March 2005 / Talent of Today & Tomorrow


Not only does this month’s issue display what is hot and emerging, this issue also has soul and personality. The Trendease Team brings new design and unfolding trends from Europe and the world at large covering textiles, tabletop, home furnishings and accessories, apparel and fashion goodies. Delve into products that fit today and tomorrow’s lifestyles.

It’s here and now in the March edition,

Jennifer Castoldi,
Creative Director

Read Jennifer's article the January issue of LDB Interior Textiles.

Download a printable info packet on Trendease.

Features and Articles

Contrasting pintucks work well with this zebra print

Jennifer's March Musings '05

Paris — Jennifer's recent lecture at Parsons School of Design in Paris brought up many interesting considerations. Read some of them here including the not-to-be-missed ten elements of retail merchandising, thoughts on designing responsibly and sustainably, as well as how many of the dying computers are reincarnated into fashionable products. Also see the photo gallery, "a little nip and tuck".

Water and Fire

Dining Delights

Milan — The aim of the project featured here was to investigate trends among the young, even if possible, subliminal trends, and to examine how these related to consumer trends in the form of the daily rituals of eating. The works embody four different themes in four separate rooms. Let this article and image gallery whet the appetite.

A puoffe made of tennis balls

Recycled Thoughts

Milan — In this gallery see the top designs out of nearly 2500 submissions from the Macef Design Award 2005. The theme this year was to conceptualize home accessories produced by recycling and reusing materials. The presentations were stimulating and well thought out. Products under these considerations are the wave of the future - inevitably.

Warning: Remove from wall before dining

What is the Ideal House?

Cologne — Is there an ideal house and if yes, what is it? The international furniture fair, IMM Cologne, poses this question, the answers are provided by two leading female designers, Patricia Urquiola and Hella Jongerius. Open space, floating furniture, enhanced communication, and materialized changeability are here.

Wire-like silicone rubber lamp

Creating Inspiration and Product

Cologne — The Inspired by Cologne awards inspired not only the young designers with their fresh and original ideas who participated in the competition, but also all of the visitors of the trade fair. Be it multifunctional tables, foam laps, or sculpture shoe racks, the products are up there with the creations of already established artists.

Teaching Talent

Frankfurt — Perhaps anything to do with creativity is the hardest thing to teach, but it seems that the professors of today are doing a great job. Many of the designs of these new talents do not differ from those of the recognized players. Sometimes they offer a more contemporary and improved answer to meet the need of the customer. Visit this gallery showing off the talent from five design schools.

Today's Textile Talent

Paris — Under the motto “Elegance, Excellence and Quality” this exhibition of top-of-the-range textiles aims to stimulate synergy and prompt a real discussion on creativity. This exposition of home fashion proves to be essential for the furniture and furnishings market.

Design à la Carte

Paris — “Talents à la Carte” is a showcase area, dedicated to young designers. At this exhibition area, the new talents are given a chance to introduce their products to buyers worldwide. This year there were 6 young designers featuring textiles, tabletop, wallpaper, children's apparel, and leather fashion accessories.

Dinner set, design by Karim Rashid

Design Plus 2005

Frankfurt — The Design Plus award was created to celebrate good, innovative and trend-setting design. Its goal is to create awareness that design simply for the sake of design should not be an aim, and to promote creators who are striving towards quality, excellence and functionality combined with aesthetics and exemplifying the values and needs of the time.

Very original designs on ceramic

Design Meets the Business World

Multiple British Cities — For over a decade, the British European Design Group has been at the forefront of promoting the commercial export potential of contemporary British design, design services and education to key markets around the world. Every time Trendease International runs into this inspiring talent, we are bowled over by the consistently high caliber of their work that can be seen here.

Don't be a Square

Multiple European Cities — This gallery tells you what the hot pattern and shape is through 2006, and what it will be morphing into for 2007. See the different styles, techniques, and product categories here.

Lifestyle display

Bamboo Blessings

Oudenaarde — One of the world’s leading terry towel manufacturers and innovators, Santens, has impressed Trendease not only with their ecologically friendly product, but also with their entire package offered to the retailer. The merchandising shown here is exemplary and may be setting the new industry benchmark.

Make it difficult to snatch

Design Against Crime

London — Forget stamping out crime through tough legal measures and police intervention, the future is looking to ‘design out crime’. In 5-10 years, designing against crime will be as mainstream as environmental issues today, making it an issue that designers can no longer afford to ignore. Learn about some of the recent projects of this initiative here.

