agency that equips brands, retailers and manufacturers with the relevant insight for them to act on future trends. They continuously track and monitor cultural shifts that will alter consumer decisions; establish a clear understanding as to why a particular trend will be important and create clear product directions.

The Fashion Snoops Trend Platform combines ideas from design, development, merchandising, marketing and buying, allowing concepts to be put into action whilst they are fresh and innovative.

Storytelling within a brand allows brands to connect with their consumers as it informs them of what they stand for, whilst showcasing their products; it is used to build empathy and reach consumers emotionally. Fashion designers use fashion and design as a medium for storytelling and take us on a journey of escapism through their work. As part of my research, I have looked at some examples of this.

Orange Culture, which was started by Adebayo Oke-Lawal in 2011, is a contemporary fashion brand that unveils Nigerian culture, heritage and activism through storytelling, with the garments answering to anyone interested in telling a story with the way they present themselves. The label is seen to be more than a clothing line, and instead a ‘movement’ as it covers universal silhouettes with an African touch to a creative class of men, translating into a heady mixture of Nigerian-inspired fabric prints, colour and contemporary urban street wear. The brand’s spring/summer 2022 collection, Peacock Riot, was inspired by the social unrest and protests caused by the EndSARS movement in Nigeria and explores themes of inclusivity, isolation and dignity, whilst addressing issues of prejudice and discrimination through design.

Rick Owens told a story through his runway show in Paris by setting a set piece on fire whilst models were walking up and down the show. The show displayed his ‘Babel’ collection, so the set piece was designed to represent the Tower of Babel, where the story explains the origins of the multiple languages. The collection was designed for ‘mountain witches’ so the models wore geometric crowns to showcase this.

Balenciaga’s Fall Collection for 2021, hosted a video game show that followed a journey which started in a Balenciaga store and then moved through streets, buses and flights to a whole new outdoor environment with various settings. The show told the story of us living in a digital world, as we now attend meetings/conferences/lectures on Zoom, meaning we are speaking and shopping through the digital world more than ever before. Avatars in the game were dressed in ripped jeans and metal-armour boots as they travelled through the wonderland-style future world, imagining a near future in which clothing is meant to transform over many years. The pieces in the collection represent the future of clothing, where ‘nature and youth co-exist’ meaning garments can be repurposed and last forever; representing the idea that people will keep wearing clothes they love until they fall apart.

The Diffusion of Innovation Theory -

The diffusion of innovation theory was developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962 and it explains how an idea or product gains momentum and diffuses through a specific population or social system. An example of this is the growth of the colour - grass green. This electric green colour can be seen on social media after its appearances through Bottega Veneta runways where it was received really well. The colour has travelled well, by filtering down into the mass market and high-street brands, Zara has taken the colour and sold items including shirts, bags and shoes that mimic the exact shade.

The innovators make up 2.5% of the theory and consist of the brand that brought the colour/trend out and people that are daring and willing to take risks with their fashion picks. These people don’t require much convincing and strive for newness and innovation; they are the first people to take on a new trend and wear it on the street.

The next component of the theory is the 13.5% of early adopters, these are the people who represent opinion leaders as they enjoy leadership roles, whilst embracing change and new opportunities. They require a little bit more convincing than the innovation; they might see it on social media and want to wear it when it isn’t worn greatly yet, so they are quick to jump on the trend.

The early majority is the next much larger chunk, which takes up 34% of the market. These are the last group of people to adopt the trend before it becomes a mass market, they are rarely leaders and are not as adventuresome as others, but they do adopt new ideas before the average person, however, they require others to wear the trend/style before they do so themselves.

Another 34% of the market is the late majority, consisting of people that are sceptical of change and only adopt a trend when it has been worn widely, these are people that are playing catch up to get on board with a trend.

The final component is the laggards which consist of 16% of people who are super traditional and really conservative, these people might think that a trend is nice but prefer other options as they don’t think that it will work for them. They may choose to display the trend in a more minimal way.

To predict what life in 2024 might look like, I began by looking at what factors influence our day-to-day lives now, what defines our current culture, and where this might go in the future.

Macro Trends -

In order to determine which macro shifts I wanted to focus on for my trend, I decided to consider different options that I could look at when forecasting for 2024.

Life post covid -

The economy has started to bounce back after months of lockdown, but how has the pandemic affected us as people? Do people care more about their well-being? Are people more focused on their health and fitness? Are people more germ conscious as a result of wearing face masks and constantly washing their hands? Has social distancing made our body language colder? How might this culture impact material innovation and interiors? Could this culture create more clinical settings in interiors?

Sustainability -

There are currently crippling pressures from global warming and climate change and this is apparent through acts of environmental activism such as the political art installation in Times Square, of a digital clock countdown that shows how long we have left until the damage that global warming is having on our climate becomes irreversible. These pressures are already impacting art, so where might they go next? Brands also have to meet standards of sustainable practice in order to succeed, otherwise, they are called out by cancelling culture online. H&M has recently been called for using terms associated with greenwashing and finding loopholes to brand their items as sustainable and ethical when in reality their practices don’t always reflect this. We can ask questions relating to the future of sustainability such as will people start using scooters and bikes more? Will people start purchasing more locally rather than globally? Are plant-based lifestyles spreading? Will there be a decrease in fast fashion?

