PSFK Weekly
Creativity, trends & futures selected by Piers Fawkes with AI research tools. Includes a a study of the wairable trend, case studies, new ideas, podcasts and that's about it.
Today, Friday, I’ll be running a quick ‘How I Made This (AI)’ session on how I made the SXSW 1000 Page Deck and how I’m developing a new AI tool that creates shareable content for events (like we did at Possible this week). 10AM ET via LinkedIn. Free, come! - Piers
This Week’s Ideas
Thank goodness for the Venice Biennale and Milan Design Week and all the experiences and experiments that brands, creatives and designers are activating there. Lots to see and be inspired by (Word of the week: maze)
Vivid History: The US Pavilion's art installation at the Venice Art Biennale honors diverse cultural heritages, designed for modern audiences to reflect on historical influences. Learn More
Bringing Heritage to Life: Hosted in a historic townhouse on Park Avenue, New York, Louis Vuitton's "Crafting Dreams" is an invite-only exhibition that showcases the Maison's craftsmanship and heritage through a display of iconic designs and interactive experiences. The event features unique pieces like the Millionaires Speedy 40 by Pharrell Williams and offers visitors the chance to witness live demonstrations and personalize luxury items. Learn More
Inspired by the Charm of Form: The BLOND exhibition at Milan Design Week focuses on revitalizing design inspirations from historic artifacts, stressing the significance of tangible design in the digital era. Learn More
Drape effect: Artist Susan Maddux redefines art by transforming traditional paintings into dynamic wall sculptures, blending vintage textiles with modern design, showcasing her innovative approach to contemporary art.
Learn More
IKEA's Immersive Maze: IKEA's Milan Design Week activation offers a brand journey, exploring the emotions of setting out independently, emphasizing creative retail experiences. Learn More
Intertwining Design with Geology: The AlUla Design Space showcases Saudi Arabia's desert culture with innovative designs at Milan Design Week, emphasizing sustainability and regional biodiversity. Learn More
Sensorial Maze: Google's installation at Milan Design Week creates a synesthetic experience through color and sound, offering a unique sensory journey for visitors. Learn More
Weaving History into Modern Experience: The 'common thread' is a maze like installation that merges history, craft, and technology in an immersive exhibit, highlighting traditional skills and contemporary innovation in Bruges. Learn More
New Wairable: Smartphone manufacturer Nothing is integrating GPT-3 into its earpieces to provide instant AI-generated responses, enhancing user interaction.
Learn More
AI responds To What You See, Hear, Say: Limitless AI offers an innovative wearable device that integrates seamlessly with their suite of productivity tools, designed to enhance business meetings. This pendant-like wearable records conversations, offers real-time transcription, and interacts directly with a personalized AI to manage meeting preparations and summaries. Ensuring privacy and security, the system uses end-to-end encryption and anonymized data storage, enhancing user confidence in the technology.
Learn More
Dreaming in 3D: Nike introduces its A.I.R. concepts, incorporating athlete-inspired designs and 3D printing technology to push boundaries in sportswear innovation. Learn More
Croc-Tail Party: Pringles partners with Crocs to unveil a novel footwear line, blending iconic snack styling with popular footwear design, showcasing a unique cross-brand collaboration. Learn More
Exaggeration & Extreme: Balenciaga's new footwear design innovates with a playful twist on traditional gym shoes, featuring an angled logo and contemporary aesthetics. Learn More
A Splash Of Color: Monument Grills and Weber introduce vibrant, compact grills designed for urban living, offering stylish solutions for small spaces. Learn More
Blow Up: IKEA challenges traditional gaming furniture stereotypes with a collection that promotes creativity, eco-friendliness, and inclusivity.
Learn More
Community care: A pioneering approach in Indianapolis introduces a vending machine that offers free emergency contraception, condoms, and fentanyl testing strips, enhancing public health measures and harm reduction efforts.
