free people free people free people free people
T R E N D RAW E P21O/22 RT FUTURE HEGE
elpoep eerf elpoep eerf elpoep eerf elpoep eerf Figure 1
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INTRODUCTION 1 2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
ACTIVEWEAR
GOLDEN HOUR 3 4 5 6
Figure 3
Figure 2
SENSORY ESCAPES
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CONCLUSION
FUTUREfree HEGE people Figure 4
INTRODUCTION
Looking to extend Free People’s current wholesale business, this trend report will discover the key trends for AW 21/22 for both sustainable female activewear and in-store and digital visual merchandising. Exploring Free People’s consumers and competitors have allowed our agency to critically analyse successful brands within the market, whilst fully understanding the target audience. Ensuring we have predicted a trend for each sector, we have also focused on an international growth strategy to encourage our agency to forecast trends that are objective to a wider marketplace.
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KEY TREND DRIVERS PANDEMIC PERCEPTION
FROG FRENZY
GRATITUDE GLOW UP
Figure 5
There has been a prominent shift in consumer behaviour as a result of the current pandemic. Consumers are increasingly focusing on their mental wellbeing whilst maintaining a positive mindset. With very minuscule human interaction for a long time consumer’s appreciation for sensory experiences is at an alltime high. As a result of the pandemic, consumers are on a mission to own low maintenance pet’s, far from typical to keep themselves occupied. Consumers wanting to own a furry friend is old news and instead, there has been a growth of interest to own a pet amphibian. This also stems from the fact more people are enduring outdoor activities and walks during the pandemic.
Consumers have the intention to enter “normal life” after lockdown, becoming a transformed and better version of themselves. This has come from the trending phrase: ‘Glow Up’. A phrase used to represent a positive, impactful, and noticeable change in consumers both physically and mentally.
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GOLDEN HOUR FP MOVEMENT
There will be an ongoing growth of desire for consumers to experience a ‘glow up’ after lockdown where consumers have experienced physical and mental self-improvement.
Figure 6, 7
FP MOVEMENT
GOLDEN HOUR
FUTURE HEGE Figure 8
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FP MOVEMENT
FUTURE HEGE
GOLDEN HOUR
“Rediscovering self-care, selflove, and my best self inside and out.” - Andrea Nicole Watson, Blogger Reference 1
PERSONAL GROWTH
Consumers have been cooped up inside without human interaction for a long time. As a result, returning to our normal lives will cause an increased urge to impress one another. Consumers will want to stand out from the crowd after experiencing their positive changes/transformations. Furthermore after dissecting the phrase ‘Glow Up’ we know that ‘glow’ is a noun that conveys brightness and warmth of colour. Therefore we have predicted the gravitation consumers will have towards golden hues for A/W 22.
GLOWING IRIDESCENCE
BRONZED AND WARMING HUES
Figure 9
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FP MOVEMENT
FUTURE HEGE
GOLDEN HOUR
At FUTURE HEGE we have predicted gravitation towards textures inspired by amphibian habitats. The reason is that consumers are on a mission to own low maintenance pets, far from typical to keep themselves occupied during the pandemic. As a result, more people want to own amphibians, frogs in particular. Due to the new desire to own a pet frog and the growth of interest in the world of amphibians, consumers are going to be acknowledging and appreciating the habitat of these species. This means there is going to be a surge of inclination to dress in activewear inspired by “beneath the lily pad” and more people are going to veer towards embossed textures inspired by pond wildlife.
BENEATH THE LILY PAD
GOLDEN GLEAM
EMBOSSED PRINT RIDGED TEXTURES
SUBTLE HINTS OF SAGE Figure 10
Therefore, we would like to forecast our trend prediction that we call ‘Golden Hour’. We have called this particular trend ‘Golden Hour’ as it’s an iconic phrase used in ‘selfie’ culture representing selfie takers ‘glowing’ and feeling their best taking a photo of themselves in direct sunlight. This is a trend that we believe will arise during AW21/22 and will be a success if used to inspire Free People’s activewear. This trend connotes the aspiration consumers will have the next couple of years to become the best version of themselves after the pandemic, wanting to stand out from the crowd glowing in metallic colours and vibrant textures inspired by wildlife.
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SENSORY ESCAPISM VISUAL MERHCHANDISING
Elements of escapism and creating new experiences. Aiming to develop more community in the Free People environment by encouraging the consumer to feel more empowered around their life goals and aspirations.
Figure 11
WHOLESALE STRATEGY
SENSORY ESCAPISM
FUTURE HEGE
Figure 12
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WHOLESALE STRATEGY
Regarding wholesale strategy, we have collected several aesthetics that we have found occurring within activewear VM to learn and progress from what other competitors are producing. We then categorised these into different trends such as athleisure VM and futuristic outlooks on interior design. Within athleisure stores, we noticed how mannequins were often used to show the bodily poses for fitness and physique and saw this as a potential stance towards the Free People movement. Another approach that we found was stores having a ‘new outlook’ within VM. This consisted of elements of escapism and creating experiences for their consumers. These types of stores would often have strong colour palettes and designs that felt exclusive to that specific brand.
Our research insights came from key drivers such as: social media, the Covid-19 pandemic and opportunities that VM as a whole, can offer to consumers. We noticed that competitors such as GymShark are often successful due to their ability to create a sense of community within their brand and how this allows consumers to feel empowered and inclusive. This is something that we as an agency, wanted to promise to Free People that we could create as our client and our friend.