58% of consumers are more aware of their ecological footprint since the pandemic 85% are willing to take personal action and change their behaviour to address the climate emergency

Metaverse -

So many brands are hopping on board this digital environment and are launching collections in response to it. What will beauty, fashion and interiors look like in the metaverse? The sounds of outer space have been observed and recorded, and there are ideas of moving to Mars and leaving Earth behind as a result of irreversible negative impacts. There is constant innovation in tech, with smartwatches and wearable tech; people can now accept calls on Apple watches. How does the meta verse impact our leisurely activities?

Storytelling with colour…

Colour psychology - Colour psychology is the study of colours in relation to human behaviour, where an individual's perception plays a big part in our understanding of the psychological meanings of colour. Colour grabs our attention first, but every colour and colour combination expresses something different and how it influences individuals may differ depending on age, gender and culture. A business/ brand often commits to a key/core colour as part of its identity and this is a big stage in its production as colour increases brand representation by 87%. The key to a brand's colour being iconic is consistency, as it is important for the meaning behind the colour of a brand to never be lost in translation.

“As we move into A/W 22/23, we foresee an attitude of positivity in tough times and a desire to indulge in small luxuries. This is an evolution of S/S 22’s embrace of everyday pleasures and an impulse to give in the senses. A period of crisis has refocused our thoughts on what we value most and encouraged us to reset. Time with friends and family feels more precious and possessions have a deeper meaning. As a result, the colours of A/W 22/23 have an authentic, rich mood and grounded optimism. This season focuses on the history and story behind each colour. The key colours represent a material, plant or food that was highly valued in the past. Today, we are reacquainting ourselves with these values and evaluating how they relate to

WGSN

PANTONE - Pantone Colour Institute is the leader in the field of colour forecasting and is universally accepted by many industries. Their products and services are relied on by more than 10 million designers and producers around the world to help them define, communicate and control colour. They provide customised colour standards, brand identity and product colour consulting as well as trend forecasting inclusive of Pantone Colour of the Year, Fashion Runway Colour Trend Reports and colour psychology.

our future.” -

“As people seek relief from the stress and turmoil of modern-day life, Pantone saw the need for new comforting shades. The seamless union of Serenity and Rose Quartz creates balance in a chaotic world by providing the perfect counterpoint to the fast-paced, fractured and hurried lives we live.” - Pantone

Coloro -

Coloro is a sister brand to trend forecaster WGSN and works by having individuals within the creative industry realise their full potential through colour. After the colour experts at CTIC led 20 years of consumer research, it was combined with Coloro’s industry research allowing the launch of the brand's user-centric colour system.

Colour Harmony -

Colour harmony is an aspect of colour theory that refers to the use of colour combinations that are visually pleasing to the human eye. Examples of it are monochromatic colour harmony, which is formed using various shades of one single colour; analogous colour harmony, which is formed by three colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel; complementary colour harmony, which is formed using colours that are placed in front of each other on the colour wheel (the aim for this is to contrast) and triadic colour harmony, which is formed using three separate colours that are equidistant on the colour wheel.

Yellow -

Pantone’s colour of the Year 2020Pantone chose two colours to sum up the difficult year of 2020, but both of them have very opposing connotations. The ‘ultimate gray’ (PANTONE 17-5104) symbolises the endless depressing energy of the year, but the ‘illuminating’ cheerful yellow (PANTONE 13-0647) that it was paired with represents a more positive feel to this happy-sad combo.

“The selection of two independent colours highlights how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea that it’s not about one colour or one person, it’s about more than one. The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude,”

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

• Represents change - sexual freedom replaced with dangerous agitation, nervous anxiety and apocalyptic beauty

• Analogous to society’s outcasts and outsiders

• Traditionally associated with Judas Iscariot, bad guy in Christian mythology

• In medieval Spain, non-Christians were made to wear yellow

• In Italy, crime stories are referred to as ‘Giallo’ (Italian for yellow)

• Loved by Gauguin, Miro and Van Gough - they all transformed this historically disliked colour into something that was seen as beautiful

• Sickly

• Pallid

• Jaundiced

• Difficult to look nice in the colour yellow

• Gen Z are into purposely looking bad but in a stylish way

• Taken in two forms: incendiary Balenciaga danger-yellow or something soft and cosy

• Amorphous, unstable and variable - like the generation

• Bright and aggressive - a war ning sign of defence

• PRADA A/W 18 COLLECTION - ACIDIC NEONS/SPORTY RAVE FEMINIST DREAM/CLOTHING AS A PROTECTION/VISUAL STATEMENT

• Balenciaga Danger Yellow - Kim Kardashian

Market Levels…

Haute Couture - Haute Couture refers to the highest standard of ‘made-to-measure’ garments worldwide with each piece aligning with a high level of artisanal craftsmanship in the fashion industry. These items are signified by prestige, craftsmanship, and creativity and houses include Dior, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Valentino and Fendi.

