Funding, opportunities, and employment in arts and culture have long been concentrated in London. However, with government support and local initiatives, the country’s Northern cities are reshaping the cultural landscape, encouraging participation and fostering diverse pools of creative talent.

How Northern cities are reshaping UK culture

In a world where everyone’s talking about AI, Kraft Heinz brand Lunchables Dunkables has harnessed the creative power of kids to show that it’s not all doom and gloom. In its latest campaign, Snacking has a whole new look, with kids being able to dream more outside the box than AI could.

Lunchables Dunkables proves power of kids' creativity

Gentle Monster is more than a sunglass store with colossal robots. Its rich, immersive brand narrative is a survival tool for the future of luxury retail. Through experiential stores and experimental accessories, it highlights the power of quality experiences that stand out to the fashion-forward.

Why Gentle Monster turns Korean shades into mod spectacles

Arc'teryx's Tokyo museum showcases the heritage and evolution of its outdoor apparel, reflecting its growth and the blending of fashion with art and community. This move symbolises a broader trend of integrating cultural expression into fashion, as well as integrating experiences into retail.

Arc’teryx take gorpcore to the art world with museum

Innocean has partnered with the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center to plead for peace. Using war photography from the last century, the campaign uses images that could easily be mistaken as being from the present day – driving home the message that war has been contemporary for too long.

Capa vs War highlights the timelessness of war

The social enterprise is partnering with artisans across Malaysia to create the traditional fabric for apparel and accessories. As people continue to look for brands to demonstrate equity and opportunities to uplift their heritage, small businesses like Batik Boutique stand out.

Batik Boutique elevates Malaysian heritage handicrafts

As the push for inclusive design gains momentum, principles like DeafSpace have the potential to transform how we think about public spaces. Who were our existing spaces created for – and who do they exclude? And how can brands and designers begin to address the divide in accessibility?

How can DeafSpace create inclusive spaces for all?

Since its arrival, AI has caused many concerns – especially around copyright. Yet there are some positives to the new tech. Now, AI is being used to restore, alter and replicate old or lost masterpieces, but how much can we trust this process, and is it really a helpful tool?

How AI is decoding art, one classic piece at a time

Responding to the crisis of authentication in digital photography, major players in camera manufacturing have developed a digital signature to help assure creators and publishers alike. In the meantime, some people are turning to forms of art where human-made authenticity isn’t a concern.

Digital signatures ease AI disruption for photophiles

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is expected to announce new guidelines regarding AI-generated content. They are the first set of rules that draw a line between human and AI creativity when there are calls for greater regulations and guardrails against the encroachment of IP.

Korea to issue first guidelines for AI-generated content

Seeking to connect global travellers with local communities, Marriott's postcard campaigns taps into people's desires for purpose-driven experiences. As people prioritise environmental and social causes, the campaign supports conscious travel and sustainable escapism. 

Marriott postcards encourage thoughtful tourism

An experiential art campaign called ‘The Unseen Machine’ has sparked conversation about AI’s role in creativity. Despite general anxiety about AI, excitement about its ability to augment inventiveness creates an opportunity for brands to show how new tech might support and inspire human imagination.

‘The Unseen Machine’ sparks debate on AI in creativity

Artists worldwide have joined an initiative where proceeds from sales of their prints go toward medical aid in Gaza. The intersection of art and activism speaks to interesting shifts in how people are approaching fundraising and charitable giving in the context of geopolitical crises.

Pictures for Palestine motivates charitable giving

Micheal's online marketplace allows people to buy and sell handmade goods with lower barriers to entry and expand their craft community. As people explore hobbies as a means of comfort and even a source of income, platforms like these show how brands can support small businesses and crafts.

Micheals champions craft with online creator marketplace

The Louvre is modernising its Ancient Egypt exhibition with augmented reality technology from Snap. The art institution is using AR to bring exhibits back to their former glory – capturing the attention and imagination of museum visitors and boosting their knowledge and engagement.

