The research by Future Concept Lab, now at its 5th edition and realised for the EFD centre, on trends and scenarios applied to the worlds of the accessory and materials.
Starting back in 2004, the international research-observatory is presented two annual editions by the Trade fair Material Preview that is held in parallel with Pitti, Florence.
The latest edition was presented at Florence’s Saschall on the 12th of January 2006, by Francesco Morace, founder of Future Concept Lab, and Valentina Ventrelli, responsible for the institutes fashion sector.
On this occasion the institute presented 3 consumption scenarios and the 9 aesthetic trends held within.

The three scenarios are Combo Consumption, Fast Fascination and Narrative Nutrition, that are in line with the logic of Radical Modernity: The scenario of the options for consumption is in-fact perceived, compressed and absorbed by all consumers through a new form of knowledge, that now corresponds to a new metabolism of choice within which the active decision overtakes the passive influences.
One of the 9 aesthetic trends presented was Combo Chic, that demonstrates how the capacity of personalising ones own style has in resent years become more and more sophisticated, leading to a greater competence in people, both in the selection of products and their creative combination.
Another trend is Nonsense Decoration: from the international observatory “Street Signals” (promoted by the institute in 50 cities of the world), emerges as people put it into practice through decontextualisation, oneiric inspiration, deforming reality in a ludic way and continuing to propose new and unexpected points of view.
The attention to style, the care over details, a subtle thread of vanity, have matured profoundly the life of clothing and the male aesthetic, opening the road to entire new categories of product for this universe, as with some accessories or cosmetics for men. All this takes its form in the trend Sophisticated Male.