FUTURE HEGE
SENSORY ESCAPISM
“Focus on the emotion you want to create and design the flavours, textures, packaging that you think will trigger them.” - Morgaine Gaye, Food Futurologist Reference 2
MYSTICAL MANIFESTING
TRUSTING TRANQUILLITY
ELEVATED ESCAPE Figure 13
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WHOLESALE STRATEGY
FUTURE HEGE
SENSORY ESCAPISM
After the process of creating several unique potential concepts, we found ourselves moving towards our prediction of spirituality and meditation becoming a newfound form of enabling consumers to find a sense of escapism and release within Free People’s stores. Learning from our client’s strapline of ‘fitness, wellness, happiness’, we wanted to provide a way of their consumers finally being able to reunite with their senses due to the pandemic stripping these away from us all in lockdown, and to remember that creating an experience is key to successful visual merchandising.
CALMING CRYSTALS HIGH-POWERED HEALING
SENSUAL SPIRITUALITY
Figure 14
We would like to forecast our prediction that we call ‘Sensory escape.’ This is a trend that we believe will arrive during AW 21/22 and will grow Free People’s in-store and digital VM to be stronger and more successful. This trend connotes the reconnection of one’s senses through unique interiors such as curvature form and minimalistic hues, as well as calming sounds and mindful scents. This trend has been driven by the lost contact between consumers and their emotive connection towards in-store shop experiences due to the global pandemic. Moreover, here at FUTURE HEGE, we predict that the trend ‘Sensory escape’, will fuel a reunion of all senses amongst consumers internationally, and can reinforce the optimistic opportunity that VM can bring through popular themes of spirituality and overdue escapism.
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CONCLUSION
FUTURE HEGE
GOLDEN HOUR
THE ROUND UP To conclude, here at FUTURE HEGE we believe these two trends will arrive in AW 21/22 and will hugely benefit the brand Free People, specifically focusing on their FP Movement and wholesale international growth strategy. Considering the world around us as it stands, these trends will extend the brand’s current wholesale business and allow them to further understand the international marketplace in which they are operating.
GOLDEN HOUR Free people can implement Golden Hour into their AW 21/22 activewear by creating a collection that revolves around golden hues and wildlife-inspired textures. Embossed golden details, the structure and shapes of leaves in nature, will convey the concept of experiencing a glow up and feeling the best version of yourself in the light of ‘Golden Hour’.
Figure 15, 16
Its evident consumers have become more attracted to wildlife and outdoor exercise as a result of the pandemic therefore will be appreciative of these artistic details. Due to the increase in interest to own a frog during the lockdown, consumers will become more drawn to amphibians’ habitat whilst appreciating the beauty of it.
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CONCLUSION
FUTURE HEGE
Free People can implement this into their digital and in-store VM by providing subtle but cemented scents that carry fresh and airy undertones, that will make the consumer feel alive and revived as they step into this sensory experience and escape from the world as we know it today. The stores could play calming music that is mystical and mindful and this could also be applied digitally when a consumer visits their website. The store would encourage customers to touch and feel their products by using promotional signs to engage with their clothing and the unique fabrics used. The aesthetic of the store would be minimalistic, yet highly innovative with its curvature forms and open planned space, making the consumer open their eyes and be carried away by the experience. They could also offer deliciously refreshing beverages that contribute to engaging with all 5 of the consumer’s senses, such as ice-cold lemon water to lift and revitalize their taste buds.
Figure 17, 19
SENSORY ESCAPISM
SENSORY ESCAPISM
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TREND REPORT
FUTURE HEGE
free people
ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1
Winston, A., 2021. Alexis Christodoulou creates dream-like architectural spaces for Instagram. [online] Dezeen.
Figure 2
Vk.com. 2021. Community wall photos – 56,017 photos | VK. [online]
Figure 3
TRENDLAND | Online Trend News. 2021. Andrés Reisinger Stunning 3D Interiors. [online]
Figure 4
Cervantes Sand Dunes, W., 2021. Cervantes Sand Dunes, Western Australia. [online] Christian Fletcher Gallery. Available at: <https:// christianfletcher.com.au/products/cervantes-sand-dunes-western-australia> [Accessed 1 March 2021].
Figure 5
Bmj.com. 2021. [online]
Figure 6
Fabrics & Fabrics. 2021. Golden Waves Printed Double Faced Silk Satin - Yellow / Gold. [online]
Figure 7
LEIF. 2021. Shop New Home Decor + Home Goods | LEIF. [online]
Figure 8
GOLDEN HOUR / FINAL MOOD BOARD
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GOLDEN HOUR / COLOUR BOARD 1
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GOLDEN HOUR / COLOUR BOARD 2
Figure 11
Rduch, T., 2021. Surface Unreleased: Neue Hintergründe im WallpaperHub veröffentlicht. [online] Winfuture.de.
Figure 12
SENSORY ESCAPISM / FINAL MOOD BOARD
Figure 13
SENSORY ESCAPISM / COLOUR BOARD 1
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SENSORY ESCAPISM / COLOUR BOARD 2
Figure 15
shui, f., 2021. feng shui manifestation tips - how to use feng shui for more manifesting power!. [online] peace.love. feng shui.
Figure 16
Flickr. 2021. 44002 Hosta. [online]
Figure 17
Urban Outfitters. 2021. Urban Outfitters. [online]
Figure 18
Medium. 2021. The Impossible Architecture of Dreams. [online]
Figure 19
Peterfavinger. 2021. Dreamscapes — Peterfavinger. [online]
REFERENCES Reference 1
My Glow Up Chronicles. 2021. About — My Glow Up Chronicles. [online] Available at: <https://www. myglowupchronicles.com/about> [Accessed 3 March 2021].
Reference 2
Gaye, M., 2021. Future - Scape: feast your eyes on the future.