The Louvre adopts Snap tech for immersive AR exhibits

MSCHF's NOTHING IS SACRED at Seoul's Daelim Museum is a playground for the provocative and disruptive. The exhibition experience blurs art and commerce in a way that fans of the collective have become accustomed to, resonating with internet culture's ironic and satirical sensibilities.

MSCHF exhibition blurs line between art and consumption

Clemenger BBDO has launched a campaign highlighting the backstories of transport workers, encouraging people to lead with compassion. Recognising that the pressures of crisis are leading to anger, often directed at frontline workers, this campaign reminds people of the things that connect them.

Hi-Vis Humanity campaign appeals to human connection

Museums are attempting to encourage broader audiences through their doors by diversifying staff and leveraging technology. Google Arts and Culture’s The Art Handler is a digital game that teaches people about historical artworks, aiming to make art history accessible through edutainment.

Google launches art history game that makes learning fun

Lancôme x Louvre's collection leans into artistic heritage to celebrate the ever-evolving representations of beauty. As people increasingly perceive beauty beyond aesthetics, brands have the opportunity to frame products in ways that mirror evolving narratives of self-expression and inclusivity.

Lancôme x Louvre collection uses art to redefine beauty

The Coach McNugget Art World exhibit unites playful pop art and fast food culture to celebrate 40 years of Chicken McNuggets. With McDonald's leveraging collaborations to engage niche fans, the project reflects wider 'kidulting' and nostalgia being used as forms of escapism.

People in Hong Kong enjoy fine art McNugget exhibition

easyJet has launched a campaign that takes famous artworks on their own journey – breaking them free from their frames and plinths to embark on new adventures. Using fun as a tool, the campaign encapsulates the emotion of travel and aims to show customers the joy of getting out there.

easyJet ad recasts iconic artworks as travel influencers

The revamp of the Young V&A has boosted playful spaces that foster education through discovery, fun and games. However, feedback has suggested that exhibits that touch on racism and LGBTQ+ struggles are lacking, missing an opportunity to instil inclusive values in children through empathetic play.

Young V&A launch is marred by lack of representation

Successes for Black directors have sparked legacy media to define the contemporary as 'a moment' in French cinema. Other sources, however, note the reality of a lack of representation across the board, exacerbated by a ban on ethnic data collection, with only a handful of names coming to light.

Black filmmakers are slowly emerging in French cinema

Skittles has launched an exhibition showcasing portraits of queer people to illuminate unfiltered, queer self-expression. With anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments rife globally, people want to see brands take a stand against queer hate and double down on their public support for them.

Skittles queer exhibition reinforces LGBTQ+ support

With inflationary pressures heightening the effects of a lack of long-term investment, British museums and galleries are being forced to charge admission fees. This move might further disengage those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds from art, exacerbating cultural deprivation.

Inflation pressures UK museums to charge entry fees

Sitting at the epicenter of the glitzy entertainment industry while boasting a rich underground culture, Los Angeles has long attracted creatives – from musicians and actors to artists and writers. But how is the city growing to attract a newfound interest from the fashion and art industries?

Is Los Angeles the fifth fashion capital?

The high-end spirits segment is full of investment opportunities for discerning drinkers, with super-premium whiskies and vodkas serving as collectibles and artworks in their own right. So, how can brands innovate their packaging to create an altogether elevated drinking experience?

What’s behind the ‘artification’ of drinks packaging?

Founded by Gen Z entrepreneurs, Mewmovement is providing the Kuala Lumpur artist community with a space to sell their art, collaborate, and connect. As people continue to create their own communities, spaces like these are simultaneously fulfilling a niche and helping people build their careers.

Community shop in KL mainstreams art as a career

Carlsberg's craft beer brand, YAU, has partnered with a porcelain factory in Hong Kong to create limited-edition beer glasses. The collectibles showcase the factory's craftsmanship and tap into a desire for unique and hyper-local products that celebrate the values of creativity and culture.

