Published 06 September 2023
Back in 2021, we created our Product Design Directions for S/S 23. In this short report, we show how Amble was validated firstly at luxury level, and then across the mass market.
The Zeitgeist 2021
Research for our S/S 23 Directions began in early 2021, looking at the evolving zeitgeist – across the socio, cultural, political, technological and design innovation spheres – that would inform future product development. Here are some of our key takeaways.
- The global pandemic increases demand for wellness-imbued products
- Comfort and pragmatism are key consumer concerns
- Nature and the outdoors are suddenly celebrated as luxuries
- Downtime, home life and self-care take on new relevance
July 2021 - Stylus Direction Amble S/S 23
We predicted that a pared-back and pragmatic aesthetic would strike a chord in S/S 23, with a direction driven by elegant simplicity for quietly hardworking spaces. Intuitive interactions, sensorial design cues, healthy material properties and biophilic patterns added to a strong wellness leaning.
2022 - Collections for S/S 23
High-end brand collections for S/S 23 confirmed our forecast with an emphasis on humble yet ergonomic designs with a tactile quality. Fluid forms looked lightweight, while natural stone and terracotta offered a grounding quality with cooling properties to boot.
2023 - Mass Retail
Filtering down to mass market retailers, wellness pigments, considered materiality and soft, rounded forms brought Amble to life in S/S 23. Subtle and nature-inspired textures have emerged across furniture to add sensorial interest while keeping spaces clean and uncluttered. Brands have even harnessed self-sufficient designs as per our forecast, with the introduction of affordable and decorative solar-powered lamps.