2020
Only just now passing the halfway mark, 2020 has already left an indelible mark in history.
Grinding the entire world to a social, financial, and ultimately existential halt, 2020 has made everyone stop everything, take stock and ask, what is truly necessary, what is authentic, and what should always be at arm’s length.
“IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE GLOBAL OUTBREAK OF COVID-19, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THIS CRISIS WOULD NOT ONLY TEMPORARILY STALL THE ECONOMY AND UPEND OUR DAILY ROUTINE, IT WOULD ALSO RESCRAMBLE OUR CULTURE ENTIRELY.”
All the things we took for granted – air and train travel, playing sports and going to the gym, going to school and even our humble daily commutes to work– have all but disappeared, with no guarantee that they’ll ever return in their old form.
With daily flare ups in national and international news – news bigger than any individual or group of individuals – the only thing absolutely certain about 2020 is that nothing is certain.
Everyday Worry
Everyday Carry in the 2020s
The “Everyday Carry” phenomenon of recent years has reached full maturity. OGIO has wisely focused heavily on internal organization in their products already.
As modern-day digital citizens we all carry various devices along with the cables and batteries that power them…
It’s time to double down.
Internal organization for our daily analog and digital tools is a good start, but with the uncertain global reality of COVID-19, our daily toolset has necessarily expanded.
Way beyond the growing “never too prepared/two is one, one is none” EDC crowd, every living person is now a potential victim of the Coronavirus.
“By now it’s clear that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our daily lives and our daily carries. All over the world, facemasks have become an essential item in an effort to help stop further spread of this novel coronavirus...facemasks are still recommended (and in some states and jurisdictions, required by law) when in public situations where keeping a safe distance may not be possible. ”
2020 has introduced the “new normal” need for face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and other hygienic products as essential, everyday items.
For 2020 and beyond we expect more grab-and-go external pockets for items we use every time we step outside.
Cross Body Chronicles
Slings Bags, Fanny Packs, or Murses
Whatever you call them they’re essential in the 2020s
They have a variety of names, with different connotations – but no matter what they’re called, they’re here to stay.
The advent of smaller digital devices that can effectively replace laptops has elevated the Cross Body Sling Bag bag far beyond their fanny pack origins.
Modernizing the messenger bag by eschewing the laptop, Cross Body Sling Bags offers less weight and bulk while allowing quick access to devices and our new daily post-pandemic needs.
“There is a massive variety of sling bag styles out there, including tactical slings (for outdoor sportsman stuff), high-fashion slings (think Gucci), and backpack slings (spacious enough for a laptop).”
Everything is recorded. Social Media has turned everybody into a broadcaster. Everyone is a “vlogger”, like it or not.
People seeking deeper engagement need quick access to their mobile gear, enter the Sling Bag.
Cross Body Sling Bags aren’t a trend. Our daily carry has evolved and our carry system has had to evolve with it.
Our computers have turned into tablets, our phones are getting bigger, and our cameras are getting smaller. They all need batteries and chargers, and we need masks, gloves and sanitizer.
As we live in unprecedented times, quick-access is vital. Taking off a backpack and fumbling through unorganized spaces is no longer an option.
Small, light, and fast, Cross Body Sling Bags are now the de facto style of active modern youth. They represent the biggest point of growth in bags going forward.
A true daily essential for our new daily essentials.
Post-Tactical
After the “Tacticool” trend.
New relationship to police, military and the public
The recent “Tacticool” consumer trend in clothing and accessories invoking the competence and focused purpose of Special Operations military has peaked, driving hardcore fans to niche brands associated directly or indirectly with real world military issue such as Mystery Ranch, Triple Aught Design, GoRuck and Hazard4
Visually defined by the generous use of MOLLE load-carrying webbing, the horizontal strips are everywhere including adoption by many non-military mainstream brands such as Nike, Lowe Pro and Chrome Industries
While imminently functional, MOLLE instantly invokes the military and police. After years propagating in hollywood films, videogames, hunting grounds and the streets alike, the look has become well-worn.
Nike
Lowe Pro
Chrome Industries
“A VERY TACTICAL LOOK — IT’S HARD TO OFFSET THE INSANE NUMBER OF ATTACHMENTS AND STRAPS. PEOPLE MAY ASSUME YOU’RE A FIELD DOCTOR… SO YOU KNOW, BRUSH UP ON YOUR EMERGENCY TRACHEOTOMY.”
Recent events in America have shined a spotlight on the police, their militarization, and the unsettling presence of active duty US military deployed on US soil.
Military fashion will never fully go out of style, but it’s likely headed for a steady downturn in 2020.
Years of oversaturation of MOLLE webbing and camouflage patterns by civilian brands, followed by the recent deluge of disturbing media imagery of police, military and armed protestors has cast a heavy shadow of unease across the country.
It’d be prudent to focus on the functionality and technology of military gear without relying on the visual motifs.
Visually associating with the military this close to 2020 will likely be too much for some, and not enough for others.
Work-Study-Live
The new office/classroom called home.
Or park, or coffee shop with outdoor seating
Whether a professional or a student, working from home is the new norm in 2020.
Many businesses and schools have closed their physical locations for the season if not the year. Having weighed the cost of maintaining physical office space against actual online production, Some of the biggest technology companies have announced permanent working from home policies – thousands of smaller ones are quickly following suit.
The result? Sweatpants are the new suit, and shorts the new school uniform.
As the lockdown eases and schools and businesses cautiously reopen, the precedent for working from anywhere but the classroom or boardroom has already been set.
“Seventy-seven percent of the workforce say they want to continue to work from home, at least weekly, when the pandemic is over.”
The corporate world is synthesizing with tech startups, where everyday is casual weekday. Looking “smart” is no longer a requirement to get ahead. Shiny black and tidy falls way to casual, fun and functional. Measured shades of color will feel equally at place on the couch as they would on a park bench.
Work and comfort combine in the #WFH movement. “Cool” in the classroom and “Classy” in the boardroom don’t mean as much as they used to. Weekdays and weekends mix together.
The work/study from homer needs a casual, comfortable bag intelligently laid out to carry every little thing needed for a portable office, but without looking like its trying.
On Daycation
Flights are canceled and the roads are empty.
#Vanlife was already trending. Short distance travel will explode.
Covid-19 has decimated long distance travel through both air and rail.
Vacation plans to far and exotic places around the world have been abruptly canceled, yet after months under stay-at-home orders, the desire to leave home and explore has increased exponentially.
Long forgotten local travel destinations reachable by car will ignite a short distance travel boom.
Coupling synergistically with the #WFH movement, the imminently resurgent Outdoor fashion and #Vanlife movement– local vacation spots are the new frontier.
“What seems sure is that any rebound in travel and tourism, brought to a screeching halt by the coronavirus pandemic, will start slowly and stay closer to home. A recent study from Longwoods International found that 82% of travelers polled had changed their travel plans for the next six months.”
Memories of the hassle and expense of air travel before the pandemic will only reinforce jumping in a car over the weekend, potentially overstaying into the week and working remotely from their destination.
The focus on Outdoor and Camping gear was already deep into resurgence, along with Minimalist and #OneBag travel – these combined conditions will only add to this trend.
This perfect storm of converging factors will inevitably take a big bite out of hardcase wheeled luggage.
Sales of smaller, lightweight but weatherproof bags will continue to rise.
The difference is the new reality of working remotely. Hence these new generation of lightweight outdoor friendly bags still have to maintain the internal organization and lightweight protection of recent work/study bags, but in the new short distance travel context.
Thank you.
Staple Design Confidential 2020
