As the world is becoming more digitised and complex, consumers are looking for the simpler things in life such as family and community to bring them joy and fulfilment.
Enjoying things together, celebrating and sharing happy moments are becoming more important than ever as a counterpart to the digital world. They find their expression in three styles and colour schemes: ‘green ritual’, ‘silken party’ and ‘happy get-together’, according to trend forecaster bora.herke.palmisano.
A ‘we’ feeling and the desire for a more careful and environmentally-aware way of living is growing, says designer Annetta Palmisano.
“This manifests itself in the way that we organise our festivities: as celebratory gatherings where collective wellbeing is the first priority,” she explains.
“Whether it is a personal or seasonal occasion, we organise our time together with a lot of love and effort to make it a joyful and enjoyable time. In doing so, we create precious moments, which strengthen and consolidate our interpersonal relationships.”
So which colours, materials and designs are coming, staying or going?
green ritual―inspired by natural vegetation
A simple, almost minimalist design scheme addresses the theme of consciously giving things up as a reaction to a long-standing culture of wastefulness.
‘green ritual’ presents the calm colours of natural vegetation in two clearly distinct forms. In one half of the display, light and restrained shades, such as grey, taupe and sand, as well as a light fern green and reddish brown, dominate. These convey a light and spring-like flair and a puristic naturalness. In the other half, a mysterious and vegetative dark colour world dominates, with deep shades of red and dark leaves, which autumnal changes bring.
“In addition to an atmospheric/festive take on Christmas decorations, this style also lends itself to a light and spring-like interpretation,” Palmisano adds.
Experimental and creative ideas, techniques, designs and materials are up against this restrained look. Blossoms and leaves worked in glass and paper, painted plants, vegetative and photo experimental motifs, watercolour effects, irregular and spotted patterns, as well as tactile, raw and rough surfaces, can be seen. Many of the designs have a deeper background. In a contemporary way, clay and glass work together with pale wood in simple functional shapes.
silken party―inspired by the most innovative fashion creations and created with precision laser technology
The designs for this elegant and sensuous style world are characterised by soft, organic and cloudy shapes. Unusual blossoms and petals provide a strong source of inspiration. It is a decorative scheme that comes over very well at weddings and summer celebrations.
‘silken party’ presents a balanced palette: on the one hand, the delicate, pastel colour range combines soft creamy shades and fresh, feminine sorbet nuances. The second variant exhibits elegant and gleaming features, with warm and delicate shades.
The materials and embellishments are delicate as well as feminine. A metallic shimmer, a silky sheen and velvety matt effects interplay with each other. Modern drapery, soft volumes and flowing materials produce cosy effects. Fine glass and textiles, such as silk and organza, appear wafer-thin, translucent, super-fine and delicate. The exquisite overall look is complemented by shiny, ultra-smooth surfaces, high-quality finishes and discretely twinkling and softly sparkling effects.
happy get-together―inspired by the new urban way of life, with a focus on recycling
This characteristically urban style is all about making metropolises more liveable, by coming together, sharing and softening the boundaries between classic categories, such as yours/mine, private/public and city/countryside.
Fresh, appetising and milky shades remind us of freshly-pressed lemons, limes and mint lemonade, as well as grain and straw. The warm colour spectrum is dominated by a vibrant orange wax colour and more muted recycled colours, such as bottle green, and mélanges, speckled effects and colour mixes made by composite processes.
The ‘Second Life’ concept pervades the entire product world: from waste products, designers are developing exciting ideas for new shapes, surface textures and materials, such as PET and paper materials. The look of this style is characterised by unconventional ideas and handcrafted techniques, such as weaving, winding, tying and layering.
Images: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition
