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Coronavirus may quell our consumerist appetite, says a design trends forecaster

With the Covid-19 virus disrupting business, commerce and travel, the designer talks about how the virus could be a reason behind how we survive as a species.




A Dutch trends forecaster, Li Edelkoort talks about how coronavirus may be a blessing in disguise. The deadly coronavirus has bought many countries to a halt, disrupting travel and business. According to Quartz, Edelkoort at a conference held in Cape Town mentioned how Covid-19  will act as a sobering force that will allow us to reflect on our “consumerist appetites and jet-setting habits”.

Over the years, the designer who has been a consultant to global brands such as Armani, Hyundai and Google in a career spanning more than 45 years, has become a fashion sustainability crusader. The designer told Quartz, “We will see an arrest in the making of consumer goods. That is terrible and wonderful because we need to stop producing at such a pace. We need to change our behaviour to save the environment. It’s almost as if the virus is amazing grace for the planet.” It is worth mentioning that yesterday, Hugo Boss warned profit may miss forecasts on coronavirus since late January, many of the company’s stores in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have been either closed or operated at limited hours.

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With an affronting view towards the virus that has killed more than 3000 people, she believes that as humans when we are gripped with a health crisis, we emerge not only as more conscientious humans but it also opens new avenues for innovation. The designer says that the virus could help us go back to where we begin from, it will lead to the revival of cottage industries and we will soon appreciate locally produced goods.

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However, even when utopia looms, “there are so many possibilities,” Edelkoort says. “I’m strangely looking forward to it” she told Quartz.

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