Trends are a deceptively complex topic.
As much as we can try to unpick and analyse trends in great detail, there are so many variables at play that these data points will only get you so far. For consumers, this is exciting – especially in today’s social media landscape, where new product trends can appear out of nowhere and spread across the world as fast as our WiFi networks can carry them.
For businesses, however, it means making the best out of an unpredictable and often contradictory situation. Trends have to be followed, but they also have to be led. They can sometimes be predicted by patterns present in decades of historical data, but they can also be spontaneous and emotionally driven. And they can come from anywhere – a video filmed by an influencer in their car can have a greater cultural impact on market trends than a multi-million-dollar global ad campaign. When budget and time constraints are added into the mix, bringing a packaging project to life can be like threading a needle.
At Hunter Luxury, our job is to thread this needle for our customers with every project we work on. For Amanda Wakeling, our Product Inspiration Manager, mapping this constantly shifting and evolving market landscape is a never-ending yet infinitely rewarding job. Here, she describes how she uses these complexities as fuel to help drive our creative teams to ever-greater heights.
An inspiring year
A key part of our portfolio is the Inspiration Collection – a series of products that we develop to both meet and inspire the latest consumer trends. These product ranges demonstrate our production and design capabilities while also providing a foundation for customer projects. If needed, every element of each product can be tailored, or supplied as-is for white-label applications.
“I’m incredibly proud of all of our collections,” Amanda says. “But this isn’t just my input, this is the whole of Hunter Luxury, and we take great joy and great pride in putting them together. And when those collections are successful, and we’ve managed to provide a solution to one of our customers, then that’s just the icing on the cake.”
2025 was a busy year for Amanda and the team, adding a host of stunning collections to the range. “We kicked off the year with the Ophidian collection, which was the Lunar New Year-inspired engagement piece. And then we did two collections of Numoo, where we looked at bath and body and male grooming. Our Gen Alpha-inspired trend Future Faces was also developed for the Otter & Moo inspiration brand. And finally, there was Future Discovery, which focused on discovery sets and on-the-go travel retail sets,” she says.
Tracking one trend is difficult enough – but anticipating and meeting trends across this many target sectors requires real expertise. “I look at colour trends, consumer and lifestyle trends, and what is happening from a macro level right down to niche,” Amanda adds. “I also work closely with our sales team, gaining insight straight from customers about what they are really looking for. That combination is how the collections are born.
“Sometimes a collection is very strategic and planned a long way in advance, and sometimes it comes together quite spontaneously. We have to be able to do both.”
Often, being proactive is seen as a virtue, while being reactive is seen as a failing. When it comes to cutting-edge product design and development, however, you need both in equal measure, blending proactivity and reactivity into a single coherent strategy.
Collaborative creativity
Often, getting this blend just right depends on the nature of the target market and the theme of the product range itself. “With something like the Ophidian Collection, we know Lunar New Year comes every year and that its cultural influence is growing globally. That means we can plan for it well in advance and build something truly considered,” says Amanda. “On the flip side, Future Discovery came together very quickly. It was born out of people’s desire to travel with their beauty and wellness routines, combined with the colour of the year. That was much more reactive and spontaneous, but just as relevant.
“It works in many different ways. You need to be able to plan ahead for big, predictable moments, while also reacting to smaller, fast-moving trends as they emerge.”
Often, collaboration makes this process run much more smoothly. It can spark new ideas, revive old memories, and catalyse a project that otherwise might hit a creative dead end. When dealing with trends that can begin, end, or transform in a matter of days, giving a project this kind of flexibility is vital. “If I really believe in a product and think it has potential, I will show it to any brand,” Amanda continues. “Someone can always say no, but why deny them the opportunity to see something that could spark a new idea?
“The collections have an identity of their own, but they are designed so brands can reimagine them as their own. That is what turns inspiration into opportunity.”
A creative foundation
Another benefit of using the Inspiration Collections as a creative foundation is that it can dramatically boost speed to market. Given the way social media can cause trends to burn both twice as brightly and half as long, the importance of this cannot be understated.
Again, making the most of this requires a careful integration of both reactive and proactive approaches.
“We take a collection and re-render it into a brand’s own colours, logos, and identity, sometimes even using AI. Then we back that up with physical samples so they can see how it looks, feels, and works.
“That gives us speed to market. If a beauty tool or accessory already exists in our collection, all we need to do is adapt the branding, materials, and colours. The core design is already there. It means brands can react to trends much faster, because the nuts and bolts have already been developed.”
However, Amanda adds, this can also help lead brands to a solution before they even realise they need one. “Brands might only sit down a few times a year to plan their gifting strategy. If we can show them ideas before they even start thinking about it, that is a powerful part of their marketing strategy that is already done for them.”
Future-focused leadership
At Hunter, we understand that engaging with trends is something that requires daily dedication. It needs a solid grasp of the past, present, and future, combining influences from all three points into one singular vision. This is how we are able to gauge where consumer preferences are today, and where they are heading tomorrow.
“Going forward, colour predictions and macro lifestyle trends will be the real drivers of what we produce. We are looking ahead to where things will be in 2027 and 2028, not just where they are now,” adds Amanda. “You can see this in collections like Otter and Moo – the whole idea of Future Faces was about thinking forward to the next generation of consumers. It is about tapping into their mindset and creating something that is both aesthetically pleasing and educational.
“The next collection will be Gen Z-driven, fun and playful, and shaped by those longer-term trend forecasts. That is how we keep pushing forward.”
In a market where trends can ignite overnight and disappear just as quickly, the brands that win are those that can move with confidence in both directions. They are comfortable with leading at times, and confident enough to follow and be inspired by others. By combining long-term foresight with rapid, creative execution, Hunter Luxury helps turn uncertainty and unpredictability into excitement and opportunity.
If you are ready to lead trends as well as follow them, now is the time to start the conversation. Get in touch today to learn more.
Our team of packaging experts works with the world’s largest brands. Drop us a line at info@hunterluxury.com, we’d love to talk through your project brief with you.
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