Design Talk | 2024 Trend Forecast

If you find yourself scratching your head wondering how it’s already nearing the end of the year, you’re not alone. As the festive season starts to ramp up, it’s a gentle reminder that if you haven’t started thinking about 2024 and beyond, now’s the time. Thankfully the Soft Serve Studio Forecast 2024 is out today, offering you a comprehensive roadmap of what’s coming down the pipe. Once again, we’re proud to launch this year’s forecast with the support of Carryology. The digital report is officially available from today and you can download your free copy right now from this link right here.

If you’re new to the Forecast, the digital report is our annual snapshot that aims to shed light on what the carry world will look like in 2024 and beyond. For us, it’s a chance to pause and make sense of all that caught our attention from across the year. We explore how everything from pop culture to innovations by big brands or new releases from local artisans might converge or diverge in the coming year. It’s not about prescribing what should happen but plotting where things are heading. For us, it’s about doing our small part to keep designers and brands in tune with future needs and wants, and hopefully avoiding wasted effort and energy. Given today’s climate, being mindful of how we expend energy has never been more important.

So what are we seeing on the cards in 2024? One thing that keeps surprising us is all the positivity in response to the heavy times. Despite all the scary seismic shifts taking place like climate change or AI, there’s an undercurrent of fun and optimism that’s popping up in all sorts of unusual ways. Ranging from the craziness of Marshall Columbia to the futuristic utopia of the Moncler Art of Genius event, designers are putting out good vibes. It’s as if optimism has become its own form of resistance or future-proofing.

Another noteworthy theme that’s running through 2024 is the continued rise of conscious design. Design that isn’t just about aesthetics or function but carries ethical, transparent, and broader societal considerations. Take for example the emergence of brutalist design in the carry world, from brands such as GR10K which takes authenticity to a new level. Or the pushback against greenwashing in the new EU through their new transparency labeling. It’s possible that the design world is reaching a new level of maturity. The “Soft Life” trend, focusing on better quality sleep and general well-being, is a case in point, showing how brands are placing more importance on healthy or mindful values.

This quick rundown is just the tip of the iceberg. For those who want to delve deeper, our comprehensive 40-page 2024 Forecast is available for free download from today here. Inside, you’ll find an in-depth analysis of these themes, as well as coverage of the details we see shaping design in the coming year.  We’d love you to take the time to check it out, share it, and let us know what you think. If you have any insights or questions, you can find us at contact@softservestudio.com.