Ready-to-wear - Ready-to-wear brands are still connected to a high level of creativity, but these pieces come in more standardised sizes in comparison to Haute Couture’s made-to-measure approach. Collections launch twice per annum and their designs are based on trend prediction that is developed into its standalone theme. Brands of this market level include Marc Jacobs, Moschino, and Michael Kors.

Diffusion brands - Diffusion brands are inspired by ready-to-wear, but their appeal is much wider due to lower price points (they are casual pieces made from less luxurious materials, often appealing to a younger target demographic.) Collections are also launched twice per annum and are designed as secondary lines to the brand’s ready-to-wear offering; brands include Vivienne Westwood Red Label and Armani Exchange.

Bridge and high-end high-street brands - Bridge and high-end high-street brands bridge the gap between high-end and mass markets. Again, collections are released twice per annum and they are designed as secondary lines to the brand's ready-to-wear offering. Product lines are defined by quality and value for money and some brands include Whistles, Autograph, and Reiss.

Mass market - Mass market brands intend to reach the maximum amount of people by providing them with products at a low cost. Mass market products are heavily influenced by micro trends, runway tendencies, and market levels above the mass market. Brands include Pretty Little Thing, Primark and In The Style.

The trickle-down effect describes a situation where particular trends are first accepted by people in the top social class. Then, over time, those fashion trends become gradually accepted by those in the lower classes. Here, the successful use of the marketing mix allows companies to satisfy customer needs, stand out from their competitors, and position their offerings. In contrast to this, the bubble-up effect refers to a situation where specific fashion trends and looks start from lower-income groups, or the ‘streets’, and then work their way up through the hierarchy of society. An example of this is DIY tie dying during the lockdown, as this started from individuals in their homes, but went on to be adopted by many brands after they saw how successful it was. There is also the trickle-across effect, which describes a situation where fashion moves horizontally between groups on similar social levels. In other words, peers set the trend for other peers, as opposed to coming down from only those who are most affluent. In the trickle-across effect, the peer-to-peer influence speeds up the spread of trend information greatly.

Marketing…

The 7 P’s of Marketing - The 7 P’s of Marketing consist of product, promotion, place, people, process, physical evidence and price.

Product - this refers to what the company produces (products services or both)

Promotion - refers to the promotional activities across the marketing mix, including advertising, direct marketing, and promotional activities in-store. The promotion aims to generate awareness, interest, desire or action.

Place - refers to where consumers make a purchase (eg. In a physical store, app, website, Metaverse, etc).

To determine this place, storage and transportation amongst other stages of the distribution chain are studied and designed to best serve the company’s clientele.

People - the people guiding the customer through their shopping journey are the face of the brand. From client services, to call centres and salespeople represent a key contact point between the company and the customer.

Process - refers to the customer’s journey with the company from initial contact to post-purchase care, and more. Some key pillars that define a positive process under the marketing mix are efficiency, reliability, smoothness, sustainability, etc.

Physical Evidence - refers to the aspects of the marketing mix that proves your brand exists and that your consumer’s purchase took place. Examples of this include a physical store, website, business cards, receipts, invoices, or email newsletters.

Price - while all other elements of the marketing mix represent a cost, price refers to the only revenue-gathering element of the mix. Through consumer profiling, market research, and research into the demand for the product, a price is established to cover costs AND generate profit.

Nutrition refers to the biochemical and physiological process of an organism using food to support its life; it is a basic human need and essential for a healthy life and mind.

Energy refers to the ability to be active. When people have a lot of energy they are generally active, whereas people that possess low energy are often unproductive and fatigued, which eventually leads to them experiencing symptoms of low mood.

Sleep alters consciousness through a sedentary state of mind and body. It temporarily reduces an individuals’ reactions with their senses, muscles and surroundings. It plays a vital role in good health and well-being by supporting healthy brain function and maintaining physical health.

Social media is made up by virtual internet communities that facilitate the sharing of information, interests and ideas through media technologies. It can have a significant impact on your brain by causing dopamine signals in your brain to increase.

Emotion is a form of mental state brought on by an individuals’ neurophysiological changes which occur as a result of thoughts and feelings.

Flowers…

I have looked at the importance of flowers and the impact they have on people’s moods, with the ability that they have to cheer someone up and ‘uplift them’. Flowers bloom during summertime, which is the season that is generally most looked forward to as the sun makes us feel good. They are also used to mark different occasions and show respect. Flowers are given on birthdays and anniversaries, they are used to congratulate people for special occasions and they are also used to celebrate life at births and funerals. It is a tradition for the bride to throw a bouquet to the guests on her wedding day, and the person who catches it is said to be the next one married. This demonstrates the positive connotations that flowers have and the feeling of good luck that they carry.

Flower Power Era -

• Non-violence and unapologetic resistance - the core of the movement

• Flowers became a symbol of anti-war beliefs

• Encouraged peaceful change

• Significant social empowerment - also felt at the end of 2020 after months of the pandemic and lockdown - gave us time to reflect on the importance of using our voices and allowing others to be heard

• The movement brought together the masses - we have this power now but on a larger scale as we can reach further through social media which wasn’t available in the 60s

‘Flower Power was a slogan used during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence ideology. The wording is rooted in the opposition movement to the Vietnam War…[It] was coined by the American Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 1965 as a means to transform war protests into peaceful affirmative spectacles. Hippies embraced the symbolism by dressing in clothing with embroidered flowers and vibrant colours, wearing flowers in their hair, and distributing flowers to the public, becoming known as flower children.’

