Lives of Tomorrow

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly podcast about macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Direct-to-Avatar (D2A) economy. At WGSN we define D2A as a new retail model, similar to direct-to-consumer, that allows brands to sidestep supply chains and sell clothes that don't exist IRL WGSN CEO and host Carla Buzasi speaks to Samantha G Wolfe, founder of PitchFWD – a consulting firm that helps navigate the world of new and emerging technologies – about how we will use avatars to do most of our shopping, and how brands will have to find ways to interact with our avatars to capitalise on this opportunity. Imagine buying on-trend outfits, unique accessories, and even exclusive experiences for your virtual avatars, all without stepping into a physical store or dealing with traditional supply chains. We explore this consumer trend and the emerging technology involved.

What are the most important things for brands to consider when looking into the future? In this episode, we share WGNS’s insights into all the things you should roll out to ensure your business is future-proof. Cultural Strategist and Foresight Lead at WGSN Martina Rocca tells WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi some of the key ways companies can prepare for unexpected risks and identify growth opportunities before competitors on this episode of Lives of Tomorrow. Martina explains how WGSN works with foresight and how companies can use the information to future-proof themselves.

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly podcast about macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. What makes you happy? This episode focuses on the huge importance of this emotion for us all, now and in the future. WGSN forecasts a very real need and desire for people to feel joy, particularly when mental health is a rising concern among many demographics. WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi is joined by bestselling author Gretchen Rubin to discuss the future of consumer happiness and how brands can harness the power of joy. Gretchen’s work focuses on happiness and human nature, and she’s best known for her book The Happiness Project. But why are we looking for brands to make us happy and relax? Is this too much to ask? Carla and Gretchen discuss what we want and expect from brands, and whether they can actually make us happy. Tune in to hear about new concepts such as silent airports, plus the US retailers who are etching out hours in the morning to make the shopping experience more accessible for customers with sensory issues. Happy listening!

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly Lives of Tomorrow podcast about the macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of the creator economy with Mae Karwowski, CEO and founder of Obviously, a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New York, with operations in San Francisco and Paris. The creator economy has experienced huge growth in recent years, and it plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behaviour. Carla finds out about the proprietary technology which Obviously used to work with influencers and world-class brands such as Google, Amazon, and Converse. Mae shares her insights into setting strategy, executing campaigns, and the importance of building authentic partnerships across social platforms. They discuss how Mae’s Obviously blog focusing on what social media should be, acted as a springboard to launching her influencer agency in 2014, which last year was acquired by WPP. Tune in to find out about the future of the Creator Economy, hear tips about how brands should collaborate with creators, and how niche content and penetrating sub-communities is an effective way of reaching the most committed audiences.

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly Lives of Tomorrow podcast about the macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of fashion with Jane Shepherdson, the founder of clothing resale and rental company MyWardrobeHQ. Jane is well known for being the former brand director of global retailer TopShop where she pioneered many of the retail trends that remain today, not least the full shopping ‘experience’ – the London flagship offered in-store vintage and individual designer concessions, plus hair styling, a piercing salon and a cafe. A sustainability champion, Jane discusses the state of fashion, why we must recognise and appreciate the value of clothes, how she’s adopted the Rule of Five and why she set up her rental business MyWardrobe HQ.

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly Lives of Tomorrow podcast about the macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. In this episode, we discuss the rise of the kidult. At WGSN, ‘kidults’ are simply put, adults that shop like children. Adults around the world are escaping the polycrisis and finding comfort in buying toys and rekindling experiences from their childhoods through play. We’ve been closely tracking this trend and today we hear from Genevieve Cruz, LEGO Group’s Head of Product – Senior Director within Adults Global Marketing to find out how the brand is engaging AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) and pioneering and leaning into this trend. Gen explains how LEGO strategises to capitalise on this consumer shift, how playdates are revolutionising the LEGO world, and about the different sub-communities shaping the future of how we play with LEGO. Tune in to hear why more adults are turning to LEGO as a pastime, the future of the kidult trend, and how building blocks are a unifying antidote to doom-scrolling.

Hello and welcome to the fortnightly Lives of Tomorrow podcast about the macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow. We are forecasting Glimmers for 2026. If you don’t know what they are, consider them the inspiring, positive antidote to triggers. Glimmers describe micro-moments of joy, and psychotherapist Deb Dana joins WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi to discuss this emerging customer sentiment, an evolution of awe that we forecast for 2024. Deb Dana defines glimmers as ‘small moments of positivity that can combat negative emotions’. In 2026 we will see glimmers become a prized coping tool. Find out why glimmers coexist with suffering and how opening yourself up to these simple moments of joy can help you move forward and lead you to seek out more. Tune in to hear Carla and Deb discuss polyvagal theory, how glimmers can crop up in the most mundane, everyday places, and how important it is to share the joy.