Fatima, the little "model" from Lima and a handbag with her mother's face

Responsible Design: Peru

Lima — A Masters program at the Design Academy of Eindhoven has been developed in response to the needs of the changing lifestyles and emerging legislation in respect to ethical design. Based on social awareness, content integrity, human values, and sustainability of style, this Trendease feature looks at their experience in Peru. A not-to-be-missed article with 73 inspirational images!!!

Knife block or cutting board?

New Talent: Moebius

Berlin — This month we bring to you the collection of a young designer from Germany who created a product series “Ansichtssachen” inspired by research on camouflage. Check out this gallery of fun and functional home fashion including tabletop, linen, entertainment, and accessories filled with surprises.

The Deep Sea at Harvey Nichols

London — Plunge into the ocean of style while gazing at this month's window display. See how to dress up while going out and what to wear under when staying in. The the friendly little wooden model who adds character to the accessory display. It is all here.

The Lifestyle of Harrods

London — Ah yes, the most well-known department store in London, the kings and queens of lifestyle merchandising. Everything down to the detail including the title of the book in a display is key. See the windows that bring art, electronics, home accessories, apparel and accessories together here.

The Spirit of Liberty

London — Liberty, one of London's most eclectic department stores, exhibits windows with a diverse combination of kitsch, modern, retro and antique flare. Art Nouveau gets a new kick and one cannot help but look closely at the "broken" tea cup and saucer. Cheers to bringing a twist to tea time! And don't forget to check out what is popular in packaging.

Something for Everyone at Dickins and Jones

London — One of London's department store destinations on Regent Street has got something for almost any type of consumer. This month's window displays have got it covered for Mom, her teen, the man in her life, and her home. Go window shopping with in this gallery of images and key trends.

The Trendease Indicator - Dining & Bar

Worldwide — Using data from eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace, in combination with our ongoing market analysis, we bring you this pertinent consumer market information on the dining and bar category, including top queries, sales and images. See what caught consumers' attention and learn some insider tidbits.

The Trendease Indicator - Home Decor

Worldwide — Using data from eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace, in combination with our ongoing market analysis, we bring you this pertinent consumer market information on the home decor category, including top queries, sales and images. And read some very interesting tidbits reagrding this product catergory.

For a luxurious child's room take this bed and design lacey butterflies rather than flowers

The Trendease Indicator - Bedding

Worldwide — Using data from eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace, in combination with our ongoing market analysis, we bring you this pertinent consumer market information on the bedding category, including top queries, sales and images. Come in a see the new twist we have added to this indicator featuring trends in the children’s market.

The Trendease Indicator - Bath

Worldwide — Using data from eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace, in combination with our ongoing market analysis, we bring you this pertinent consumer market information on the bath category, including top queries, sales and images. See what products are hot for children.

The Trendease Indicator - Fashion

Worldwide — Using data from eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace, in combination with our ongoing market analysis, we bring you this pertinent consumer market information on the clothing, shoes & accessories category, including top queries, sales and images. Learn about how to spot handbag knock offs.

The most stylish trim

NEWSLETTER #61

Multiple European Cities — In January we brought you “A Sparkling New Year” featuring products from the runway to the sofa to the ceiling. This trend is still prominent at the trade shows. The products will dazzle you – and they are all wash-friendly. Browse this gallery and take it home. Read this week's tidbits including new buzzwords and statistics.

NEWSLETTER #62

Paris — The dangerous fashion of being tan and thin is seeing a new kid on the block – water. Lifestyles, physiological drinks, and fashion are all surrounding a bottle. Learn more about it here along with some unique lifestyle shifts, and buzzwords from Première Vision for textiles for spring/summer 2006.

NEWSLETTER #63

Valenica — Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate! Spring is in the air here in Paris, where people are jumping the gun by wearing tank tops the first warm day of the year. We had a surge of newsletter subscribers this week and would like to welcome all of you newcomers to our entertaining and informative world. Here see emerging textile talent and read this week's tidbits.

NEWSLETTER #64

Paris — Talk about an entertaining window display! People are swarming around the windows like to bees to their queen. What on earth am I talking about? The department store, Printemps, has a new window display in central Paris spotlighting live mannequins. See them here and read this week's new tidbits on Trading Up, Vivre Autrement, and parasite singles.

Who knew pro-EU campaigns would extent to rugs?

NEWSLETTER #65

Kayseri — A picture is worth a thousand words. If that is the case, boy do we have a mouthful for you! In this week’s gallery we bring you images of Atlantik’s carpets that really do look like photographs. Their secret lies in scanning photos into the computer and the computer translating this to a language understood by the factory’s machinery. Also, don't miss the latest tidbits.