The Language of Flowers -

Floriography describes the language of flowers, as every flower has its own special meaning or symbolism included by its variety and colour. During the reign of Queen Victoria in the Victorian era, flowers were used to communicate feelings that the strict etiquette of the era would not allow to be openly expressed.

- Flowers were sent in the form of small bouquets (‘tussie-mussies’ or ‘nosegays’) - they often featured fragrant herbs and a single meaningful flower wrapped in a lace doily

- Suitors presented these to someone that they fancied in the hope to be accepted

- If the bouquet was held at heart level, then the individual liked what they saw

- If the bouquet was held downward, then they weren’t feeling it

- In order to answer a question as ‘yes’, the bouquet was given in the right hand

- In order to answer a question as ‘no’, the bouquet was given in the left hand

Red roses -

• Commonly given to lovers and partners as a symbol of romance and affection

•

Associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite - the goddess of love and passion

• If you send 1 rose, it means love at first sight

• If you send 2 roses, it translates to love and affection

• 3 roses are usually given as a gift for a one-month anniversary

• Sending 6 roses means you’re infatuated and want the recipient to be yours

• Giving 10 roses, means you want to tell the recipient that their love is perfect

• 12 roses are the classic bouquet size that is given when asking someone to be yours

• 15 roses are given to say sorry

• Giving someone 24 roses says, ‘I’m yours’

• When you give someone 50 roses, it is known as a romantic bouquet that is given in order to make an impression

• 100 roses displays a grand statement that suggests that your love is in bountiful supply and will last forever

Dahlias -

• Represent lasting bond

• Used for bridal bouquets

• Symbolise commitment - this is why they are often used for wedding flowers

Red tulip -

• A bouquet of red tulips represents the perfect romantic gesture

• Favourite spring flower

• Symbolises true love

Peonies -

• Let someone know that you care

• They represent a happy marriage so are often used to walk down the aisle with

Carnations -

• Different colours of car nations send different meanings

• Light red - admiration

• Dark red - deep love and affection

• White - pure love and good luck

• Pink - a mother’s underlying love

Yellow roses -

• The bright sunshine hue represents joy and friendship

• Combines the symbolism of love that roses are linked to combined with the bright colour yellow of happiness and summer

Freesia -

• Symbolises thoughtfulness

• The ideal choice to let a friend know that you are thinking of them if they’re going through a rough patch

• A bright bunch of freesias is known to cheer someone up

Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) -

• Tropical looking bloom

• Translates to friendship, wealth, prosperity and fortune

• Each of the six petals represents something related to friendship

• Commitment, respect, humour, patience, understanding, empathy

Poppies -

• Symbolise remembrance and consolation

• Vivid red flowers are associated with sympathy

• Used around November time and Remembrance

Flowers in New York Fashion Week 2022 -

'La Nouvelle Mosaïque’ which means 'The New Mosaic ‘ inspired the collection for Autumn/Winter 2022 and was shown in a lavish décor of flowers from Marginpar on the runway during the New York Fashion Week.

Dur Doux is a young ready-to-wear women’s accessible lifestyle brand and red carpet label, which features bold, statement-making evening gowns and party dresses that have a global fee. The brand finds inspiration from Africa and India. The collection -

• Vibrant

• Prints inspired by contemporary mosaic art

• A lavishly textured take on day-to-evening dressing

• Brightly coloured palette with focal colours from Pantone’s colour of the year ‘very peri’; goldenrod yellow; cobalt blue and jungle green The show -

• Floral decorations - purple clematis; blue eryngiums and white astrantias

• Created by Le Bloomerie, which specialises in art floral wedding and event design - featured in Vogue, Style Me Pretty, Magnolia Rouge

• The models strolled through a floral archway, while flower designs covered the runway as they walked

Introverts during the pandemic -

A study was published that looked at ‘personality trait predictors of adjustment during the COVID pandemic among college students after a sample of 484 first-year university students were asked to complete the BFI personality assessment at the start of their semester that was disrupted by the pandemic. The students had to use an app to record their daily moods, stress levels and activities; this was completed before, during and after the pandemic. It was apparent from the findings that the student’s mood and wellness declined during COVID. It was also found that the severity of the pandemic’s impact was dependent on levels of certain personality traits.

‘Higher levels

extraversion,

pandemic

Findings:

- Introverts experienced some mood improvements, while their extraverted counterparts suffered in that department

- Students in the high extraversion groups were shown to experience less stress during COVID, while those with low extraversion experienced slightly more

- Introverts felt happier during the pandemic, but also more stressed

- Even though the mood levels of introverts increased, those levels still didn’t match the generally high mood levels of extraverts

“There isn’t a straightforward interpretation of this combination of findings, but we speculate that, as hypothesized, more extroverted people might find the stimulation and challenges of busy academic life to be more rewarding.”