Carlsberg celebrates local craft with porcelain glasses

Playing up its craft heritage, Swiss watchmaker Breguet is hoping to connect with potential new customers through an art exhibit at Frieze New York. The brand's approach reflects the changing role of wristwatches, with many viewing them as investments and works of art rather than practical objects.

Breguet's artful timepieces shine at Frieze New York

Henna, a traditional art form for decoration and celebration, is being modernised by a new wave of artists. With younger generations embracing novel modes of expression while still respecting their culture and traditions, henna serves as a powerful marker of identity and community connection.

Modern henna artists give new takes on ancient tradition

A digital campaign is bringing attention to Brazil's homelessness problem. Created through a partnership between AlmapBBDO, an NGO focused on making the overlooked in society visible, and photographer Felipe Morozini, it uses a set of striking murals to drive the message home.

Campaign makes Brazil's homelessness impossible to avoid

German artist Boris Eldagsen has rejected a prestigious photography award, revealing that his submission was AI-generated – a bid to make a point about AI ethics and art. Amid growing concerns around generative AI, there's a need for more substantial regulations to make the tech more trustworthy.

Award-winning photo stirs AI ethics debate

The Museum of Failure spotlights numerous commercial ideas that didn’t pan out, aiming to stimulate discussion about accepting and learning from mistakes. Amid pushback against constant self-optimization, people want reassurance that it’s okay that their lives aren't picture-perfect.

Museum of Failure celebrates the joys of imperfection

Adobe has launched a family of AI creative cloud tools called Firefly, trained with stock images to avoid copyright backlash. This innovation provides a new way of working for artists without technical expertise while avoiding the potential for plagiarism and questions around ownership.

Adobe generative AI tools focus on avoiding plagiarism

In a historic first for France, the University of Angers will be launching a women’s museum to shed light on the history of French feminism. As museums globally face a social justice reckoning, the initiative is an example of minority communities telling their stories on their own terms.

France’s museum of feminism chronicles untold histories

Aglaé's bio-based serum transforms plants into fluorescent artworks. While integrating elements of biophilia into public spaces can create immersive environments that reconnect people with nature, it could also provide electricity-free light solutions to facilitate sustainable living.

Natural serum creates immersive biophilic experiences

As environmental crises proliferate, contemporary artists are taking up a role in addressing the precarious present with artwork that reaches into depths of ecological time and our connection to land. How can art move people past fatigue and grief and into a new type of action?

How art has become a space for climate protest

As we move towards increasing engagement with art online, tech is proving increasingly influential in people’s cultural consumption. But how exactly are buyers using algorithms to discover and appreciate art? Can trust in NFTs be repaired? And in what ways are digital spaces democratising art?

How is tech changing the luxury art market?

Over-crowded corridors and winding queues have long been a part of the Louvre's identity. Yet, the museum is changing gears and focusing on offering a slower museum experience to its visitors, meeting people's demands for quality over quantity in their travel experiences.

The Louvre plans to offer a slower museum experience

1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair | Facebook (2023)

As a global diaspora seeks to connect, protect, and platform African culture, a new market for art from across the continent has emerged. With luxury buyers increasingly interested in values-based purchasing, how can brands support and amplify the growing interest in art from the region?

Why African art is attracting new luxury buyers

To support the floundering art sector and help younger generations experience culture, Germany has launched a free KulturPass. Amid a cost of living crisis people are looking for accessible and affordable ways to enjoy cultural experiences.

Germany courts experience hunters with free culture pass

Museums have long been led by privileged voices, impacting cultural narratives. To address under-representation in these spaces, Tate is launching a free curatorial training course to help elevate voices from lower socio-economic backgrounds, paving the way for more diverse museum exhibitions.