Learn More
Illustrating Resistance, Power & Hope: Artist Marjane Satrapi discusses the powerful role of women in Iran's cultural and political revolutions through her latest illustrated book. Learn More
Impact In The Parking Lot: This event at Selfridges Car Park features sales of fashion and beauty products by luxury brands and designers, with proceeds aiding women war survivors. Learn More
This Week’s Business Research Podcasts
Flight Plan: United Airlines' Earnings Call and Strategic Reflection
Navigating Challenges and Charting a Course: Insights from Nokia's Earnings Call
Navigating Uncertainty: A Deep Dive into Wells Fargo's Earnings Report
Chainsaw Links
A few more ideas, research and opinion that we tracked this week:
Fashion and Marketing Innovations
Highsnobiety's Evolution: Once a sneaker blog, now a brand that influences fashion and youth culture, showcasing digital age niche marketing success. Read more
AI-Powered Fashion Trends: T-Fashion leverages AI to provide trend analysis and sustainable fashion insights to designers. Read more
Luxury Immersive Experiences: High-end brands employ VR and immersive experiences at events like Milan's Salone del Mobile to engage affluent consumers. Read more
Innovative Luxury Timepieces: Renaud Tixier redefines luxury watchmaking with exclusive, story-driven timepieces. Read more
Consumer Behavior and Retail Strategies
Millennials and Apartment Renovations: Millennials invest in rental properties for future revenue, sharing their renovations on social media. Read more
Decision Paralysis in Retail: Overwhelming product choices can inhibit consumer decision-making, suggesting a shift towards curated offerings. Read more
Evolving American Malls: Adapting to new consumer behaviors, some malls enhance customer experience with new amenities while others struggle. Read more
Exclusivity in Book Events: New York's literary events transform into high-demand, ticketed experiences, mimicking trendy restaurant tactics. Read more
Technology Integrations in Business
AI Enhancements in Meetings: Poe AI allows seamless integration of multiple AI chatbots to optimize task execution and workflow management. Read more
AI Personalization in Hair Care: Perfect Corp introduces an AI tool for identifying hair types and customizing product recommendations, enhancing in-store and online customer experiences. Read more
Instagram's AI for Influencers: A new AI chatbot aims to streamline communication between influencers and their audience, enhancing interaction efficiency. Read more
Cultural and Social Impacts
HEINEKEN's Brand Engagement: Successfully resonating with younger demographics through tailored brand experiences and partnerships. Read more
Environmental Consciousness: A unique Colorado initiative uses the resale of banned plastic bags to raise awareness and funds for environmental causes. Read more
Data Empowerment with AI: Vana's new model allows users to control their personal data for AI training, enhancing privacy and participation in data monetization. Read more
We Have A Few Ideas
This week we gave a future of retail presentation at a major meeting of a European Beauty Brand in Midtown NYC. If you like this email and work at a corporation - why not call the team at PSFK in for a presentation, or ask us to do some research and present a few ideas for your business. We have years of experience working with the likes of Apple, BMW, Google, Nike and Samsung: hello@psfk.com / psfk.com
A Closer Look At “Wairables”
Blending technology and style, Wairables are emerging as the new frontier of personal expression and connectivity.
If we look back at the 2010s, it was a decade marked by the meteoric rise of wearable technology. It was a time when gadgets like the Jawbone and Apple Watch weren’t just devices but gateways to the 'quantified self'. They allowed us to track, monitor, and share every heartbeat, every step. But as with any nascent technology, there were growing pains – issues with connectivity, limited use cases, and a general sense of wearables fatigue.
Fast forward to now, and we're witnessing a rebirth, a renaissance of wearables, fueled by advancements in AI and the seamless connectivity offered by 5G. It's not just about counting steps or monitoring sleep; it's about wearables that can predict a heart attack before it happens, with emergency services alerted in real time. It's about w’ai’rables as multifunctional devices – not just gadgets on your wrist but integral parts of your daily life, managing payments, navigation, and even your entertainment.
But here's where it gets truly exciting. The future of wearables isn't just in their functionality; it's in their form. We're seeing a new wave of design, driven by AI, rethinking what wearables can look and feel like. Imagine headsets, earpieces, bracelets, and rings – not just as pieces of technology but as statements of fashion and personal expression. The integration of soft electronics and biosensors is making wearables not just smarter but more adaptable, more 'human'.
And it's not just about the individual experience. Wairables are becoming our new interface with the world – from gaming to home automation, from driving to workplace productivity. They're becoming conduits for a more augmented, responsive interaction with our environment. As we embrace these technologies, the key will be ensuring they're designed with our security and privacy in mind, protecting us from unwanted surveillance while enhancing our connection with the world.
Like This Newsletter But Need Something A Little More Retail?
One More:
Crying fans: The Indiana Pacers employ augmented reality and Snapchat AR filters to create a dynamic and interactive fan experience during NBA games.
Learn More
Wonderful content !