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How artificial flowers could help pollinators navigate polluted cities

Faux Flora by Justina Alexandroff. Photography by Pascal Schonlau and set design by Elektra Thomson

UK – British designer Justina Alexandroff has developed Faux Flora, a speculative design project that uses artificial flowers to help pollinators navigate increasingly polluted urban environments.

Created during her MA at Central Saint Martins, the project is in response to research showing that air pollutants degrade floral scents, making it harder for insects to locate plants and contributing to biodiversity loss.

Shimmering, fragrant and intricately structured, the 3D-printed objects act as visual and olfactory beacons, mimicking and amplifying key traits insects rely on – radial symmetry, scent and reflectivity. Developed with NICE Lab, the flowers use parametric design inspired by fractals, structural colour and embedded scent molecules engineered to remain potent in polluted air. Positioned among real plants, they guide pollinators back to natural ecosystems.

As the climate crisis accelerates and biodiversity is threatened, designers are stepping in to bridge the communication gap between human and non-human life. By harnessing cutting-edge innovations, they are fostering a more intuitive and symbiotic relationship with the natural world, as explored in our Symbiotic Signals report.

Strategic opportunity

Move beyond human-centred design to embed ecological intelligence into products, spaces and systems – using material, scent and form to actively restore connections between humans, non-human life and urban ecosystems

Gucci positions watchmaking as cultural object

Global – Gucci is doubling down on artisanal craft in its sixth high watchmaking collection, featuring four new G-Timeless Métiers d’Art timepieces alongside a gemstone-led Gucci 25H design.

Presented in Geneva during the 2026 Watches and Wonders event, the collection signals a strategic push into storytelling through materiality, craftsmanship and technique – a shift we highlighted in our Luxury Recrafted report.

Each model features a tourbillon at 12 o’clock and draws on archival motifs, including the 1966 Flora by Vittorio Accornero and the 1970s Animalia theme.

Techniques span miniature painting, enamelling and feather work, developed with artist Nelly Saunier using naturally moulted feathers.

The emphasis on rare craftsmanship and archival narratives positions watchmaking as a cultural object, shifting its value towards meaning, narrative and artisan workmanship.

Look out for our upcoming report exploring luxury’s return to the object.

Gucci G-Timeless Métiers d’Art, Global

Strategic opportunity

Reframe products as cultural artefacts by embedding visible craft, provenance and narrative into design and storytelling

Stat: Why India is an untapped market for fitness, health and wellness

Photography by Manuel Aldana

India – More than half of Indians under 30 are now overweight or obese, signalling a sharp rise in early-onset lifestyle diseases, according to Apollo Hospitals’ Health of the Nation 2026 report.

Drawing on more than 3m preventative health checks, the study highlights a growing burden of metabolic disorders among younger adults. In urban centres, the trend is more acute: Delhi-NCR recorded an obesity prevalence of 81%, among the highest in the country.

Doctors say sedentary routines, long working hours and changing diets are accelerating risks. Among those screened, 17% were living with diabetes, 19% had hypertension and one in five young adults were already pre-diabetic.

The report also points to hidden risks. Nearly 74% of those with fatty liver had normal enzyme levels, while 45% of asymptomatic individuals showed early signs of atherosclerosis.

The findings challenge the assumption that younger consumers are becoming universally more health-conscious. Instead, India presents a dual opportunity: demand for preventative healthcare, alongside solutions that address structural barriers such as urban lifestyles and rising temperatures, which are increasingly limiting physical activity.

Read our India’s Me-first Generation and Gen Z in India reports for more insights on young people in this region.

Strategic opportunity

View India as an untapped wellness market. Develop indoor, climate-controlled, regionally tailored fitness and short, guided workouts suited to urban lifestyles