The World Hope Forum was launched on October 24 during Dutch Design Week, during the depth of the pandemic caused by Covid-19, and founded by Lidewij Edelkoort and Philip Fimmano, in collaboration with Dezeen as a media partner. The objective of this platform is to federate, to bring together the major players who have developed new industrial, economic, and more virtuous processes, where the center is people. The World Hope Forum’s main goal is to create a holistic global platform for the exchange and expansion of knowledge, innovation
LIDEWIJ EDELKOORT
Lidewij Edelkoort is arguably the world's most renowned trend forecaster, working in industries from fashion to food, design, architecture, tech, communication, automotive and retail. Founded in 1986, her company Trend Union produces trend tools for strategists, designers and marketers at brands from Zara to Prada. She is also a publisher, humanitarian, educator and exhibition curator. Edelkoort has been named one of the Most Influential People in Fashion and one of the Most Influential People in Design. Written in 2014, her much-talked about ANTI_FASHION Manifesto was the first to raise awareness about the shifts and upheavals currently experienced in the global fashion industry. From 1998-2008 she was Chairwoman of Design Academy Eindhoven before moving to New York from 2015-2020 where she was Dean of Hybrid Design Studies at Parsons, establishing an MFA Textile masters and New York Textile Month. In 2020, in response to the covid-19 pandemic, she co-founded the World Hope Forum as a platform to inspire the creative community to rebuild a better society. Edelkoort's latest publications include Proud South (2020), Uxua Utopia (2022), and Proud South Craft (2025), each of which celebrate the creative talent of the Global South.
PHILIP FIMMANO
PHILIP FIMMANO is a trend analyst and consultant at Trend Union, working in publishing and strategic studies for global brands in fashion, textiles, interiors, luxury and lifestyle. In the A&D sector, he has consulted for Mohawk, Tarkett, Interface, Rubelli and Obeetee, while in hospitality, clients include Belmond and Singita Private Game Reserves. As a design curator, he has created exhibitions for prominent international museums and biennales. In 2011, Fimmano co-founded Talking Textiles with Lidewij Edelkoort; an ongoing initiative to promote awareness and innovation in textiles through touring exhibitions, an annual publication, a design prize and educational programmes. He is the co-author of the design book A Labour of Love (Lecturis, 2020) and the co-founder of the World Hope Forum, a monthly online platform that inspires change through hope.
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