Design Trends, Experiential Insights, and the Future of Events
Valiant hosted our Style Series 2025 in our Sydney Showroom, welcoming clients and industry friends for either a morning breakfast or afternoon aperitivo. Led by Francesca Sykes - Valiant's Creative Director, Lauren Hardy - Valiant's National Events Sales Manager. and guest speaker Keith Wootton - Founder of AV1, our panel speakers unpack the key themes from Milan Design Week and sparked meaningful discussion around the future of brand experiences and spatial storytelling.
From Milan to Sydney
Francesca and Lauren presented their curated Milan Design Week 2025 recap, sharing the textures, tones, and global design movements influencing tomorrow's spaces. As Fran shared, inspiration doesn't only come from Milan - there's value in exploring diversity across the global design community, from London to Tokyo. "The more varied the references, the richer the creative outcome", she noted.
Your Questions, Answered: Live Q&A Session
What made this Style Series particularly special was the open-floor Q&A, where guests raised important questions around authenticity, creativity, and audience experience.
When asked whether Valiant would attend Milan again next year, Fran emphasised the importance of broadening perspectives and looking beyond trends for inspiration. “Diversity is good - pull inspiration from everywhere,” she said.
A question on balancing experiential impact, “How do you know when it’s too much or too little?”, sparked insights from both Keith and Lauren. Keith advised: “Know your audience. Get inside their minds and you’ll find ideas that are both transportable and relatable.” Lauren added that it’s often about simplicity done well: “Let people touch, feel, and see. Furniture, styling, digital - it can completely transform a room. Keep it simple, but elevated.”
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One guest who attended the morning session asked a poignant question: "How do you think the role of the observer marries the role of the consumer?" Fran responded by referencing IKEA - an environment where you can explore without feeling 'sold' to. "Authenticity is key", she said. "Create something people want to be part of, and trust that the engagement will follow." Lauren echoed this: "Let people enjoy themselves. That's when connection happens organically."
The conversation deepened around the idea of brand identity in saturated markets. "Are brands losing authenticity in favour of standing out?" Fran offered Mattel as an example from her time in Milan Design Week - how a single pink wall and digital amplification led to powerful brand recall. "Milan gives brands the chance to captivate - when done right, it becomes an emotional imprint."
Keith also introduced many in the room to WXO - a global membership network focused on the experience economy. Originally launched during the pandemic, WXO brings together professionals from across the events, entertainment, and brand experience industries to share ideas, resources and inspiration. One of their flagship initiatives is London Experience Week - a week-long celebration of immersive activations, installations, and panel sessions exploring the future of experience design.
Keith reflected on his time at London Experience Week earlier this year, sharing highlights from the talks and experiences that left an impression. "It's an opportunity to see how brands and creatives are pushing boundaries - not just in tech or design, but how they connect with people". he noted. What began as a virtual community during lockdown has evolved into a global hub of innovation. "I first heard about WXO from a supplier in Adelaide", Keith added. "I looked it up, thought it sounded interesting - and registered. It's been a brilliant way to stay connect to what's next."
From panel insights to styled settings, the day brought together thoughtful design and inspiring conversation.
View the full Style Series event gallery here >>
Looking Ahead: Valiant's Creative Direction
As the event wrapped up, one thing became clear - design is never static. It evolves with culture, with technology, and with the shifting expectations of audiences. Lauren and Fran closed the panel by reflecting on this evolution, noting that spaces today need to do more than just look good, they must evoke emotion, prompt interaction, and feel real.
At Valiant, that evolution is already in motion. As part of our Milan Design Week exploration, Fran unveiled three curated trend palettes set to shape our creative direction for the seasons ahead:
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Spring Beat: A moody yet grounded palette of burgundy, raw neutrals, and bamboo tones, punctuated with zesty greens and silver for bursts of freshness.
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Terra Calma: A calming scheme of dusty blues, clay, sandstone, and mirrored surfaces - designed to promote reflection, warmth, and connection.
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Flame Wash: Retro-inspired hues of orange, rust, and mustard set against deep charcoals and bright whites - bold, immersive, and emotion-driven.