“Leaving this environment for home isolation thus could have resulted in feeling less stressed but more bored and lonely, resulting in a decrease in mood. This finding partially supported our hypothesis, although it is important to note that students with higher levels of extraversion, despite having a clear decrease in mood with COVID, still reported an overall more positive mood than their low extraversion peers.”

of

for example, were found to be related to decreases in mood as the

progressed, in contrast to those with lower extraversion, for whom there was a slight increase in mood over time. These data support the conclusion that personality traits are related to mental health and can play a role in a person’s ability to cope with major stressful events.’

Balancing social life with self-care...

“Part of self-care is about learning to trust your own judgement about your wellbeing and responsibilities to others, and that takes learning.”

“Everyone’s taken a sick day at some point or another. That’s a perfect example of necessary self-care that can feel really shameful for some.”

“In modern society, we’re addicted to busyness. To admit that you’re not feeling well and you need to just rest is going against the grain in a way."

Wellness/self-care brands…

• Wilder Botanics - For the past thirteen years, Wilder Botanics has practised as a family-run herbalist and naturopath business, which focuses on incorporating the healing benefits of herbs into our daily lives. Their products are created from the finest organic wild crafted energetic ingredients and they contain no chemicals or preservatives; they’re just pure natural products for your body.

• Homework - Homework is an East London-based brand, which communicates the importance of us looking after our skin in the fast-paced world. It is inspired by traditional Chinese medicine and the products are handmade, ensuring the ingredients are natural and toxin-free, whilst being minimally packaged in eco-friendly materials.

• Anese - The message at Anese is, “serious skincare for not-so-serious babes”, as it provides cruelty-free and ethically sourced ingredients in skin care products for your boobs, bum and overall body. Examples of their products include a gently exfoliating scrub designed to fade any scars and stretch marks on your breasts; a caffeinated oil to give you a toned and firm posterior, and hydrating elixirs that can be used on your hair and across your body. The products are affordable and have cheeky names like ‘Calm Your Tits’, conveying the message that self-care doesn’t have to be elitist.

• Lumity Life - The mission at Lumity Life is to empower people, to ensure they look and feel their best, by supporting their health, strength and wellness. The brand’s supplements have years of dedicated scientific research and independent clinical trials behind them, and they have been developed to nourish and protect the body. The ingredients are all-natural and avoid anything artificial and they come in packaging that is free from the usual fillers, coatings and binding agents. Lumity’s ethos respects the power of the natural world, as the brand practices sustainable methods of business.

The Consumer…

Consumer Profiling -

Consumer profiling refers to the process when a data-led profile is created of an organisation’s ideal customer. To do this, consumers are broken down into groups with similar goals, characteristics and purchasing patterns and each group is given an image, name and description. To market your product, you need to understand whom you are targeting your efforts toward.

Types of Consumer Profiling -

Demographic profiling - this is carried out by standard profiling categories: age, gender, income, marital status, education level, ethnicity, job title, income and industry. It focuses on the ‘who’. A demographic profile is often the starting point of the consumer profiling process; it refers to the use of demographic data to compile information on a set consumer group.

Geographic profiling - is all about understanding your customer's location; this is the ‘where’. Location is key for consumer profiling, as location data is used frequently in targeting consumer groups, it looks at cities, regions, countries, post/ zip codes, climate, urban/rural, timezone, and language.

Psychographic profiling - this looks at an individual’s habits, hobbies, interests and life goals, focusing on the ‘what’ and the ‘why’. You can get a better understanding of the workings of your consumer’s minds, by looking at their habits, hobbies, interests and life goals. Key values, desires and motivations are also important here.

Behavioural profiling - involves analysing things like purchasing and engagement patterns, to determine the ’when’ and the ‘how’. This allows you to track the behaviour of your audience and provides useful insights into when and how you should target them. The analysis during this type of segmentation relies on the study of purchasing and engagement patterns; looking at product usage, satisfaction level and support needed.

“Everything starts with the consumer. You can’t make a product if you don’t know whom you are making it for”

- Carla Buzasi, Managing Director, WGSN

Gen Z’s Mental Health -

Study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found:

• 63% of 18 to 24-year-olds in the US are experiencing anxiety and depression

• 1/4 of young adults resort to sustenance used to deal with stress

• At the time of the study, 25% reported that they had considered suicide within the last 30 days

“Mental health conditions are disproportionately affecting specific populations, especially young adults, Hispanic persons, black persons, essential workers, unpaid caregivers for adults, and those receiving treatment for preexisting psychiatric conditions.”

Speaking to Dr Shekhar Saxena of The Harvard School of Public Health, it was reported that 10% of the young adults struggling will have long-lasting mental health issues even post-COVID.

"For the people between the ages of 21 and 25, this is a time of expansion in their life, with new connections and new things that is all being halted. I think this is a hard time for parts of life to stand still when there is normally just this fast-paced developmental time where so much is happening socially and professionally.”

Social Media…

Memes to address mental health -

A recent UK public health study has shown that teens are more likely to experience psychological distress if they spend over two hours a day on social media, with Instagram being the most detrimental app for causing this. Users often post unrealistic images that are plastered in sunny filters helping them to create a new image for themselves, which isn’t always present in reality. Despite this, some accounts such as @tmifw and @binchcity, have begun sharing honest posts, which consist of witty memes about their day-to-day struggles with mental health disorders.

