This year’s Trend Forum at Heimtextil – designed and realised by Stijlinstituut Amsterdam – highlighted four upcoming trends for 2013/14, as decided by an international panel of design experts from this year’s Heimtextil Trendtable.
The four trend personalities – The Eccentric, The Historian, The Geologist and The Inventor – reflect the complex lifestyles of contemporary consumers.
The Eccentric represents a collector of unique objects, and mixes flamboyance with a passion for the creative arts. Here, bold colours and references of the exotic were combined with more subtle touches to create an elegant and highly-decorative display.
The Historian represents an individual who strives to incorporate the luxury and heritage of the past with our modern, digital-centric lifestyles. The trend encompasses rich textures in pale, pearlescent hues with a slight metallic sheen alongside dark mysterious shades. This, alongside references to poetry and historical art, creates a feeling of comfort and opulence.
The Geologist represents preserver and explorer of the unknown and unexpected elements of nature. The trend highlights the link between nature and technology, personifying a consumer that – although a lover of nature – is intrigued by the role of urban life in the current ecosystem. Reflecting the dark, powerful and self-destructive side of nature, the trend embodies intense hues that sparkle with deep metallics and stone-like, irregular textures.
In contrast, The Inventor is a playful trend, which reflects a free-thinking, creative and opportunistic individual who enjoys research and experimentation to find fun and functional solutions for the everyday. Encompassing a bright, fresh colour palette, the trend combines contrasts such as clinical and organic, hot and frozen, and functionality and entertainment.
