More and more people are getting tattoos, wearing clothes, and decorating their homes with themes from nature. Designers and artists who see this “biophilia” trend think it’s a response to both the pandemic and worries about environmental destruction.
“Our shared need for nature and the comfort it brings, especially during the pandemic, has made us obsessed with all things earthy. “It’s showing up everywhere in design,” says Veronique Hyland, who is the director of fashion features at Elle magazine and the author of an upcoming book of essays called “Dress Code” (Harper Collins, March 2022).
She says that the trend is linked to the fact that people are becoming more aware of sustainability.
Biologist Edward O. Wilson came up with the word “biophilia” in the 1980s to describe how people feel connected to the rest of nature.
Hyland says that being outside is becoming more of a luxury because fewer people have access to green spaces or the time to enjoy them. So, people are bringing nature with them, whether it’s a bracelet made of beach glass, a leather jacket made from mushroom fiber, or a tattoo of dad’s favorite flower.