CANDY CULTURE
sweet spring / sweet summer 2025
Wednesday, July 12
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM Early cravings in California (PST)
10:00 AM -11:30 AM Breakfast at Tiffany’s, New York (EDT)
15:00-16:30 High tea in London (GMT)
16:00-17:30 Goûter à Paris (CET)
including Q&A brainstorm with Li
Tickets
$325 General Admission
$220 Current Trend union Subscribers
In an unexpected mood that transports us back to insouciant days to get in touch with our inner child, we suddenly crave candy for a sweet spring and an even sweeter summer. Moments of oomph in a world of anguish, fencing off the fear we have of war, climate abuse and the encroaching loss of self, when the bots take over. Design and fashion turn to fantasy and narration in order to cope, and scenarios from our infancy seem to strike a powerful chord. The need for the naïve and the mawkish quest for the colourful suggest a range of myriad hues from the palest gooey pastels to sugared florals via the tang of hard candy, while gummy bears are proud of their transparent gloopy character. The tints work together in squeaky harmonies just as all-sorts play the game and perfectly associate themselves with graphic black and white. Only some candy has the gift for providing essential neutrals, as found in liquorice and nougat, both responsible for elegant summer clothes that celebrate the comeback of formal fashion. Even more chic and stylish are the darkest ranges of réglisse black and chocolate brown, chosen for their presence in immense renderings of the spring suit and the summer dress. Adorable shoes are part of this candy craze and continue a discourse of blown-up proportions and viscous materials, giving the silhouettes a distinct Minnie Mouse allure.
— L.E.
Li Edelkoort is a trend forecaster, publisher, humanitarian, design educator and exhibition curator. From 2015-2020 she was the Dean of Hybrid Design Studies at Parsons in New York where she founded a Textile Masters and the New York Textile Month festival. Her thought-provoking writings and podcasts have become increasingly popular at a time when she is regarded as an activist and champion for change. In 2020, she founded the World Hope Forum as a platform to inspire the creative community to rebuild a better society. She is also on the Creative Council for all of Gap Inc.’s fashion brands, advising the group on creative innovation and sustainable practice. In 2022, Edelkoort collaborated with Polimoda in Florence to establish an innovative new textile masters called From Farm to Fabric to Fashion.
@lidewijedelkoort @worldhopeforum @newyorktextilemonth @edelkoort.editions