Spotting Trends That Will Shape The Way We Live and Work with Li Edelkoort (Space Matters, ep.4)

04/27/22 • 44 min

Trend forecaster Li Edelkoort joins Kursty to discuss the anatomy of trends, the ecology of fashion, and the post-pandemic workplace. Reflecting on the state of the world, Li discusses how to redesign the modern workplace to respond to new and upcoming trends. She explores how the pandemic has made us more in tune with nature and the good things that have come of it. Throughout the discussion, Li shares nuggets of wisdom, showing us how trends that haven’t yet reached the main stage are currently being formed.

Li Edelkoort is a globally renowned trend forecaster and activist for fair, sustainable, and thoughtful fashion. She is the author of the Anti-Fashion Manifesto and a co-author of A Labour of Love. Recently, she founded the World Hope Forum.
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[00:49] Who is Li Edelkoort?
[01:43] The Workplace Geeks Podcast
[02:28] More about Li’s impact on eco and fashion issues.
[04:22] Where do your clothes come from?
[07:40] The energy of immobile items and all the ideas that have shaped Li’s career.
[12:05] Getting clients that align with your values.
[14:28] Fashion has become old-fashioned - what does that mean?
[20:01] The disappearing joy of finding a new fashion piece.
[22:39] Would slavery have existed if cotton and sugar didn’t exist?
[25:57] How to predict trends before they happen.
[30:52] How the pandemic pushed us to live in a more seasonal way (winter hibernation).
[34:05] How organizations can adapt to post-pandemic realities.
[37:50] Why it’s profitable to be in smaller cities.
[39:39] A simpler way to think about money and managing resources.

4 Key Takeaways

We are rooted in the earth. Our clothes are made from plants that grow in the ground. Fashion grows from the earth. We must ignite our consciousness of the connection between fashion and the environment.
Society has been overloaded with shopping. There is too much choice, and that choice is overwhelming. The joy of finding a new fashion piece and celebrating when you purchase it and then go home with it is no longer as prevalent as it used to be. As mass production increases, editing and curating will become more important parts of fashion.
The 'Great Resignation' movement amplified what was already in the air. This new trend may indicate that urban environments will become less populous as people move into rural areas. This may lead to the urbanisation of rural areas.
The pandemic has forced us to live more in tune with the seasons. Winter is for introspection, solitude, and hibernation. Summer and spring are for blooming into the world, exploration, and togetherness.

Links

Listen to Workplace Geeks: Podcast Web Page | Kursty’s Episode on Workplace Geeks

Books by William Morris: Amazon | Thrift Books

World Hope Forum: Website

Connect with Li Edelkoort: Website |
Support the show

Support the show

Follow The Office Chronicles Linkedin page for more information, to share an idea for an episode or start a conversation around any f the topics covered in the show.

4 Key Takeaways

We are rooted in the earth. Our clothes are made from plants that grow in the ground. Fashion grows from the earth. We must ignite our consciousness of the connection between fashion and the environment.
Society has been overloaded with shopping. There is too much choice, and that choice is overwhelming. The joy of finding a new fashion piece and celebrating when you purchase it and then go home with it is no longer as prevalent as it used to be. As mass production increases, editing and curating will become more important parts of fashion.
The 'Great Resignation' movement amplified what was already in the air. This new trend may indicate that urban environments will become less populous as people move into rural areas. This may lead to the urbanisation of rural areas.
The pandemic has forced us to live more in tune with the seasons. Winter is for introspection, solitude, and hibernation. Summer and spring are for blooming into the world, exploration, and togetherness.

Links

Listen to Workplace Geeks: Podcast Web Page | Kursty’s Episode on Workplace Geeks

Books by William Morris: Amazon | Thrift Books

World Hope Forum: Website

Connect with Li Edelkoort: Website |
Support the show

Support the show

Follow The Office Chronicles Linkedin page for more information, to share an idea for an episode or start a conversation around any f the topics covered in the show.

Previous Episode

Kursty featured on Workplace Geeks podcast

Interview with Ian Ellison and Chris Moriarty, two brilliant workplace thinkers 'on a mission to find and celebrate the most exciting and inspiring workplace research in the world'.
A fascinating geek-out into Kursty's second book, Spaces for Innovation, which dives into the science and design of inspiring environments that support creativity and collaboration.
Some of the topics covered include:
📖 How the book itself is designed with the user in mind
💡 The core themes for defining spaces that support creativity and innovation
📏 Metrics, how they need to accommodate new ways of working and the spaces that support
Links:

Workplace Geeks Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workplacegeeks/
Chris Moriarty Linkedin
Ian Ellison Linkedin

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Follow The Office Chronicles Linkedin page for more information, to share an idea for an episode or start a conversation around any f the topics covered in the show.

Next Episode

The Mindset Companies Need to Make Remote Work, Work with Jason Fried (Space Matters, ep. 5)

Jason Fried joins Kursty to share wisdom on how he runs a fully remote company by simplifying things and focusing on what matters. They explore where deep work happens, how to create space for it, why rigid workplace rules can kill passion and create distractions, and why companies that want to run remotely need to adopt a new mindset.

Jason Fried is the co-founder of Basecamp and has been running the company for 23 years. He is a monthly columnist at Inc. Magazine and has authored several books, including Rework and Remote: Office Not Required.

“A lot of work doesn’t happen in the office. A lot of distractions happen in the office. We get in each other’s way all the time.” - Jason Fried
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Timestamps

[01:13] Who is Jason Fried?

[04:16] How did Jason grow Basecamp?

[06:32] Where do people do their best work?

[09:28] How to create the space to do great work.

[13:44] Why don’t people have the space to do great work?

[17:58] Why remote work requires a different mindset from physical work.

[22:32] 40-hour week: how much can you get done in 8 hours?

[25:34] Balancing work life and home life when working remotely.

[29:02] What if employees abuse our generosity or trust?

[34:18] Organisational culture is NOT created.

[36:47] How to stay social when your company is fully remote (expensive but not frivolous).

[41:01] JOMO - The joy of missing out.

[43:25] Creating great and safe digital workspaces.

[47:24] How to stay in touch with Jason Fried
4 Key Takeaways

People need space to do great work. When space is restricted by workplace rules, people aren’t able to fulfil their potential. Restrictions include being monitored or watched, not being able to move while working, and being forced to work in specific places or at specific times.
Remote work requires a different mindset from local work. Among many other aspects, it requires more trust, fewer meetings, more individual work, and less oversight. If companies don’t adopt a different mindset governing remote work, it may be worse than physical work.
Being driven by philosophies rather than rules can make organisations more flexible and adaptable. It creates a more open, lenient, and thoughtful culture and more space for agency and openness.
Culture is not created; it's a byproduct of consistent behaviour.

Links

Why Work Does not Happen at Work: Jason Fried at TEDxMidwest

Books by Jason Fried: Amazon

Jason’s new email service: Hey

Connect with Jason Fried: Newsletter | LinkedIn | Twitter

Connect with Kursty Groves: LinkedIn | Twitter | Ask a question
Support the show

Support the show

Follow The Office Chronicles Linkedin page for more information, to share an idea for an episode or start a conversation around any f the topics covered in the show.