Tate diversifies museum staff with free curation course

Banksy has called upon shoplifters to target a Guess store in London after the brand used his artwork allegedly without his consent. The artist has exacerbated tensions as people consistently hear narratives of brands taking advantage of artists' work, despite calls for more honesty.

Guess draws criticism for appropriating Banksy’s artwork

As the pedestrianisation of cities retains support post-pandemic, some European cities are receiving funding to turn pavements into artworks in a bid to improve safety for urban walkers. With people looking for enjoyable ways to navigate cities, there are brand opportunities to protect pedestrians.

Pavement murals promote pedestrian-friendly behaviours

Meta has partnered with Make Me Pulse to refocus our historical lens away from the male gaze and address the predominance of male statues in Denmark. Through the creation of a mixed reality art experience, the company is hoping to set a precedent for representation in the metaverse.

Meta challenges gender inequality with mixed reality art

Oslo’s Revier hotel is handing over the reins to artist Constance Tenvik to build its new visual identity with 101 artworks throughout the space. As people look for experiential holidays after years of lockdowns, hotels are having to up their game to compete with immersive offerings like Airbnb.

Oslo hotel offers cultural immersion through art

Art has long served as a form of protest, and as Americans face constraints on their freedoms, a growing number are seeking creative ways to voice their dissent and demand change. How is the digital landscape impacting this mode of self-expression? And what role can art play in modern citizenship?

Does protest art have a role in modern citizenship?

Stable Diffusion is the latest open-source AI image generator signalling a growing appetite for new kinds of tech-enabled creativity. Offering brands exciting avenues for innovative communications, it also necessitates intentional mitigation against misinformation and technological biases.

Stable Diffusion prompts creativity and fear around AI

Lanoba ships unwanted mid-century Danish furniture to the tri-state area where it’s bought by those with an affinity for functionality, geometric lines, and eco-friendly products. As circularity bleeds into homewares, refurbished vintage pieces could be part of making furniture more sustainable.

Danish furniture rehomed by eco-conscious Americans

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and auction house Christie’s are coming together to offer two items from the site’s early days to the highest bidder. The tie-up showcases a marketing strategy that will see lots of publicity and profit, while tapping into a demand for digital engagement.

Auction of 00s items feeds digital nostalgia

Pantone’s 2022 Colour of the Year, Very Peri, has been formulated to reflect the growing visibility of the metaverse in the everyday and a desire for serenity amid pandemic-era chaos. As people continue to self-express through non-verbal cues, colour is proving its clout as a way to convey identity.

Pantone’s 'Very Peri' embraces chaos and calm

Through a series of vintage posters, Asian Americans are addressing the rise in hate crimes by answering the question, ‘Where are you really from?’ With brands expected to take a stand on social issues, the campaign debunks stereotypes by harnessing a sense of nostalgia.

Nostalgic ads address rising Asian American hate

Radiohead has launched an interactive, virtual exhibition that explores two of its albums in a video game-like way. With many brands and musicians exploring the potential of virtual experiences, the exhibition shows how merging gaming and music can create deep and thought-provoking experiences.

Radiohead exhibition brings music and art to gamers

Chinese fashion influencers are embracing the #roomtour and using it as an opportunity to expand their commercial scope beyond fashion to include lifestyle, home decor, and furniture. The approach is being welcomed by brands seeking to reach new audiences in the Chinese market.

Chinese influencers connect with fans via #roomtour

Artist and Knowles sister Solange has launched a free community library for rare works of Black creativity, ranging from art catalogs to history books. The platform, part of a surge in appreciation for Black storytelling, aims to educate and inspire through works selected by guest curators.

Solange opens free library of rare Black creative works

Exploring the phygital boundaries of make-up with material science is The Unseen which has created a dual-reality eyeshadow that transforms due to a flash of light. With Gen Zers using digital spaces to express their individuality, the brand aims to inspire with clever cosmetics.