In this episode we discuss ageing. We are all living longer and this is creating consumer shifts, opportunities and imperatives for age-positive products and services. WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi welcomes fashion influencer Lyn Slater, aka the accidental icon to talk about life after influencing, the narrative around ageing, the lack of women over 50 represented in advertising and the challenges of being yourself as your body begins to change. This former professor of social work, now retired fashion influencer, writes about this and more in her new book ‘How To Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon‘. The conversation meanders from reflections on the world of fashion bloggers and influencers to the advantages of multigenerational living and why ageing closer to death, encourages Slater to embrace living life in the moment and to its fullest. Hopeful about the future of ageing, Slater is keen that more older women should be “blowing it up and inviting young women to ask us those hard questions” – tune into this episode to hear just that. At WGSN we’ve been tracking the rise of age compression since 2015 and are forecasting the dismantling of age-related stereotypes for 2026, as we all embrace a more inter-generational world – you can sign up to read more about this here.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow – WGSN’s podcast about how we will live our lives in the future – we discuss nocturnal living. Director of Strategic Forecasting at WGSN, Lisa White, joins Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, to talk about why daytime activities in many regions of the world are shifting to happen at night. Scorching temperatures are pushing people in the world’s hottest regions to live more of their lives in the cool of darkness, which is impacting when they shop, work, rest, and spend most of their day-to-day routine. OpenTable in the US noted rises of up to 24% in late-night dining in 2023. The shifting schedules of consumers are pushing cities to reimagine their after-dark economies, with shopping, entertainment, leisure, and tourism pushed into nighttime hours. Lisa White shares insight into how brands can tap into this lifestyle shift, plus gives examples of nocturnal living, the data behind this trend, and her predictions for the future – including constellation leggings and thermoregulated pyjamas.

WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi talks about the future of sex, sex tech investment, and how porn is impacting young people with guest Cindy Gallop. Former advertising executive Cindy is the founder of Make Love Not Porn, a user-generated video-sharing platform. A sex-tech pioneer, she aims to build a community to promote positive sexual values through user-generated content, in response to the ubiquity of hardcore porn and the harmful myths it generates. In this episode Carla and Cindy discuss social attitudes towards sex and porn, the future of the adult entertainment industry, and how Cindy plans to utilise AI to help build an algorithm for consent. The two CEOs also talk about why so few female entrepreneurs in the sex tech industry were able to secure Venture Capital funding in 2023 and why this needs to change.

How can luxury brands build a more sustainable future? What does luxury mean in a climate crisis? In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of luxury exploring ways brands can uphold their social and environmental responsibilities. Joining Carla to explore the evolution of the luxury market is Diana Verde Nieto, co-founder of Positive Luxury, a sustainability organisation that supports luxury brands in adapting and transitioning to a sustainable future. Diana is the author of Reimagining Luxury: Building a Sustainable Future for your Brand. She holds a degree in Global Leadership & Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and has been trained by former USA Vice President, Al Gore at the Alliance of Climate Protection, and was subsequently honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. Carla and Diana discuss how luxury is a dance between modernity and heritage, what luxury brands can do to build a better tomorrow, how ‘thinking the unthinkable’ can keep a business agile and guarantee success, and how five consumer demographics interact with luxury – from Boomers right down to Alphas – are impacting the industry.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi speaks to Apple Fitness+ Trainer Cory Wharton-Malcolm about running. We’ve been tracking the boom in outdoor lifestyles since 2015, and in this episode we throw the spotlight on arguably the most accessible form of exercise. We discuss the future of running, the importance of different running communities, plus how Cory motivates people globally to push themselves. Author of new book All You Need Is Rhythm and Grit, Cory works with Nike and Apple Fitness. Head out for a run and tune in to hear the renowned running guru talk about the need for speed, essential running tips and how brands can engage and sustain meaningful relationships with different running groups.

Will the robots take over? How will brands tackle sustainability? And what will become our favourite tipple in 2024? Tune in to get the answers as we discover just some of the trends WGSN is forecasting for the coming year. Join Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN and the host of this end-of-the-year episode with her fellow WGSN guests Andrea Bell, VP of Consumer Insights, and Lisa White, Director of Strategic Forecasting and Creative Direction. And if you’re listening to this from the comfort of a heated blanket on your chair... find out how we called it in 2022. Happy 2024 to you all!