Instagram’s ‘self-love club’ tattoo movement -

Popular illustrator Frances Cannon started a ‘self-love club’ after getting the words tattooed on her arm to mark her growth and journey in coming to accept her body, with the idea of sharing the tattoo’s symbol of acknowledging self-worth. Her idea turned into a movement, as many of her fans followed in her footsteps to have the tattoo printed across their bodies. The tattoo allowed sufferers to “start a new journey in their lives, and focus on themselves and cultivating their self-love.”

Frances Cannon expressed that “anyone can get it as long as they’re open to the club rules,” as by choosing to carry the words on their skin, the members are committing to:

• Always showing themselves respect, love, forgiveness and understanding

• Being understanding of others

• Being kind to their bodies

• Taking care of their mental health

The members of the club may not know each other, but they know that they are joined in a quiet commitment to support each other.

Olivia Shoesmith, member of the club and tattoo holder,

“I decided it was hypocritical to keep hurting myself while trying to not hurt the planet, so I got it above where I usually self-harmed.”

Instagram’s mental health feature -

Users that see a post with an allusion to self-harm, an eating disorder or suicide, now have a feature anonymously report it, which will send a message to the person that posted the photo saying:

This then presents them with the option to call a helpline, speak to a friend, or get tips and support.

Marne Levine, Instagram's chief operating officer said,

Instagram also has a troll filter function that atomically deletes abusive comments; the app also banned a range of hashtag searches including thinspiration, thighgap and proana in 2012, but after realising that this just encouraged creative spelling, users

now provided with a warning message before viewing flagged content.

The social media app worked with the National Eating Disorders Association and The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to determine the best language for these supporting features.

‘Someone saw one of your posts and thinks you might be going through a difficult time. If you need support, we'd like to help.’

"We listen to mental health experts when they tell us that outreach from a loved one can make a real difference for those who may be in distress. At the same time, we understand friends and family often want to offer support but don't know how best to reach out, these tools are designed to let you know that you are surrounded by a community that cares about you, at a moment when you might most need that reminder."

are

Relationships -

In the pursuit of happiness, love and friendship are key, but as a result of evolving family structure, longer working hours and our dependence on social media, our society is becoming lonelier than ever before.

“Some

- Cal Strode, the Mental Health Foundation.

As a way to combat this, the foundation suggests calling parents more and putting phones away when spending time with friends.

YouGov poll results when asking individuals what is the most important to their well-being…

• Maintaining healthy relationships - 38%

• Eating healthily - 16%

• Exercising - 10%

• Avoiding negative habits (e.g. smoking) - 8%

These results are interesting because, despite people saying that maintaining healthy relationships is the most important to them, this doesn’t necessarily translate into action. People are way more likely to resolve to quit a negative habit such as smoking than they are to improve their relationships with family and friends. This is likely because improving relationships requires a lot of judgement, integrity, patience and love.

Relationships work as the key to unlocking many mental health problems, which are a mix of environmental, genetic and social factors. Mental health can be a vicious cycle, as often loneliness can lead to depression, but depression can lead to loneliness. The opposite of feeling depressed is feeling connected.

Social media can act in a positive way towards mental health by helping people overcome barriers to connecting with their friends and family that they may live far away from. It can allow individuals to feel close to these people without physically seeing them.

striking evidence emerged showing the influence of social relationships on health and wellbeing as comparable to well-established risk factors for mortality such as smoking”

Care Worker Shortage…

Mental Health Awareness Week Care Worker ShortageSkills for Care (British Charity)

• 8% adult social care vacancy rates - 2019

• 8.2% adult social care vacancy rates - October 2021

• This figure has since exceeded 10%

• The sector is facing a shor 105,000 workers

• We will need around 627,000 extra care staff by 2030/2031 - this will require a monumental transformation in the way we train, recruit and retain care workers

To solve this crisis, the UK Government implemented a new health and social care levy in April 2022, which increases National Insurance contributions. Despite this, experts have warned that this won’t fix the problem.

Warwick Business School found that many people don’t think that carers require more training, but instead need improved working conditions and increased pay rates, in addition to training new nurses to work in the sector. These adaptations are crucial to filling the care workforce shortages. Retail and tourism sectors offer better working conditions and higher wages, and present people with higher self-esteem from working in a role that is less mentally and physically demanding; this is creating competition for the care sector in finding new workers.

How did the pandemic affect care workers?

• 14-16 hour days

• Working for weeks on end without a break

• Lived and worked with the constant fear of catching and bringing COVID into care homes

• Caused isolation - some staff moved into their workplaces and avoided all social contact

• Felt as though they were living by different rules from the rest of society

• Emotional pressures

• High burnout rates - resulting in higher staff turnover rates

The spending for care home providers is also increasing, as overheads are becoming more expensive due to inflation. This is particularly difficult for those that host many state-funded residents as they are unable to pass on these additional costs. Many private chains have increased fees with staff shortages being a prominent reason for this, alongside rising food and energy prices. This demonstrates the benefit that will come from spending more on staff, as it will help service users, service providers, workers and taxpayers.