Dual-reality eyeshadow taps into phygital beauty

Google’s ‘pocket gallery’, which once allowed AR-compatible devices to view artworks, has now expanded to allow all internet users to get access to exclusive and often too fragile pieces to see in real life. The move exemplifies how digital spaces can improve access to culture.

Google expands its ‘pocket gallery’ to all browsers

As China’s market matures, consumers are attaching great importance to commodities that not only meet their aesthetic demands, but their intellectual ones too. This is especially true of Chinese Gen Zers who are seeking products that fuel their patriotism by creatively merging the old with the new.

Products with cultural clout charm Chinese Gen Zers

The British Museum has partnered with LaCollection to launch NFT editions of artist Katsushika Hokusai’s work. The launch includes an exhibition opening of ‘Hokusai, The Great Picture Book of Everything’ at the British Museum and the sale of digital copies of Hokusai’s work.

British Museum mainstreams digital art

As people look for more sustainable food options, urban farming is growing in popularity. With vertical farms aiding in a sustainable urban redesign, brands that make use of their space for agriculture can help shift perceptions of farming into the future, earning eco-credentials in the process.

South Korean metro farms modernise agriculture

An art installation in London has been created, aiming to help people create a sense of connection with friends and strangers. Sonic Connection is an example of how artwork is helping people connect with one another post-pandemic and taking steps to re-humanise the urban environment.

Sonic Bloom allows for safe city socialising

Long a fixture of faith among devout Christians and central to Catholic spirituality, the Virgin Mary is increasingly becoming a symbol of empowerment among global young people of various creeds and beliefs. Her increased prominence in contemporary culture is opening up opportunities for brands.

The Virgin Mary is becoming a Gen Z icon

While the pandemic left many people unemployed, it sparked an entrepreneurial spirit for others which has led to a substantial increase in start-ups. Whether out of necessity or inspiration, the uptake in small businesses is proving to be a much-needed boost for the economy.

Pandemic pushes Americans to get entrepreneurial

Utrecht Centraal Musem has launched 'The Blind Spot', an exhibition using sound, smell, and touch to make art more accessible for the visually impared. With the culture industry lagging behind on accessible entertainment, the museum is paving the way to make art more enjoyable for all.

Dutch museum makes art more enjoyable for the blind

3D-printed houses are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in California which is constructing a plethora of 3D-printed homes amid its housing crisis. Considering its fast construction and low cost, this could be the answer for more efficient houses around the world.

Demand for 3D-printed homes rises amid housing crisis

The events of 2020 sparked a shift in art consumption and a rise in online-only art transactions but people still want to experience the exclusivity and service of in-person sales. Art House is an ever-changing art exhibition that rethinks how to engage art lovers post-pandemic.

Art House opens gallery space for living art fairs

Fashion brand Feyfey is trying to get women comfortable with the idea of taking up space through a satirical line of clothing that inflates to cartoonish sizes. The line comes as the working world grapples with restarting their commute to the office and diminished personal space.

Inflatable fashion empowers women to take up space

Coming from ‘art on the fly’, Artify is breaking boundaries in the art world by using AI to create pieces of art in minutes. Whilst the brand has conjured excitement, it has also caused skepticism and uproar from creatives concerned that robots could take away the authenticity of artists themselves.

Artifly divides creatives with its AI paintings

The United States has returned highly prized relics in the largest-ever repatriation to Iraq. As decolonization gains traction in the public spotlight, people are fueling a global effort by pressuring Western institutions to return culturally vital artifacts.

Antiquities returned to Iraq after calls to decolonize

Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel, Snow Crash, made the first reference to a virtual, three-dimensional space where people exist and interact as avatars. But what started as a sci-fi phenomenon is becoming a reality, with Facebook setting bold ambitions to bring the metaverse to life.

