Stylus: Innovation Research & Advisory

Stylus gives you access to the most important global and cross-industry trends.

Stylus is an innovation research and trends firm. We help businesses process global Consumer Lifestyle, Consumer Product and Consumer Engagement insights, stimulating innovation and growth.

"Stylus enables us to see the touchpoints that resonate across different industries, and to pull together a much broader view on trends happening in the world."

– Ian Ewing, Head of Design, Womenswear & Accessories, John Lewis

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Back To School 2019: Fashion Inspiration BTS 2019: Fashion Inspiration With calendar events increasingly driving fashion sales, Back to School (BTS) represents a huge opportunity for a width of retailers and brands. For 2019 – and in line with an accompanying Product Design report – BTS Fashion Inspiration looks super-colourful and creative, with a fun, DIY aesthetic. See our A/W 19/20 Fashion Forecast Press Play for more on this youthful approach to the new season and high-school term.

Fashion

Fashion Forecast

18 May 2018

Back to School 2019: Product Inspiration Back to School 2019: Product Design For brands retailing small home and gifting items such as desktop accessories, stationery and tech paraphernalia, Back to School (BTS) now forms a great cross-industry opportunity to appeal to students and young professionals. Heavily influenced by the urban environment and a copy-and-paste aesthetic, the palette is bright and the pattern story geometric. See our Design Direction A/W 19/20 Burst for more youthful product and material inspiration.

Product Design

Seasonal

18 May 2018

Emotional Retail Engagement Emotional Retail Engagement Creating an emotional connection with consumers encourages loyalty and, ultimately, sales. Interest in the science of consumer emotions is growing rapidly, with AI-driven big data opening up new vistas of opportunity.

Retail

Digital Commerce

17 May 2018

Canadian Food Trends: SIAL Canada 2018 Canadian Food Trends 2018 At the SIAL Canada expo in Montreal (May 2-4), global food and beverage companies sought to solve common pain points of on-the-go-dining, and gently push consumers towards healthy habits. From vegetable-packed ready meals to innovative snacking solutions, we highlight the forward-thinking products catering to Canadian tastes.

Food, Beverage & Hospitality

Food & Beverage

17 May 2018

The Marketing Power of Events The Marketing Power of Events Brands are using events as a marketing tool, creating live experiences to forge deep, long-lasting connections with consumers. We look at the latest key trends and opportunities.

Media & Marketing

Advertising & Branding

17 May 2018

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020 Colour Spectrum S/S 2020 We identify primary influences for Spring/Summer 2020 by collating the latest directional projects from across the creative industries, art, technology and science. Research from the Stylus team and contributions from our global colour specialists is compiled and distilled into four directions.

This season's directions are Land of Plenty, Botanical Modernism, Augmented Space and Hands of Time. Each theme highlights influential projects and features an edited colour palette and mood board, which are supported by quick-reference keywords and guidelines for colour application.

The Stylus Spectrum is a palette of 48 inspirational yet practical colours, including metallics and lustres, for application across the design industry. To trace the development of these hues and tones over several seasons, see our Colour Spectrum Evolution. Here, we also underpin key colour themes that will have a strong resonance across the design industries for S/S 20.

Colour & Materials

Colour

15 May 2018

Land of Plenty: Colour Land of Plenty: Colour A vibrant, playful and positive aesthetic emerges that seeks to invigorate the everyday through stimulating bright colour. Land of Plenty looks to an imaginary nostalgic world where colourful, carefree expression and creativity are boundless.

Psychedelic dreamscapes are filled with abundant materials and childlike obsessions. Digital filters and colour effects are layered to create enchanting and refreshing new perspectives. Nature is amplified in a spectrum of otherworldly pastel hues to challenge our perception of reality.

A whimsical palette of rainbow brights celebrates diversity and youth. Sugary-sweet artificial food colours that evoke childhood excess, such as Blue Slush, Grape Soda and Cotton Candy, are balanced with warm synthetic pigments like Flame, Pink Panther and Radiant Yellow. Cool tones of Avocado Crush, white Talc and Vapour Grey instil a sense of calm, while Neon Peach brings a heightened vibrancy to the mix.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

Botanical Modernism: Colour Botanical Modernism: Colour Botanical Modernism is a contemporary utopian direction that seeks to balance utilitarian design and creativity. The physical and psychological need for tactility, plants and imperfection is brought together with the clarity of digital spaces that we experience in virtual reality and on-screen.

