02 Jun Design Uncensored with Nancy Fire
Ready for another inspiring discussion on trend & design with Stacy’s weekly live series Design Uncensored? On the fourth episode, Stacy hosts a conversation with co-founder and creative director of Design Works International, Nancy Fire known for her natural ability to connect her passion for color and design in order to help brands capitalize on an ever-changing market.
See 3 key takeaways from the discussion below!
1. Sustainability is Here to Stay
“Sustainability means someone is trying hard to abide by sustainable rules”, according to Nancy. Whether it’s recycling in showrooms, using reclaimed wood, or doing hand blown glass, it’s the importance of taking elements that are disposable and creating beautiful homes and products from them. Stacy mentions a good point that it can also mean a good quality item that lasts a long time. Currently, we’re seeing manufacturers develop sustainable product and designs by taking an artisan approach resulting in truly one-of-a-kind pieces. Moving forward, it’s expected that these are the kind of products which will flourish in the market as large manufacturers are now becoming more bespoke as a concern for the environment continues to grow.
2. Contrasting Lifestyles
Right now, we’re really seeing two different things happen amongst the consumer market. There are the people who are purging and becoming more minimal, deciding what they can live with and without and there’s the maximalist who’s wanting more pattern, color and layers to surround themselves with. We’ve seen these opposing consumer preferences come as a result of quarantine where there are those who either had to flee their homes and leave objects behind or those who miss the excessiveness of life itself and want to feel “dressed up” again. Once life is back to normal, it will be interesting to see what people gravitate toward. Will they support the stores or go back to thrift shops? Who knows, but there are definitely two contrasting lifestyle trends happening in our country right now.
3. What’s with Purple?
Purple has been forecasted in the past to be a big color in political years. Nancy mentions that it’s a color of “security, confidence and power” and she believes some version of this color is always going to be around no matter what. With many of us facing stress and anxiety during these unprecedented times, we’re seeing purples which are more on the blue side of lavender to result in a color that is calm and soothing. Reinforcing the idea of self-care, this trending purple hue is ideal for creating a relaxed and stress-free environment.
About Nancy Fire
Nancy is recognized for her natural ability to connect her passion for color and design with a keen understanding of the changes and developments in lifestyle trends, helping brands to not only adapt but capitalize on an ever-changing market.
Nancy looks for inspiration everywhere and that, blended that with almost three decades of expertise in the industry, affords her a unique perspective and talent for marrying design with commerce. Nancy is the talent behind various retail brands and product development programs, specializing in trend research and development, print and color direction, and keynote speaking for industry events.
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