Facebook’s ambitions nod to the future of the internet

Cocktail NFTs have made their mark in the hospitality industry, with sales acting as a lifesaver for the struggling industry due to the pandemic. The move to the crypto-world signals the bartending industry’s shift beyond the walls of a bar and into the virtual world.

NFTs for cocktails could be the next collector’s item

As campaigners call for cultural institutions to return priceless looted artefacts to their countries of origin, research shows that a majority of Britons would support the action, reflecting a wider desire among the public for a more honest discussion of British history and colonialism.

Most Britons support decolonising museums

After years of operating in hard-to-access, creative silos, the app Fair Art Fair is looking to democratise and streamline the art world and connect creators with collectors by removing many of the traditional hurdles and help bring more attention to unrepresented artists.

Fair Art Fair app matches artists with collectors

NFTs have become the buzz of the art world in 2021, but even though there’s so much art, there are few places to view it. Virtual reality galleries like Spatial are providing these online cultural spaces for people to access artworks, signaling how leisure activities can traverse from IRL to VR.

Spatial's virtual galleries showcase NFT art

With museums and galleries closed, the arts have had it tough in the pandemic. Recognising people’s desire to support the industry – as well as their yearning for cultural experiences – the Design Museum in London has opened a ‘supermarket’ selling goods designed by artists.

Design Museum supermarket supports emerging artists

OE1, a line of office furniture from Herman Miller, provides mix-and-match setups that are designed to physically move to meet workers’ changing needs. With the future of work set to be about fluidity rather than prescriptive structures, the office itself is adapting to a more mutable sensibility.

OE1 offers an alternative to prescriptive office planning

Non-fungible tokens offer a way for people to digitally own everything from a tweet to a GIF of an NBA play via blockchain technology. How might they forge meaningful connections between fans and their idols? And how can brands sustain engagement with the tech beyond the initial hype?

How will NFTs impact collectible culture?

Interest in digital assets – known as NFTs – is growing, as people see greater value in owning virtual art. But the blockchain technology behind the scenes is complicated, so the S!ng app enables any creator to turn their work into an NFT and sell it as a unique piece of art.

S!ng helps creators make and monetise NFTs

For people looking to catch a glimpse of a grandmaster artwork, a museum is usually the place to go. Often seen as stuffy, rigid in etiquette, and inaccessible (physically and socially), museums have struggled to attract young visitors. Immersive exhibitions may have the power to change that.

Immersive Van Gogh brings people closer to the artist

Sweeping lockdowns have left people feeling lonely and in dire need of connection (both digital and in-person). Culturehouse has turned an unused outdoor space into a workspace pop-up, providing the local community with access to essential services like heating, lights, and even Wi-Fi.

Pandemic-proof workspaces address community needs

Design studio Special Projects has unveiled a grocery checkout concept that intelligently moves on screens, creating a clean 'button' space for each customer. With the pandemic prompting people to think more about cleanliness, brands would do well to reassure them with safety innovations.

Hygienic grocery checkout hints at future of shopping

Google Shopping has released a feature that puts Black-owned brands and products front and centre, helping consumers to find and support them. More than just a functional add-on, the feature is a vibrant, clickable artwork, with the aim of engaging people through a visual celebration.

Google Shopping champions Black-owned brands

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced plans to stage a live performance using a virtual reality technology called Dream. Embracing VR could heighten experiences for the long-distance viewer as well as adding an experiential layer when people can eventually return to theatres.

RSC immerses theatre-lovers with VR-powered show

More often seen as a symbol of playtime than profundity, seesaws straddling the US-Mexico border were chosen as 2020’s design of the year. In a time of division, the design was noted as being “symbolically important” by the judges, suggesting a desire for unity at a time of unrest.

Seesaws win design award in symbol of hopeful unity

Digital art marketplace Nifty Gateway is opening access to digital works, which are backed by blockchain for exclusivity. With young consumers continuing to take an interest in virtual goods, these types of platforms build interest among buyers by harnessing the draw of hype and limited-edition drops.