Effects of shortages -

The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2021 census

• 1.5 million people in England are waiting for a treatment

• A tenth of consultant psychiatrist posts are not filled

• Patients are having to wait 18 weeks or more for treatment

• There are 4,500 full-time consultant psychiatrists for 56.5 million people (1 consultant per 12,567 patients)

• The college is calling for an extra 7,000 medical school places on top of the current 8,000 by 2029 - resulting in a total annual cost of £1.73 billion

Why are staff shortages such a problem? -

• Care work is undervalued

• It is amongst the lowest occupations in the UK

treatment,

serious

• Nearly 3/4 of care workers ear n below the real living wage - in both residential care and home-based care settings

• Common for care workers to suffer from unpaid working time

• Home care workers are rarely paid for their travel time

• Electronic monitoring systems in the homes of elderly clients ensure that workers are only paid for direct contact time - this often doesn’t pick up on visits that are overrun

• 55% of home-based care workers are on 0-hour contracts

• Working conditions are stressful and workers find it difficult to provide dignified care within the extremely short time slots that are allocated for home care visits

“The high number of people struggling as a result of the pandemic paired with the historic mental health backlog has created a perfect storm. We’re now looking at a record number of people having to wait for life-saving

with waiting lists getting longer every day. If the Government is

about addressing long-term challenges in mental health, it urgently needs to significantly invest in our workforce so that we can ensure the demand for psychiatric care can at least be met in the future. We simply can’t win this fight without enough psychiatrists.”

Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

“It's unacceptable that we don’t have enough psychiatrists to help people with a mental illness during what’s possibly our darkest time in recent history. Investing in the workforce goes hand in hand with delivering quality mental healthcare. Without a long-term plan and investment in training and e ducation to get more medical students and doctors to choose psychiatry, we won’t be able to finally address the scandalous geographical and speciality shortages.”

Dr Kate Lovett, Presidential Lead for Recruitment at the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Mental Health Issues…

Lucid dreaming during lockdownDuring the lockdown, Professor Roshan das Nair (clinical psychologist from the Institute of Mental Health) said “The sheer numbers of people developing problems - and some may not be fully-fledged or reach the threshold for diagnosis - will escalate.”

The Centre for Mental Health predicted:

• A fifth of the population would need some form of mental health support as a result of the pandemic

• 15% of this figure would be people under the age of 18

As a result of these statistics and the lack of adequate care, many people turned to alternative forms of therapy such as psychedelic drugs including mushrooms and LSD. Failing this, lucid dreaming was common.

Lucid dreaming is the seemingly paradoxical ability to recognise that you are in a dream and to control the events of that dream:

• Unequivocally real

• Proven to exist in scientific studies that date back to the 1970s

• Therapeutic capabilities for recurring nightmares caused by anxiety, depression and PTSD - they help people recognise that their nightmares are not true, by controlling the events of the nightmare and confronting the frightening things within it

Charlie Morley (lucid dreaming teacher) -

“I think being forced out of our daily routines has invited us to look inward.” “One of the functions of dreaming is to process what’s happened to us during the day. It's called day residue. Say you’re going to the office, you might see 500 faces in passing one day. With less day residue to process in a dream, the mind can start to dig back and look at really funky stuff.”

A 4-step plan for getting into lucid dreaming (4 D’s):

• Dream recall (practising remembering your dreams upon waking)

• Keeping a dream diary

• Dream signs (recognising recurring themes in your dreams that might trigger you to realise you are dreaming)

• Dream planning (thinking ahead of time about what you’d like to explore within a lucid dream)

Aya taught herself how to lucid dream when she was 10, after dealing with the global pandemic and her hometown, Beirut, being destroyed, this form of therapy has been beneficial to her.

“I think a huge part of me couldn’t deal with my feelings about Beirut, I tucked it away, but it started to manifest in different ways and was interfering with my daily life…” “…But my brain said: no; if you don’t want to deal with things when you’re conscious, we’ll do it when you’re asleep”

“I created a woman. She stays beside a bridge, and every night when I dream she asks me what we’re going to work through. Sometimes I can get something worked out within one dream session, sometimes it needs several weeks.”

Sophie Everard Fitness GuruSuffered from depression growing up, as a result of losing her father at a young age and struggling to process this grief. She is now a fitness instructor, having dedicated her career to improving the mental and physical well-being of others. She launched a fitness and wellness blog, Mad to Live, where she talks about sport, cerebral balance and the stigma surrounding mental health.

“I believe that physical fitness and mental health are inherently intertwined. Exercise and sport are there as ways to keep our bodies not just physically fit, strong and capable, but equally, mentally in check, cerebrally balanced, and ultimately, from what I have learnt, happy. I just see them as going hand in hand and as normal to discuss a workout as it is to discuss how you’re feeling overall.”

“I think it’s extremely important to make time for mental well-being. Taking time to just do what you dig in life, is what makes you stoked. Indulge in your hobbies, and passions, in spending time with friends. Make time for fitness, for doing something that makes you sweat and smile, it quite simply makes you feel great. Allow time to decompress if you work crazy hours, to switch off, and to enjoy nourishing activities you love, like a good meal with friends, a chilled yoga session or a cruise around a sunny park.”