Normally Carla Buzasi the CEO of WGSN asks the questions in the Lives of Tomorrow podcasts. But in this special end of the year episode we turn things around and put Carla in the hot seat and ask her the questions she normally asks her guests. So listen in and find out what makes her tick, what drives her in her role as CEO of WGSN and what she thinks the future of trend forecasting looks like. The host of this special episode is Akeem Nicol who normally works as Carla’s podcast producer.

Let’s be honest, trend forecasting is a really unique industry. We've been global leaders in this space for 25 years, and because it’s our birthday, we’re making some noise about it. We compile and analyse information for brands to use to help them make informed decisions about the future of their business and the products they should create, whatever the industry. Today we talk fashion. WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi unpicks the seams to find out about the fashion industry, and the role that trend forecasting plays. To celebrate 25 years of working with brands across the globe, we speak to Sally Joyce, Trend Design Lead at British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer. Who better to take stock of trend forecasting with us at 25 years than one of our first ever clients who has shared the journey and continues to work with us today. Sally tells Carla what clients will want from WGSN in coming years, why the role of the trend forecaster has to evolve, and the science behind how trends are created. We also hear from Sally what it feels like to set trend directions for a global company. Press play and join the party!

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, Dor Skuler, CEO and co-founder of Intuition Robotics, joins WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi to discuss the future of aged care, and how AI can play a part. How much do we think about care for the elderly, and what questions are we asking about how we will care for the elderly in the future? To address this social issue, Dor’s company launched award-winning proactive social robot ElliQ. The AI tech robot focuses exclusively on older adults who are living alone, and acts as a companion to offer support and connection. Dor is serial entrepreneur who has co-founded five ventures – the most recent being Intuition Robotics. The company is driven by his passion to develop AI robotics that can address major social issues of the 21st century, such as loneliness. In addition to discussing the value of AI in aged care, he also discusses the ethics of the technology in this episode.

Do we respond best to managers or leaders, and what is the difference? CEO of WGSN, Carla Buzasi, talks about the future of management with Sarah Moore, UK head of workforce at PwC – one of the Big Four accounting firms. Sarah explains what it means to be a manager, the fine line between leading and managing, plus what the future holds for management.In this episode, Carla and Sarah broach a number of topics, including the approach to hiring managers and different manager styles; for example, micro versus macro. Sarah talks about her work with hybrid employees, creating connections in the workplace, and reflects on some of the challenges and positives of evolving working environments.Carla picks Sarah’s brain about placing value on non-management roles and how you can still climb the career ladder without going for managerial positions. Sarah goes into detail about different generations’ approaches to management, a shift in attitudes towards career progression, and work-life balance. Plus, find out how Sarah went from am-dram to leading hundreds of colleagues at PwC, one of the leading firms in the country.

In this episode we explore how systems found in nature can futureproof our lives. WGSN Consumer Tech Editor Matt Zara argues that many solutions to modern problems already exist in plants, animals and other living organisms. Matt recently published a forecast, Intelligence: Biomimicry, which looked at the evolution of designs and production methods that are modelled on biological entities and processes, with a particular focus on tech innovation. Discover why biomimicry is important now, what it will do to benefit us all in the future, and how companies can use it to make their operations more efficient. Plus we look at some novel and surprising applications, including the links between eels and eclectic cars; bird migration patterns and hurricane predictions; and how insects have inspired robots and facial recognition.

Martina Rocca, Cultural Strategist and Foresight Lead at WGSN, talks polycrisis, shifting consumer brand relationships and what tomorrow looks like. In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi and Martina unpack what a polycrisis is, how it’s impacting our lives and what the future holds for consumer brand relationships. Martina’s forecasts on this topic highlight a shift in what consumers demand from brands. In this discussion, she breaks down how brands can engage and sustain consumers who increasingly want more than just products and services. Expect to hear details about how brands can evolve with consumers and the specific behaviours that will make them change how they operate. Martina also goes through examples of brand campaigns she feels have effectively pivoted and committed to new consumer needs.

In 1979, The Buggles sang Video Killed the Radio Star. If they were to rewrite that hit today, the new title might well be TikTok Killed the Radio Star. On the one hand TikTok and other social media platforms surface music in very short snippets, so a song that lasts around three minutes stands little chance of a full airing. But on the other hand, TikTok is a fantastic global creator of viral earworms, so you could argue it’s an excellent window where artists can show off their work. These are some of the things that Carla Buzasi talks to Kelly Betts about in this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, where we discuss the future of music. Kelly is the Editor of BBC Introducing, BBC Radio's platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK music talent. It launched in 2007 and has helped support the careers of artists including The 1975, Florence and the Machine and Tom Grennan. Carla and Kelly also consider whether AI can write the perfect pop song, why concerts were the first thing to bounce back after the pandemic, and how music engages us in a way that nothing else can.