Nifty Gateway grants cryptoart its hype factor

Each year, Pantone chooses an annual colour. But 2020, never much of a rule follower, has demanded a more complex portrayal. Pantone has paired two colours to connote both struggle and triumph, with dark and bright hues visualising ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.

Pantone needs two colours to sum up 2020

Greenhouse Auctions has launched its platform in a bid to make art auctions more transparent and representative of new industry entrants. With an influx of young HNWIs beginning to invest in art, they’re rejecting old models of acquirement and want ones that speak authentically to them.

Greenhouse makes art auctions more equitable

As COVID-19 has changed the way people live and work, potentially forever, homes have become hybrid spaces where many juggle work and personal life, often with little room to separate the two. Wood-Skin answers this need with conveniently mobile workstations that look good.

Wood-Skin's foldable office is an everywhere workspace

Due to the pandemic, the ArtRio Fair is holding part of its fair online through a sophisticated online platform that replicates the in-person experience. As brands are forced to migrate events online, this can open wider access to previously excluded groups.

ArtRio blends online and IRL to boost access to culture

Aussie food brand Alt Saints is putting purpose before profit, using character-driven design to humanise what’s often an overwhelming issue: saving the planet. It's showing how design can be a powerful tool in encouraging eco-conscious consumers to make sustainable purchases.

Alt Saints characters put a face to ecological issues

When it comes to performative allyship, the art world is a standout example – quick to exhibit the work of people of color, but predominantly run by White people. Aiming to correct the imbalance, a mega-dealer in New York is opening a gallery that will be entirely run by Black Americans.

David Zwirner gallery aims to correct art world racism

Considered the holy shrine of techno, Berghain has been transformed during lockdown to house works from Berlin-based artists. With nightlife still on hold, venues are repurposing themselves to cater to local art and culture vultures while staying true to their core values.

Berghain draws art fans as techno parties hit pause

With the fear of future pandemics playing heavy on people’s minds, city layouts are getting a re-think. Guallart’s ‘COVID-19-proof’ smart city in China is designed to ease the strain of living in lockdown, pointing to a future where preparedness is a key component of urban design.

'COVID-19-proof' smart city hints at future urban design

As brands try to appeal to the culturally conscious younger generation of luxury consumers, amassing street credibility through the adoption of hip-hop culture seems to be the next move. Sotheby’s, the world-renowned broker of fine art, jewelry, and real estate, is tapping into the art of hip-hop.

Sotheby's hip-hop auction remixes the luxury beat

Whether it’s going on a road trip, to a drive-thru cinema, or trying to escape from the kids, cars have become personal sanctuaries in the pandemic. As people spend more time in their cars and seek to signal status in unique ways, luxury brands are collaborating with car manufacturers.

Barbour Land Rover gives driving a luxury appeal

While inclusivity and accessibility are high on the agenda for a lot of brands, many don’t know where to start. An online card game has been launched to educate brands on the gaps in their services and help them recognise the types of people they may be overlooking in their designs and products.

Cards For Humanity unveils hidden biases in design

COVID-19 lockdowns have seen exhibitions around the world go digital to increase accessibility to art lovers who can’t travel to venues. Responding to this is Acute Art, an art production firm that uses VR and AR to display works in spaces that aren’t confined to studios, galleries, or museums.

Acute Art uses AR to widen access to remote exhibitions

In a tech-enhanced twist on colouring books, Nike Japan is giving sneakerheads a chance to immerse themselves in product design. The brand’s AR zine taps into shifting expectations around augmented retail, letting consumers create and showcase their own virtual Nike Air Max designs.

Nike's AR Zine inspires sneakerheads to get creative

Concerns about sustainable consumerism took a back seat in the first half of 2020 as the coronavirus crisis made hygiene the foremost consideration while shopping. With packaged goods in high demand, how can brands reassure people who want to avoid infection without it costing the earth?