Finding Safety in Refuge Introduction Book
Earth 2030
Reflection and explanation into my forecast of Earth 2030. How I plan to narrate this forecast and how it fits within the chosen market level and industry today.
Introduction Earth 2030 will see the fusing of science and nature resulting in designs which are adaptable, sustainable, and fit for the future. Consumers will find a new meaning in our dying world and look to their surroundings for an escape. My previous trend forecast saw me take an innovative route and predict advancements in technology being a strong influence in the future of fashion. This trend forecast named ‘The Visionary’ consisted of three micro trends, ‘Digital world’, ‘Virtual World’ and ‘Protect’. The main aspects of ‘The Visionary’ trend included digital clothing leading the way of fashion, virtual reality replacing the world we live in for a new environment and clothing as our protection. Following on from my previous trend forecast for ‘Earth 2030’ I will now be focussing on one specific trend which I believe will be taken forward to the year 2030. Through investigating how recent global happenings have affected our world and us as humans, I have created a contemporary visualisation of my predicted forecast for Earth 2030 named “Finding Safety in Refuge”. This narrative is driven by escapism and protecting ourselves from the world in 2030 using science advancements and natural forms. In 2030 we will adapt the ‘new normal’ and environmental issues we face.
The world is constantly changing in front of our eyes, and not in a positive way. It is crucial that we change how we live and act fast in order to save our planet. I have decided to focus on key issues Gen-Z consumers will face in 2030 including climate change and environmental crises’. My forecast will concentrate on how we can equip ourselves for the environment we will face and the constant changing climate we live in. There is no doubt that 2020 brought a lot of surprise and bombshells to our lives, including the ever growing threat of climate change and of course the Coronavirus pandemic. In the next 10 years we will experience wide ranging changes and unexpected events which we will need to be prepared for. Pandemics such as COVID-19 could likely be here to stay and become a part of our new normal. We have to learn how to respond to future viruses’ effectively in ways which will have the least economic damage. This forecast taps into preparing for the future involving advanced technologies in a hope to conserve and safeguard Mother Nature. The desire for outdoors and nature following on from the Coronavirus Pandemic will hopefully surge, however our environment is still under massive threat. Throughout my forecast I will narrate how consumers in 2030 will be brought closer with nature and have a greater understanding of the impacts the fashion industry has on our planet. In a time of uncertainty this forecast will explore how new technologies and designs will work alongside nature to play a key role in protecting ourselves from the challenges consumers will face. Protection and safety conscious consumers will be on the rise in 2030 meaning themes of utility and safety will be seen throughout.
Image 1
The past year has been an extremely significant and pivotal point in everyone’s lives which has been a real eye opener. Covid-19 has taught us to reflect and re-assess our decisions as well as actions in a bid to save our dying world. A key issue which has remained and also worsened throughout recent years is global warming. The consequences of global warming including record-breaking temperatures, flooding, wildfires and hurricanes which are only expected to get worse in the next decade (Painfully slow hurricanes, deadly heat, and cities without water: What the climate crisis will look like in the next 10 years, according to experts, 2021). We all need to be prepared for the worst outcome of today’s reality. The fashion industry plays a huge factor in climate change, in fact the fashion industry accounts for around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity (Ro, 2021). One of the current biggest on-going conversations in the fashion industry is sustainability. It’s time we start to take sustainability seriously and consider the impact that the industry and our shopping habits have on the planet. One of the main problems of sustainability is due to lack of knowledge, people simply can’t and won’t make a change to save something they are not fully aware of or clued up on. We have become disconnected from our planet and this forecast will focus on regaining our relationship with the earth and our surroundings. A major report published last year warned that Britain is among “the most nature-depleted countries in the world (Humans are losing touch with nature – it’s a tragedy with no quick fix | Deborah Orr, 2021). Nature reminds us that we are just a small part of something vast, complex, infinitely precious and ever-evolving. It reminds us that, as part of this system, we are also precious (Humans are losing touch with nature – it’s a tragedy with no quick fix | Deborah Orr, 2021). We have a world full of beauty, so why are we letting this go to waste?
Market level
Whilst this trend forecast will be encouraging companies of all market levels to consider protection when designing their clothing ranges, it is predominantly aimed towards the luxury market. Garments made for survival and various types of weather conditions cost more than the average clothing pieces due to the specific features, materials and attributes involved. It is extremely important that we perfect our clothing by 2030 in order to protect ourselves from various types of disaster scenarios. This is why it is important that these garments are produced by the top quality manufacturers. Fast fashion is not an option when discussing survival, in 2030 we need garments which will be durable, long-lasting and resistant. Cheap materials which have a damaging effect on our planet simply will not protect us from Earth 2030.
PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION
Narration When I first started to consider how I would showcase my visual narrative for my forecast I had many ideas, however I have chosen to create a short video. I believe this type of media will best narrate my story of Earth 2030. Short videos have become increasingly popular over the past few years with social media platforms such as ‘TikTok’ becoming the latest trend. More and more marketers are using storytelling techniques such as short videos to engage their audiences (Davidson, 2021). Short videos are a great way to grab the audience’s attention as they are short and snappy which will be remembered. I also chose this form of media to present my forecast of Earth 2030 as I believe it best fits my market level of luxury. Content in the form of a 60 seconds or less video is currently appealing to many luxury market brands. Platforms such as TikTok have enabled a new fashion platform to emerge for small content creators and brands (Why Are Luxury Brands So Invested in TikTok? — PhotoBook Magazine, 2021). Top luxury labels such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent have jumped on this bandwagon and presented their SS21 collections via this platform. This type of media is a great way of marketing to Generation-Z consumers, there is no denying that this generation will continue to influence current trends.
