design:retail - July/August 2020 - 28

1 Optimistic Futures
People and brands are making a
concerted effort to seek out positivity,
fueling a collective momentum working
toward a future built on optimism.
In the United States, Google searches for "good
news" spiked in the second week of April 2020,
reaching a five-year high, according to Google
Analytics. WHO guidelines for coping with
COVID-19 include the recommendation that individuals "find opportunities to amplify positive and
hopeful stories."

Platforms and news outlets are picking up the
mantle. On March 23, i-D introduced the "Coronavirus Good News Bulletin," a weekly installment
of "hopeful stories from the pandemic" intended
to "inspire optimism and hope as we adapt to our
new normal."
Elle UK has published a series of positive stories
from around the world. The Telegraph's "Coronavirus Positive" column is a "daily compendium
of positive coronavirus news stories from around
the world."
On March 29, actor John Krasinski launched his
"Some Good News" YouTube channel, reporting on
uplifting stories. The DIY news dispatch received an

overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, with the
first episode alone receiving more than 17 million
views by the beginning of May. And, underscoring the demand for optimism in mainstream
reporting, CBS purchased the web series at the
end of May.
"Coronavirus has changed our lives," wrote
Mark Rice-Oxley in The Guardian's March 27
edition of its weekly column "The Upside." "It
has changed newsrooms, too. Never before have
so many journalists cast around for silver linings. Never before has so much optimism been
published-and read."
PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOBE STOCK

2
Protective Tech,
Protective Everything
After experiencing a world that has widely adopted hospital-grade sanitation
protocols, people will continue to seek out designs and services that help to
safeguard them from germs, viruses, pollutants and more.
Design thinking is increasingly being used
to offer comfort and protection. Beijing-based
design studio Frank Chou initiated the Create
Cures project, inviting designers to "promote the
development of public health in a designer's way."
Concepts include the Sterilizing Lamp, which uses
an ultraviolet light to disinfect objects, such as the
user's keys, mobile phone and wallet, in 60 seconds,
and the DIY Safe Capsule, an easy-to-assemble
personal workspace.
High-end designers and manufacturers are
exploring clothing that acts as a shield against
bacteria and viruses. In May, Italian luxury textile
manufacturer Albini Group-which supplies to
Kering, Prada and Armani-unveiled ViroFormula,
a new antiviral fabric that is treated in a process
similar to waterproofing to make it bacteriarepellant. The same month, visionary clothing
designer Vollebak released a disease-resistant jacket
woven with seven miles of copper, which is known
for its virus killing and antimicrobial properties.
Creative studio Production Club has taken

personal protective equipment design to the next
level with its patent-pending Micrashell (shown at
left)-a suit that allows for people to safely gather
(and party) in times of pandemic. The personal
protective suit includes an in-suit beverage and
vape supply system, mounted-in speakers, smartphone integration, computer vision safety camera,
privacy-driven voice communicator and a breathable helmet with unobscured views.
Arper is redesigning airports and other spaces
where people gather en masse. In "Back to our
Spaces," the firm presents new furniture designs
for easy space modifications that maintain personal
space in post-lockdown gatherings.
Ninety-two percent of Americans admire companies that are taking action to stop the spread of
coronavirus, according to a March 2020 study by
Wunderman Thompson Data. Companies implementing products and services that offer protection
from modern aggressors will reassure consumers
who are prioritizing health and cleanliness.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PRODUCTION CLUB

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design:retail - July/August 2020

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