Episodes
Hello and welcome to the fortnightly Create Tomorrow podcast bringing you the latest innovations impacting the future of design and product. In this episode of WGSN’s Create Tomorrow podcast, we report from this year’s SXSW festival, the annual event in Austin, Texas which brings together tech, film, music, education, and culture – it’s always buzzing with new ideas and concepts. As leaders in trend forecasting, we travel the globe, researching new concepts and trends to inform our work, and...
Published 03/18/24
How can the beauty of light help solve the climate crisis? What does it mean to see the stars at night? And what can we learn from fireflies? These are the questions answered by the enlightening artworks of Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde. Daan is the founder of the social design lab Studio Roosegaarde, most famous for Spark, organic sustainable fireworks inspired in part by his love of fireflies. Studio Roosegaarde’s immersive, large-scale artworks operate at the intersection of art, design,...
Published 03/11/24
We’re constantly scouring the globe for the latest trends, and in this episode of Create Tomorrow we report back from Maison & Objet, the biannual interiors trade fair in Paris. One of the most important global events for the interior design industry.  Director of WGSN Interiors Gemma Riberti shares her fair highlights, from the colours she’s tracked to the unstoppable rise of the outdoor market. Plus exciting new sustainability materials, including a patent-pending innovation that...
Published 02/26/24
Why is 2024 set for a warm glow? Tune in to hear how WGSN – in collaboration with sibling business Coloro – forecasts the colour of the year 18 months in advance and why this year’s shade is such a warming, gentle and versatile hue.  Exploring the inclusive, nourishing power of Apricot Crush with WGSN’s editorial director Bethan Ryder is Petra Lundgren, longtime colour trend forecaster for global fashion brand H&M, together with Urangoo Samba, head of colour at WGSN. So why are we...
Published 02/12/24
Very much near-forecasting, in this episode we preview the year ahead, considering how the key events from politics, sports and entertainment will impact consumers and brands. WGSN’s editorial director Bethan Ryder speaks to Joe McDonnell, director of Insight, as he discusses 2024’s major events in relation to consumer behaviour. Discover how elections affect consumer confidence. Why it's a year of sport and how that will continue to fuel the outdoor boom. Plus, why consumers in a...
Published 01/31/24
In this episode, editorial director Bethan Ryder is joined by colleagues Raeesa Brey, Cassandra Gagnon, and Natacia Lim to reveal three of WGSN’s cities to watch in 2024. From coastal concrete jungles to hyper-connected tech hubs preserving traditional cultures, here’s our pick of the cities now rising to meet the changing demands of urban living. We forecast our clients' buzziest destinations for creativity and innovation in 2024, but also reflect on how the newness and excitement impact...
Published 01/15/24
Will the robots take over? How will brands tackle sustainability? And what will become our favourite tipple in 2024? Tune in to get the answers as we discover just some of the trends WGSN is forecasting for the coming year. Join Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN and the host of this end-of-the-year episode with her fellow WGSN guests Andrea Bell, VP of Consumer Insights, and Lisa White, Director of Strategic Forecasting and Creative Direction. And if you’re listening to this from the comfort of a...
Published 12/29/23
Are you swapping your panettone for Christmas pudding? Toasting Lunar New Year with a Teatail? Or livening up your Hanukkah sufganiyot with Mexican guava flavours? If not, this episode might encourage you to dip into these new trends. As the year draws to a close, we tickle your tastebuds and take a look at how annual festive food and drink traditions are changing with new twists and emerging trends. Our Editorial Director at WGSN Bethan Ryder, aka Head Chef, leads this chat, with sous chefs...
Published 12/17/23
Join us for a rifle through the underwear drawer of fashion, as we examine this often contentious category, which historically has been very polarised. Intimates and Lingeries is often a category split between the fun - read sexy - and the functional and never the twain shall meet. But the smalls category has come on in leaps and bounds and in this episode we chart the shift towards inclusiveness, review the latest trends and look ahead to the future. Exploring the finer details of the...
Published 12/07/23
Plump, swivel seats that offer massage functionality and bed-down flat, wraparound screens, lighting that boosts circadian rhythms and reduces stress and scentscaping possibilities… Lounge or spa? Neither actually. This could be the car interior of the future if CASE innovations (tune in to discover what that is) continue to evolve, helping to push boundaries in car manufacturing and design. In this episode of Create Tomorrow, we explore the future of electric vehicles from a tech and...
Published 11/17/23
How do brands speak to us as we age? Does the language used encourage us to buy from them or steer clear? Food for thought on this conversation around age beauty and brands. Director of Editorial at WGSN Bethan Ryder speaks about the age-agnostic shift we are seeing in beauty products. Age-agnostic is essentially a move away from skin resilience claims – serving the need, not the number – and a shift from ‘age appropriate’ makeup. To help flesh out this idea, Bethan speaks to Cassandra...
Published 11/03/23
In this episode, WGSN Interiors strategists discuss the key trends in Holiday decor, from tablescaping to gift wrapping. Host Bethan Ryder, Editorial Director at WGSN, speaks to Bonnie Pierre-Davis and Cassandra Gagnon about how consumers are approaching gifting for the Holiday season, interior trend aesthetics and ways we can gift wrap with a focus on sustainability. We find out what trends and drivers are emerging in seasonal decor from the WGSN Interiors team’s visit to the International...
