In With The Old...

Last week we took part in LS:N Global's Polarity Paradox Webinar, a snap-shot of future trends, from technology and fashion, to food and design.

One of the topics which stood out in particular was one of their 'Macro Trends', The Flat-Age Society, and it's something we've been intrigued to find out more about...

Image from Advanced Style

It's an interesting thought that one of the fastest growing, dynamic and socially engaging consumer groups exists in the over fifties. Society is finally putting all stereotypes to one side in a bid recognise the burden of age as an opportunity. This once geriatric generation now comfortably coexists in a world of tech savvy twenty somethings.

A lot of our design work will naturally lean towards aspirational 20-35 year olds, referred to by The Future Lab as the 'Millenials'. It's all about experiences, whether food, travel or design related, they want an element of excitement, with luxury consumables at the heart.

What was interesting about the Flat-Age society, a group of consumers over the age of 50, was the parallels that were drawn with the Millenials. Their characteristics were in fact, incredibly similar, and we've actually been designing for this group all along.

There's a quote from Matthias Hollwich, founder of New York-based architecture firm HWKN, in the LS:N article that pretty much sums it up...

"The secret of designing for an older society is actually designing the way we design for everyone else,
but make it accessible..."