News 25.03.2025

Need to Know

Range Rover celebrates craftsmanship with lifestyle collection, China experiences a rent-a-robot boom and why Uganda’s tourism industry is on the rise.

Range Rover unveils first lifestyle collection

The London Collection by Range Rover, UK
The London Collection by Range Rover, UK
The London Collection by Range Rover, UK

UK – Range Rover has stepped into the fashion arena with The London Collection – its first-ever eight-piece lifestyle capsule. Combining the brand’s modernist design ethos with British mid-century inspiration, the collection includes reversible jackets, silk scarves and wool-cashmere blankets, all hand-crafted in the UK and Italy. Each piece is made ‘from the finest materials and a mix of innovative techniques by a highly skilled team of artisans’.

British supermodel and actress Adwoa Aboah fronts the campaign, shot in London’s Design District. ‘The pieces are elevated yet playful, making you feel free and confident, and I love the versatility the silk scarves can bring to an outfit,’ said Aboah in a press release.

A distinctive abstract print, echoing Range Rover’s elegant silhouette, runs throughout the collection. Apparel designer Kimberley Panton said her team curated a contemporary, luxury lifestyle capsule designed for ‘discerning individuals who appreciate Range Rover’s vision of modern luxury’.

Chief creative officer Gerry McGovern OBE goes even further, saying the collection extends the ‘desirability of the Range Rover brand beyond our current portfolio’.

In our Luxury Recrafted macrotrend report, we analysed how automotive brands like Rolls-Royce are finding synergies between cars and fashion craftsmanship, as seen in its recent partnership with haute couture designer Iris van Herpen for the Phantom Syntopia.

Strategic opportunity

Explore how your brand’s values and aesthetics can be translated into lifestyle products. Doing so creates new revenue streams and strengthens brand loyalty by embedding your brand into consumers’ everyday lives

China experiences a rent-a-robot boom

China – Following a viral humanoid robot dance at China’s Spring Festival Gala, robots have become the country’s latest must-have marketing asset.

Merchants on platforms such as Alibaba-owned Xianyu are capitalising on the hype, renting out Unitree Robotics’ G1 model – similar to those seen in the Gala – for about £1,066 ($1,379, €1,277) per day. Demand is soaring, with nearly half of bookings coming from exhibitions and brand activations, while corporate receptions and vloggers are driving further interest, according to Zhao Binran, CEO of Shanghai Bailun Culture Media Co (source: Sixth Tone).

Despite their sleek, futuristic appeal, these robots remain more of a status symbol than functional AI assistants. Yet, with China leading global robotics innovation – accounting for 56% of publicly traded robotics firms, according to Morgan Stanley – this trend signals a shift in perception; humanoid machines are evolving beyond industrial tools to become interactive branding and entertainment assets.

For more on how brands can navigate the merging of human and machine intelligence, head to our macrotrend report, The Synthocene Era.

Neo Gamma by 1X, Norway and US

Strategic opportunity

Prepare for a future when humanoid robots will be essential to customer service. Explore their integration as interactive brand ambassadors in retail spaces or as concierge assistants in luxury hotels and private clubs to enhance personalised experiences

Stat: Uganda targets £4bn tourism revenue by 2028

Photography by Francesco Ungaro, Uganda Photography by Francesco Ungaro, Uganda

Uganda – Uganda aims to boost its tourism sector, setting a goal of attracting 3.5m visitors annually by 2028, generating some £4bn ($5.2bn, €4.8bn) in revenue. To achieve this, the country plans to increase annual tourist arrivals from 1.5m to 3.5m over the next three years. Central to this strategy is the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE), scheduled from 21 to 24 May 2025. The expo aims to connect Uganda’s tourism offerings with international buyers and investors. 

Lilly Ajarova, outgoing executive director of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), emphasised POATE’s role, stating it serves as an essential bridge connecting Uganda’s tourism offerings with the world, facilitating collaboration, investment and long-term partnerships.

In addition, the government is promoting the Tell Your Story campaign, encouraging citizens to share personal travel experiences on social media to highlight Uganda’s diverse attractions. Pearl Kakooza, UTB chairperson, noted efforts are also under way to attract investors to national parks by offering new concessions as existing leases expire. These initiatives align with Uganda’s broader goal to increase tourism’s contribution to its GDP.

Explore our coverage of ITB Berlin 2025 to discover the future of travel and tourism, focusing on emerging traveller demographics, the pivotal role of social media in destination discovery and the integration of artificial intelligence in enhancing travel experiences.

Strategic opporutnity

As Uganda opens up new concessions in national parks, eco-conscious investments – such as lodges with low environmental impact, community-led tourism or conservation-centric experiences – will be in demand. Sustainability will be a core differentiator for future travellers

Previous News Articles
The Future Laboratory unveils Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 at Breakfast Briefing

News

The Future Laboratory unveils Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 at Breakfast Briefing

The Future Laboratory, alongside the team behind its trends intelligence platform LS:N Global, hosted its quarterly members-only Breakfast Briefing...
The Future Laboratory : Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 : Breakfast Briefing
AI physiotherapy clinic halves waiting time for back pain treatment

News

AI physiotherapy clinic halves waiting time for back pain treatment

A 12-week NHS pilot of Flok Health’s AI-powered physiotherapy clinic has cut waiting lists for back pain by 55% and overall musculoskeletal waits ...
AI : Ai Therapy : Healthcare
Stat: Young US adults turn to AI for daily brainstorms

News

Stat: Young US adults turn to AI for daily brainstorms

About six in 10 US adults under 30 have used AI to come up with ideas, compared with just two in 10 of those aged 60 or older, according to a study...
AI : Stat : Statistic
BBH Singapore creates the country’s first legal chewing gum for more than 30 years

News

BBH Singapore creates the country’s first legal chewing gum for more than 30 years

Creative agency BBH Singapore has developed Unthinkables, a hyper-chewy flavoured candy designed to mimic gum but made without a gum base to bypass...
Singapore : Advertising : Pop Culture & Media
Carebot GR-3 brings emotional intelligence to humanoid robotics

News

Carebot GR-3 brings emotional intelligence to humanoid robotics

Robotics company Fourier has unveiled its first full-sized humanoid companion robot, the Care-bot GR-3, to transform emotional interaction in care ...
Technology : Companionship : Robotics
Stat: Almost half of Substack publishers are using AI tools

News

Stat: Almost half of Substack publishers are using AI tools

Almost half of Substack publishers (45%) are using AI tools, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 of its writers, artists and podcasters.
Stat : Statistic
NYX turns beauty into game play for back-to-school on Roblox

News

NYX turns beauty into game play for back-to-school on Roblox

NYX Professional Makeup is amplifying its digital-first strategy with a bold return to Roblox by taking over the platform’s most popular high schoo...
Nyx Professional Makeup : NYX : Metaverse
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday
Stat: Ageing pressures persist despite shifts in beauty language

News

Stat: Ageing pressures persist despite shifts in beauty language

Despite the rise of pro-ageing narratives in beauty marketing, new research from skincare retailer Face the Future finds that pressure to look...
Society : Ageing : Statistic
New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

News

New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

Studio Glass has unveiled a new brand identity for The New Forest that weaves local stories, seasonal colour palettes and community voices into a s...
Design : Branding : Advertising
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN