Trendvision defines the 4 types of consumers

New York--Nothing in design is ever really new, but those who are first to recognize the coming trends will grab a bigger share of the market, Paola De Luca told attendees at a seminar held Saturday at the Vicenzaoro show in Italy. 

The creative director for Trendvision, De Luca shared the organization’s latest research, which focused on defining the current types of consumers and using their characteristics to determine what designers and trends might interest them.

Trendvision bills itself as the “first independent jewelry forecasting observatory,” though the organization is as much about observing current trends by examining social media, blogs and jewelry research and analysis as it is about predicting future trends. 

The four profiles defined by Trendvision and outlined by De Luca in her talk were: the Essentialist, the Romantic, the “Exoticist,” and the “Digitalist.”

“The world has changed completely, dramatically,” she said. “The new generation is thinking in a new way.” 

1) The Essentialist. The first consumer type De Luca covered, the Essentialist is, essentially, a minimalist. They like having little; a few years ago, in fact, there was a grass-roots movement called the 100 Thing Challenge, which encouraged people to whittle down their earthly possessions to a mere 100 objects.  Many in this group also enjoy the idea of being “green,” so they are concerned with responsible sourcing. 

Blogs dedicated to the idea of living with less include The Minimalists and Becoming Minimalist. 

When it comes to jewelry design, De Luca said Essentialists lean toward simple designs with clean lines and geometric shapes; pieces that have a sophisticated lightness and lend themselves to stacking and layering. Think: the designs of French-born jewelry artist Delphine Leymarie or Fahad Al Hajiri and Alanood M Al Sabah, the husband-and-wife team behind Octium. 

2) The Romantic. A classification that doesn’t need much explanation, the Romantic leans toward vintage as well as gothic designs, designs that relate a fairy tale, telling a story of evil vs. good. Lace motifs, intricate patterns, feathers, wings and carved gemstones appeal to romantics, as does darker symbolism: wicked gardens, snakes and spiders. 

Designs by Stephen Webster, Wendy Yue and the feather-inspired creations of Sutra are among the pieces that would appeal to the Romantic, De Luca said, while blogs that speak to this lifestyle include that of U.K retailer Liberty London. 

3) The Exoticist. This type of consumer has Bohemian qualities--he