Published 10/20/23
In this episode, WGSN Creative Director Lisa White and acclaimed climate fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson discuss biodiversity, sustainability incentives and regulations, and whether AI is impacting human creativity. Kim Stanley Robinson has been writing for over 40 years and has published more than 20 books, focusing on near and far futures. He talked with Lisa as part of WGSN’s recent Trends Days – a biannual brainstorming event exploring future forecasts – where they discussed the...
Published 10/06/23
Exploring Inclusive Design with Lekker Architects at Singapore Design WeekFrom ceramics that conduct electricity to visions of the inclusive urban environments of tomorrow, in this episode, we preview Singapore Design Week (SDW) which runs until October 1. Dawn Lim, executive director of DesignSingapore Council, talks about this festival of creativity which focuses on the future of sustainability, tech and care for our society – topics we are constantly dissecting at WGSN. We also catch up...
Published 09/22/23
In our final episode of mini-episodes reporting from the London Design Festival, an annual event that takes over the UK capital every September, we visit Material Matters on London’s Southbank. Now in its second year, the fair has sprung from a podcast of the same name and occupies the atmospheric Bargehouse at the Oxo Tower. On until September 23, across five floors, it houses over 40 brands, designers, makers, manufacturers and organisations who all celebrate the importance of materials in...
Published 09/20/23
In episode two of our series of mini-episodes reporting from the London Design Festival, an annual event that takes over the UK capital every September, we visit some of the exhibitions on show in the west side of town at Brompton Design District. Curator of the area, design writer and consultant Jane Withers, explains the theme, Conviviality – The Art of Living Together, and shares some of her highlights. We catch up with East London-based designer and woodworker Rio Kobayashi (6:41mins) and...
Published 09/19/23
As the London Design Festival kicks off, we take Create Tomorrow on the road for a series of mini-episodes reporting on the various events, installations and exhibitions that pop up across the UK capital every September. Tune in to hear our host Bethan Ryder, Editorial Director at WGSN, catch up with some of the curators, designers and studios contributing to this colourful and inspiring event. The series kicks off with a visit to Spirit of Place at Strand Aldwych as we speak with...
Published 09/18/23
Does AI pose an existential threat to designers? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, Director of WGSN Consumer Tech Lisa Yong discusses how AI is impacting the creative design process, and what it might mean for the future of creativity. Joining Lisa are Reiko Morrison, WGSN’s Head of CMF, and Matt Zara, WGSN Consumer Tech Strategist. The team cover the many facets of generative AI, from ignorance surrounding the technology and how many aspects of our lives it already permeates, to the rise...
Published 09/08/23
How can microorganisms such as algae, fungi and slime mould be used to create a better future? In this episode of Create Tomorrow WGSN Editorial Director Bethan Ryder examines the future of biodesign. Her guests are Marco Poletto and Claudia Pasquero, architects, academics and co-founders of ecoLogicStudio, who talk about how we might create a better future by learning from non-human species and microorganisms.Marco and Claudia are co-authors of Deep...
Published 08/25/23
Is the low or no alcohol movement a passing fad or a new lifestyle choice that’s here to stay? WGSN discussed a more mindful approach to drinking alcohol back in November 2022. In this episode, we delve further into the low and no alcohol drinking movement, discover why it’s popular with Gen Z and discuss its global expansion. Plus we offer a taster of the interesting and diverse ingredients being used to enhance the flavours. Joining WGSN Editorial Director Bethan Ryder to talk low and no...
Published 08/11/23
At WGSN, our mission is to stay ahead of the curve for our clients. In this episode of Create Tomorrow, we explore the coastal cities making strides in retail, hospitality and culture. Our City by City team share insights on must-visit destinations in Asia, South America and Europe for fresh and inspirational experiences – all featured in our latest Coastal Guide. Globetrotting across continents, we pinpoint the most exciting spaces, places, designers and brands that offer escape and...
Published 07/28/23
Could wood be the key to building more sustainable cities? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, architect Andrew Waugh and WGSN’s Editorial Director Bethan Ryder explore the power of engineered timber and how it might help us to build a better future for people and the planet. Andrew Waugh is co-founder with Anthony Thistleton of British architecture practice Waugh Thistleton, which has completed a total of 30 projects built with cross-laminated timber (CLT) in the UK and France. CLT is a...
Published 07/14/23
Jeans and a T-shirt? Cowboy boots or wellies? When it comes to festival wear are you more practical or performative? In this episode of Create Tomorrow, we find out what fashion trends are dominating the current and future landscape of festival fashion.WGSN has been tracking festival fashion across the globe for years now, delivering unique insights on emerging styles and aesthetics, product trends and evolving consumer attitudes – particularly among younger cohorts.With festival season upon...
Published 06/30/23
In this episode, Bethan Ryder, Editorial Director at WGSN is joined by guests Simon Mitchell, co-founder of architectural studio Sybarite, and Laura Saunter, Senior Strategist at WGSN. Together, Bethan and guests explore the landscape of luxury retail, from the return of the mega flagship in the post-pandemic era to how luxury brands are meeting the needs of the most discerning consumers by delivering memorable in-store experiences. Simon and Laura bring valuable insights on designing luxury...
Published 06/16/23