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As well as creating a short video I will also be creating a photobook which will be a journey of photography and a collection of my favourite imagery which narrates my forecast for Earth 2030. My photobook will include three different shoots including an indoor shoot, a location shoot and my final shoot. I believe using a photobook to tell my narrative will allow me to convey my message simply and effectively. As human’s attention spans have become shorter it’s important to develop a message which is clear and comprehensive. By creating a photobook to tell my narrative of Earth 2030 I hope to engage my audience and help them to understand the story I’m telling. The images I have chosen to narrate ‘Finding Safety in Refuge’ include a foil blanket which is used to represent safety. In terms of protection a foil blanket is an essential piece of equipment in case of emergency for incidences of extreme cold. However, I have used this to show the concept of a comfort blanket and the feeling of safety within youth in a nostalgic lens. Furthermore, the work of Tim Walker and his use of metallic materials strongly inspired this aspect of my work. I decided to create a contrast with my first location shoot. My first location shots feature an industrial setting which I wanted to include following on from my research surrounding Craig Green. I have used structural and industrialism aspects to represent the structure behind protection. Adding on from that, the bars represent the protection consumers will feel in 2030.
References DO, W., Story, O., Speaker, B., Stories, C., Manifesto, S. and Carey, R., 2021. A picture says a thousand words why visual storytelling is the way forward. [online] All Good Tales. Available at: <https://allgoodtales.com/a-picture-says-a-thousand-words-why-visual-storytelling-is-the-way-forward/> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. the Guardian. 2021. Humans are losing touch with nature – it’s a tragedy with no quick fix | Deborah Orr. [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/24/humans-losing-touch-nature-alcoholism-gambling> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Jacqui Palumbo, C., 2021. Can antimicrobial fashion protect you from the coronavirus?. [online] CNN. Available at: <https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/antimicrobial-fashion-coronavirus/index.html> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. InStyle. 2021. Let’s Stop Pretending We Need New Clothes Every Season. [online] Available at: <https://www. instyle.com/fashion/future-of-fashion-is-seasonless> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Business Insider. 2021. Painfully slow hurricanes, deadly heat, and cities without water: What the climate crisis will look like in the next 10 years, according to experts. [online] Available at: <https://www.businessinsider.com/ climate-change-in-the-next-decade-2019-11?r=US&IR=T> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Prepper, C., 2021. Dressed to Survive: The Rules Of Survival Clothing & Accessories | Survivopedia. [online] Survivopedia. Available at: <https://www.survivopedia.com/dressed-to-survive-survival-clothing-accessories/> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Ro, C., 2021. Can fashion ever be sustainable?. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200310-sustainable-fashion-how-to-buy-clothes-good-for-the-climate> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Staff, W., 2021. Here’s What the World Will Look Like in 2030 ... Right?. [online] Wired. Available at: <https:// www.wired.com/story/heres-what-the-world-will-look-like-in-2030-right/> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. World Economic Forum. 2021. What have we learned about preparing for pandemics to come?. [online] Available at: <https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/pandemics-are-here-to-stay-heres-how-we-should-preparefor-the-next-one/> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. PhotoBook Magazine. 2021. Why Are Luxury Brands So Invested in TikTok? — PhotoBook Magazine. [online] Available at: <https://www.photobookmagazine.com/features/why-are-luxury-brands-so-invested-in-tik-tok> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. National Defense University Press. 2021. Will Humans Matter in the Wars of 2030?. [online] Available at: <https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/Article/581875/will-humans-matter-in-the-wars-of-2030/> [Accessed 9 March 2021].
Image References Image 1- Bloglovin’. 2021. Jean Campbell Models Zara’s Sustainable Outerwear (Fashion Gone Rogue). [online] Available at: <https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/fashion-gone-rogue-488777/jean-campbell-models-zaras-sustainable-outerwear-6661518541> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Image 2- Dazed. 2021. Backstage at Craig Green AW20. [online] Available at: <https://www.dazeddigital. com/fashion/gallery/28359/22/backstage-at-craig-green-aw20> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Highsnobiety. 2021. Burberry’s New Boots Need a Therapist. [online] Available at: <https://www. highsnobiety.com/p/burberry-fall-winter-2021-pre-collection-lookbook/#slide-4> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. Pinterest. 2021. Louis Vuitton AW19 show puffer jacket | Louis vuitton men, Fashion, Streetwear fashion. [online] Available at: <https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/550635491946932842/> [Accessed 9 March 2021]. W Magazine. 2021. What to Wear for the End of the World. [online] Available at: <https://www.wmagazine.com/gallery/fall-2018-fashion-tim-walker> [Accessed 9 March 2021].
Finding Safety in Refuge Earth 2030
Libby Chamberlin