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25 September 2025
Author: Martin Raymond and Christopher Sanderson
Image: The Future Laboratory 25th Anniversary
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From London-based Consultancy to Global Impact
The Future Laboratory was founded by Martin Raymond and Chris Sanderson, two visionaries with complementary backgrounds in journalism, fashion, design, PR and cultural commentary.
: Martin built his reputation as an author, lecturer, tv presenter and university fellow: as a sharp cultural observer, he decoded the signals of emerging subcultures and early adopters long before they hit the mainstream. As an academic and talent incubator, he fostered the careers of scores of journalists, writers, academics and entrepreneurs across the style and strategic foresight industries
: Chris came from the world of design and communications, with a deep instinct for translating cultural shifts into visual and strategic narratives. His background in the growing relevance of street brands heralded the shift in the 1990s towards a design and fashion democracy
Together, they created a business that was never content to simply track trends. Instead, it sought to provide the wider lifestyle industries with strategic foresight: identifying signals, mapping cultural change and helping brands turn future thinking into practical strategy.
Building an Intelligence Engine
What began as a foresight practice has evolved into a multi-faceted organisation:
: LS:N Global, our strategic foresight platform, has become a go-to membership hub for trend analysis, consumer mindsets and cross-sector innovation
: Our strategic foresight services arm has expanded to cover Luxury, Fashion, Beauty & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Food & Drink, Retail, Finance, Technology, Media, Youth, and Sustainability
Over time, we have become known not only for foresight reports but also for thought-leadership, scenario-planning, immersive events and bespoke foresight frameworks.
This ability to span industries, connect dots and translate foresight into impact has set The Future Laboratory apart.
We’ve even created our own AI – Ember, a spark of knowledge and insight in an increasingly dark and uncertain age.
Core Principles
Throughout our evolution, we have remained anchored by our founding ethos: Sapere Aude – Dare to Know. We live by our core principles:
: Collaborative
We encourage diverse opinions and perspectives.
: Inspiring
We go beyond the informative to inspire thought-leadership.
: Progressive
We challenge accepted norms and make the future happen.
: Enlightened
We apply methodological rigour and learned experience to elevate mindsets.
: Empowering
We foster agency and autonomy to accelerate change.
: Fearless
Our motto is Sapere Aude – Dare to Know.
Our unique methodology, activated across our research and strategic foresight projects, balances data-backed insights and inspiration – blending data, qualitative research and cultural signals.
In today’s volatile climate, this values-driven approach and unique methodology feel more urgent than ever.
Foresight in Action
As we mark our 25th year, we continue to be at the forefront of future thinking.
Some of our highlights include:
: Published seminal thinking on the Five Stages (latterly States) of Luxury with American Express in 2006
: Coined the term Bleisure in 2009
: Popularised the term Phygital in the early 2010s
: Identified the burgeoning Transformation Economy in 2015
: Put Longevity on everyone’s radar in 2020
: Brought a select group of 50,000 innovators, disruptors and entrepreneurs together across the years to experience our trends and research live via our events and webinars programme
: Worked with more than 1,000 businesses, unpacking the future across 30+ categories from placemaking to beauty and wellness, and from technology to luxury
The Power of Daring to Know
From two men and a dog II (Marlowe became Jasper 2.0) to a global consultancy shaping strategies for some of the world’s most influential brands, our story is one of foresight, adaptability and courage.
As we enter our next 25 years, our challenge – and our opportunity – lies in continuing to dare to know: to illuminate what’s coming, to help organisations act with purpose and possibility, and to ensure that the futures we build are not only profitable but fairer and more sustainable for all.