The dread of post-pandemic life -

• Individuals that suffered from a loss of income - carrying over debt

• The increased cost of living on return to normal life

• Difficult for people to adjust to retur ning to the office 5 days a week

• Travel to work requires the use of uncomfortable, expensive and unreliable public transport

• Two-thirds of the people that were made unemployed were under 25

• 800,000 young people, between the ages of 16 and 24, aren’t in employment, education or training

• Fear that people have lost the ability to socialise - out of practice at speaking in real life

• Despite the decrease in drug and alcohol intake that many people have had during the pandemic, there are worries that this will be difficult to maintain as people are set free

• Increased ‘fear of missing out’, which disappeared when everyone was stuck inside doing the same thing

“It feels so normal for the world to be ending and that’s always been the experience of Gen Zers. I was born after 9/11, I don’t remember a time before the financial crisis and austerity. I was only 14 in 2016, and everything has felt like it's been collapsing since climate change, state violence, racism, inequality, poverty, the whole lot. We don’t even know that what we’re getting is bad, because it’s the only normal we’ve ever known. Or rather, we do know, we can intellectually recognise it and learn about why. But we don’t have a feeling of what good actually is.” - Safi, 18

Effects of 2020 on generation Z’s mental health -

As the demographic, generation Z has been hit the hardest mentally as a result of the pandemic.

• Deaths of elderly relatives and close family/friends

• Less likelihood that they can graduate from school or university

• Less chance of them going into full-time employment or being homeowners

• Adopted a more negative mindset towards the pandemic than older generations, which have a “this, too, shall pass” mentality; in contrast to the generation z’s questions of ‘How could the world have come to be like this?’

The American Psychology Association conducts an annual ‘Stress in America’ survey, which speaks to all demographics, with the most recent one discovering that the environment in which young people are being shaped, is making them increasingly more anxious and depressed.

Findings:

• Nearly half of young gen zers said that the pandemic has made their futures seem ‘impossible’

• 8 in 10 said that the future of their nation causes them stress

• 62% are stressed by rising suicide rates

• 58% are worried about sexual harassment cases

• Gen Z stress figures are higher than any other generation

• 34% of them said they’re more stressed, depressed and anxious than they were before the pandemic

• Worried about being a ‘failure’ to older generations, but also worried about how the world might look for the use of their own children

Activists revolutionising mental health services -

Over the past decade, the suicide rate for 10 to 24-year-olds has increased by 56%report from CDC - a growing mental health crisis amongst young people.

Youth are developing apps (that can be downloaded on technology and digital devices - the most appropriate way to reach young people) that can connect people to the services they need, whether talking about their problems or seeking encouragement.

Dr. Neha Chaudhary, a child psychiatrist and co-founder of Brainstorm, Standford’s Lab for Mental Health Innovation - “Youth especially love it because its easy and something over which they can feel a sense of ownership” - when speaking in regards to the service being accessible through tech.

Amanda Southworth, 17, launched an app called ‘Anxiety Helper’, which offers coping mechanisms and information about various mental illnesses, after struggling with depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation throughout school.

- “Being someone who works both intensively with technology, and needs intense mental health care and treatment, I’ve seen what it can do and how it can transform the space.”

Satvik Sethi, 21, created ‘Runway’, which allows users to have anonymous conversations with trained volunteers or highly skilled chatbots. Despite not being a professional counselling service, it helps individuals share their problems and find positivity from somebody ready to listen to them.

- “My goal is to inspire those in need of support to share their stories and take control of themselves in a positive manner.”

Mental Health daysAfter predictions from the World Health Organisation that mental health issues would be the leading cause of death among young people in 2020, a group of teen activists from Oregon encouraged the introduction of students to be allowed to take excused days off school for mental health reasons. The students’ aim was to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. The law allows students 5 mental health days every 3 months.

Hailey Hardcastle, one of the activists and recent high school graduate, “I took on this cause for a personal reason first off because so many of my close friends in high school struggled with depression, and there were times when I saw them at school when they really shouldn't have been there, would have been much better for them to take a day off.”

Photoshoot

references:

• Figure 1 - https://www.fashionsnoops.com/fs-trend-platform

• Figures 2, 3, 4 - https://orangeculture.com.ng

• Figures 5, 6, 7 - https://www.rickowens.eu/en/US

• Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 - https://www.harpersbazaar.com

• Figure 12 - https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/

• Figures 13, 14 - https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/gen-z-yellowspring-fashion-trend / https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/

• Figure 15 - https://www.retaildogma.com/fashion-pyramid/

• Figure 16

• Figure 17 - https://thursd.com/articles/marginpar-flowers-starring-atthe-2022-ny-fashion-week

• Figures 18, 19 - https://thursd.com/articles/marginpar-flowers-starringat-the-2022-ny-fashion-week

• Figure 20 - https://www.lyst.co.uk/accessories/gucci-flora-printed-silkneck-scarf/

• Figure 21 - https://gucci.tumblr.com/post/10850129718/gucci-mu seo-flora-flora-scarf-1966

• Figures 22, 23 - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2018ready-to-wear/chromat

• Figures 24, 25, 26 - https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/bjn79z/welcome-tothe-self-love-club-instagrams-self-care-tattoo-movement

• Figures 27, 28 - https://later.com/blog/mental-health-at-work/

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