Architectural lines and mathematical structures are brought to life with living colours and materials that grow and evolve, nurturing our mind and body as they mature. Surfaces, textiles and spaces are tempered by biophilic design that conceals the technology helping to streamline our lives.

The core palette of warm Concrete, Ash and mineral Blue Shale provides a bedrock for verdant Green Teal and Reseda Green. Botanical hues are complemented with the earthy, human symbolism of Venetian Red. Fresh floral mid-tones in Yellow Peony and Pink Dahlia provide uplifting accents, while lighter chalky pastels in Ming Green and Rosaline soften and soothe.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

Augmented Space: Colour Augmented Space: Colour 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, which not only signified a huge technological accomplishment, but also impacted design and aesthetics. Half a century later, designers are revisiting the symbolism of the moon and celestial formations in a modern context.

Sensing technologies being built into future spaces, products and apparel lend a modern mysticism. By looking out beyond our planet, we regain perspective on what it is to be a human, living on Earth.

The palette is grounded in polarised neutrals that extend from Eclipse to Bright White. Linear and radial gradients that shift between bright tones of Dark Windsor and Retro Pink add energy and movement. Pastel tints of Milky Way and Cosmos are used as solid or translucent layers, while Meteor Flare adds a fiery, lustrous accent.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

Hands of Time: Colour Hands of Time: Colour This rich and resourceful direction honours diverse backgrounds and draws influences from a broad and global audience. Colours from found and repurposed materials are assembled and reworked into new layers that convey history and age-old character.

A newfound appreciation of cultural heritage and skills is leading an exploration of traditional craft. Time-honoured techniques such as embroidery and weaving are invigorated for a bright, modern future through contemporary construction.

A natural palette celebrates materials in their raw form, combining earthen mid-tones such as Coconut Shell, Auburn and Red Oak with stripped-back hues of Cream and Vanilla. Deep primary colours of Indigo Ink, Oxide Red and Dried Primrose are energised by Emberglow and Bright Orange, while Bright Copper introduces a luxurious hint.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

Evolution: S/S 2020 Evolution: S/S 2020 The Colour Spectrum Evolution examines the development of each hue group from the two previous Stylus Spectrums to S/S 20. This analysis indicates core colour shifts and the emerging hues and tones for future seasons.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

Overview Overview We identify primary influences for Spring/Summer 2020 by collating the latest directional projects from across the creative industries, art, technology and science. Research from the Stylus team and contributions from our global colour specialists are compiled and distilled into four directions.

This season's directions are Land of Plenty, Botanical Modernism, Augmented Space and Hands of Time. Each theme highlights influential projects and features an edited colour palette and mood board, which are supported by quick-reference keywords and guidelines for colour application.

The Stylus Spectrum is a palette of 48 inspirational yet practical colours, including metallics and lustres, for application across the design industry. To trace the development of these hues and tones over several seasons, see our Colour Spectrum Evolution. Here, we also underpin key colour themes that will have a strong resonance across the design industries for S/S 20.

Colour & Materials

Colour Spectrum S/S 2020

15 May 2018

The Makeup Show NYC 2018 The Makeup Show NYC 2018 Key beauty trends at this year's Makeup Show NYC (May 6-7) were driven by the desire for mixable multitasking colour, metallic statement products, and softly luminous highlights.

Beauty

Colour Cosmetics

14 May 2018

Being Borderless Being Borderless While politicians battle over borders and walls, global consumers are rejecting formal boundaries to seize the cultural, commercial and social opportunities the wider world brings. We track the rise of the borderless consumer, who is aided by new tech, savvy consumption and radical thinking.

Consumer Lifestyle

Consumer Attitudes

14 May 2018

Retail Design Expo 2018: Slow Retail Retail Design Expo '18: Slow Retail New retail and brand spaces are promoting a sense of wonder and exploration, drawing inspiration from exhibition design and showrooms. All this – and much more – was on the agenda at London’s Retail Design Expo (May 2-3). We sum up the highlights.

Retail

Store Concepts

10 May 2018

Innovation Platforms

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Tools

Our Start-Up Index collates the most innovative businesses, by industry and region. Our Colour Library tool cross-references colours across six different systems, comparing how colours evolve from season to season.

Media Hub

Media Hub hosts some of Stylus' most inspiring media – from original visuals shared in our Image Stream, to the wealth of video content pulled from across the web in our Video Pool.