April 2017 / Design Shapes Modernity


Located throughout the world, the Trendease Team continues to deliver our subscribers around the globe must-know market information and inspiration straight to their computer screens.

Design is a tool that shapes the contemporary world. Scientists and engineers develop exciting novelties and it is at the hands of the designer that these innovations transform into meaningful products. Designers create social commentary through products and installations to commence a dialog with the people, to be provocative and invoke conversation as a catalyst. This issue features thought-provoking and influential product directions. Get inspired with the April edition!

We attend over 100 design events a year on your behalf to bring you trend insights and design movements to help you maintain cutting-edge knowledge of the lifestyle and design markets. Currently we keep readers within 173 countries/territories in the know! Are you reading Trendease.com?

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REPORTING TO INSPIRE,
Jennifer Castoldi,
Chief Creative Director

Download our informative tri-fold brochure as a PDF file here.

Features and Articles

Photographs shown by Deidi von Schaewen

Jennifer's April Antics

Frankfurt — The more we look at contemporary design that is making an impact the more we see that the trend goes beyond the aesthetic in terms of color, pattern, or shape. There is much more than meets the eye. Technology, material advances, new processes, and social shifts are huge determining factors of how we will live in the future.

Fading Crystals from Lower-Rhine University of Applied Sciences

Fashion-forward Innovative Textiles & Processes

Frankfurt — During Techtextil, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, and Texprocess, the fair for the processing of textile and flexible materials, the ‘Innovative Apparel Show’ presents new clothing ideas and innovative processing technologies in an unconventional manner. Learn more about 30+ designs here, which utilize biomimetics, milk acid polyester, photovoltaics, and ultrasonic welding for weft knits.

'Rainbow Waterfall'

Plastic with a Positive Spin

Worldwide — Over generations the world has turned into a throwaway culture. Single use plastics and disposable plastics litter our streets, fill our land, and pollute our oceans. But there is hope for us yet. We must change our attitude towards the environment and aim to curb our use of unnecessary, harmful plastics—especially when there are such a growing number of smarter alternatives! These designers see plastic as an opportunity and are turning into something meaningful.

UK Partner Country display in the foyer outside Hall 4.1

The UK Designs Providence & Provenance

Frankfurt — In November Trendease published a sneak peek of the plans for this UK exhibition display and now you can see the outcome. Our favorite part is the graphic wallpaper designed specifically for the event with the Scottish Clydesdale Horse, the Irish Wolfhound, the English White Park Cattle, and the Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep. The presentation 'Providence & Provenance' showcased the products of the ~200 British exhibitors.

Paperworld: Suitable Solutions

Frankfurt — This Pantone story ought to inspire the future workspace. The work and office worlds of tomorrow provide delight with striking, dynamic colors. The lively palette has a stimulating effect and encourages a sentiment of well-being in the average office. Here a well-conceived and planned setting, together with useful products in renewed colors, and materials, has a positive consequence on staff creativity and productivity.

Paperworld: Curious Funfair

Frankfurt — This trend with Pantone color references is an outgoing mix of styles with eccentric and playful elements. Energy, joy, and comedy surround this direction known as 'Curious Funfair'. In this artistic scenario for the future of stationery aesthetics, digital meets genuine. Personal memories, favorite pieces, and personalized designs create this very individual style.

Paperworld: Solid Grade

Frankfurt — Genuine, quality-made, unique. “Solid Grade” represents the search for self-discovery, self-awareness, and identity. Adventurous expeditions, connection with nature when out and about, and the ingenuity of nature itself are clearly distinguishable sources of inspiration for this hassle-free style. The high visual, tactile, and practical quality of the merchandise is just as significant as the inquiry of their origin. Find 45 images with a large selection of products and a supporting Pantone color palette inside.

A Smorgasbord of Thought-provoking Projects

Saint Etienne — The Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Etienne takes place in France from March 9th through April 9th, 2017. This year’s biennial is part research program, part exhibition and encompasses an abundance of diverse creativity around the theme ‘Working Promesse, shifting work paradigms’. As vast-reaching as social design to product design to technology to architecture, the event is a smorgasbord of thought-provoking projects.

Gem Blocks

NEWSLETTER #577 - Milan Pop Up Apartment

Milan — Walking up a number of flights of stairs in the elegantly aging building along via Palermo in the Brera design district, visitors who were up for the workout discovered an apartment decked out with furniture, lighting, and accessories. The highlight of the apartment was the fabrics and wallcoverings just launched from Kirkby Design with Eley Kishimoto.

NEWSLETTER #578 - Quilted Diamonds

Worldwide — This week’s newsletter gallery takes a look at the quilting trend for textiles, decorative pillows, wallcoverings, upholstered chairs and headboards, as well as children’s furniture that the Trendease Team has scouted from around the world. The key word here is ‘diamond’ and many of its creative interpretations.