Issue 63: A Bulletin for Big Ideas and Better Business

OPINION/ INNOVATION

There’s only one way to fight uncertainty

💬 Sir John Hegarty

When consultants start inventing acronyms, you know things are bad. Analysts from Gartner are worried that the business world is being enveloped by something called VUCA. That is, volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It might sound like a brand of athlete’s foot treatment – “Deidre, could you fetch me some VUCA from the bathroom cabinet?” – but one would be foolish to underplay the degree of agitation abroad at present. The global economy is facing grave peril as the effects of the US tariffs are felt.

The fallout is likely to continue – JP Morgan put the chances of a global recession at 60% – and those in charge of companies will be wondering how best to respond. An escalating trade war makes decision-making significantly harder for leaders, and many are reporting a state of inertia. When there’s so much VUCA around, the safest move is to hold off on any big moves. But there’s one course of action that’s proven to help in turbulent times, and specifically during tariffs: investing in creativity.

Optimism is vital in these moments

When trade wars erupt, some companies fare better than others. A group of researchers whose work is published in Harvard Business Review wanted to find out which traits are most effective in steering businesses out of trouble. So they looked at the trade tussles between the US and China back in 2018. Chief among the qualities found in robust companies was innovation. High performing brands at the time were resolute in their spending on R&D, and launched new products undeterred. The study cites Huawei as one example – it applied for more patents than any other company in 2018 and put resources into developing its own chips.

Optimism is vital at such moments. So I’m in favour of replacing the words in Gartner’s acronym. We’ve focused enough on volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity for the time being. Let’s turn our attention to a new VUCA. That is, versatility, undauntedness, creativity, and ambition.

THE AGENDA

🗓️ Diarise this: your agenda for the coming week

1.
The Festival du Livre kicks off in Paris this weekend, an event bringing together celebrated authors, publishers, and readers for three days of debate, readings, and cultural exchange – with the spotlight on Moroccan literature this year as guest of honour.
11th – 13th April

2.
All eyes will be on the River Thames this Saturday as Oxford and Cambridge face off once again in the annual Boat Race. This year’s edition comes with a luxury twist – Chanel has signed on as title sponsor and official timekeeper, rebranding the historic rivalry as the Chanel J12 Boat Race.
13th April

3.
Vinyl lovers, mark your calendars – RecordStoreDay returns to the US this Saturday with exclusive releases, live in-store performances, and celebrations across independent record shops.
12th April

4.
New Orleans will be pulsing with brass bands and bayou rhythms as the French Quarter Fest returns this week. Spanning four days, the celebration showcases local music and cuisine, filling the neighbourhood’s historic streets with over 20 stages of live performance.
10th – 13th April

5.
Friday sees the big screen release of The Return, a new adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey. Starring Ralph Fiennes as the battle-worn hero and Juliette Binoche as Penelope, the film reimagines the ancient tale as a lavish cinematic epic.
11th April

PARIS / ART

David Hockney
Source: Fondation Louis Vuitton

An homage to Hockney

This week, Paris’s Fondation Louis Vuitton unveils the largest-ever exhibition of David Hockney’s work, celebrating the British artist’s vibrant, decades-spanning career. Opening April 9, the show brings together a vast range of pieces – from early pop-art classics to his recent iPad drawings – offering a sweeping look at the evolution of his bold, technicolour vision. Now 87 years of age and receiving round-the-clock care, the artist remains creatively prolific, proving that expression needn’t wane with age. In fact, his latest works exude the same energy and curiosity that made him a household name in the 1960s. The exhibition is a timely reminder of the lifelong value of creativity – not just as a professional pursuit, but as a way of seeing, engaging, and staying fresh.

ON CREATIVITY /

Contributor: Clo’e Floirat

SHANGHAI / DINING

Connecting Milan and Shanghai: Prada’s Mi Shang
Source: Pradasphere

Picture-perfect interiors

Prada has unveiled its first stand-alone fine dining space in Asia – Mi Shang, a cinematic new restaurant in Shanghai’s historic Rong Zhai villa. For its interior stylings, the Italian brand enlisted the design skills of legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai. Known for his lush, melancholic visuals in films like In the Mood for Love, the director brings that same dreamlike atmosphere to the restaurant’s moody interiors, seamlessly translating his aesthetic language from screen to space. The result is a masterclass in scene-setting, where every detail contributes to a carefully crafted mood. Prada’s ongoing collaborations with auteurs – like Wes Anderson’s pastel-perfect café at Fondazione Prada – and the continued success of Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s interior design firm highlight a growing trend: filmmakers can make for exceptional spatial stylists. With their instinct for lighting, composition, and emotional tone, they don’t just design spaces – they direct them.

COACHELLA VALLEY / MUSIC

Coachella
Source: Media Coachella

The future of festivals

From Ed Sheeran to Charli XCX, pop’s biggest stars will be heading to the Californian desert this week to perform at Coachella. Once the undisputed gold standard of US music festivals, organisers are feeling the heat after slower than usual ticket sales. Past editions have seen passes sell out in just 40 minutes, while this year it took several months for tickets to be snapped up. Critics point to the influencer takeover and rising commercialisation as signs the event has strayed from its edgy, countercultural roots. Meanwhile, younger generations are rethinking what they want from festivals altogether—trading in all-night parties for wellness, affordability, and meaningful experiences. And with general admission prices still hovering between $499 and $549, many are questioning whether the cost justifies the spectacle. While Coachella’s star power remains intact for now, its future may depend on how well it adapts to a changing cultural and economic landscape.

Architecture is measured against the past, you build in the present, and try to imagine the future.

/Richard Rogers