Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Speed and convenience have become the consumer norm. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when people worldwide were introduced to instant access to goods and services via apps and digital platforms, the supply and demand considerably grew and splintered. The 'I need it now' culture shows no signs of slowing down, ye...

When author Kyle Chayka explored 2010s minimalism in Longing for Less, a very different world existed. Today, a polycrisis-ridden and digitally saturated society finds people yearning for more. Whether you chalk it up to post-pandemic release or a general sense of impending doom, people are now looking for a...

Created by interior architect Sara Al-Rashed, Asteri Beauty refers to itself as the ‘first desert-proof’ beauty brand. People expect hyper-specific options that cater to their personal needs, driving beauty innovations to create laser-sharp products that infuse heritage and durability.

French design studio, Imprudence, is creating visionary, hypothetical products that question current beauty ideals and highlight the possibilities of our future. As tech rewrites beauty standards and inspires people to get creative, can ‘scenario planning’ help brands to create and innovate?

Extreme heat is already the world’s biggest weather-related killer, but its effect on health, both physical and mental, isn’t being taken seriously enough. What can brands do to help raise awareness about the dangers of heat stress and limit its impact on vulnerable communities?