10 ways mushrooms are influencing design and pop culture

Mushrooms are On-Trend in 2023

As one of 2023’s trends to look out for in the Asian Paints ColourNext trend forecast report, ‘Shroom’ is notable for its power to capture our imaginations—emerging as the new frontier for science, art and everything in between. While mushrooms have been associated with decay and decomposition, we’ve grown to learn that these vast, interconnected spores also tell a story of revival and rebirth, taking things that are dead and turning them back to life. In many ways, it mirrors the year itself, as we bounce back from isolation after the global pandemic. The trend forecast encompasses a colour palette of creams and beiges with the occasional pink and blue to hint at the inherent grooviness and intrigue of the wild fungi. 

START YOUR DAY WITH MUSHROOM COFFEE

No, we’re not kidding!  Lauded as a healthier alternative to regular coffee—boasting medicinal properties and added health benefits—mushroom coffee is a trending beverage that’s actually been around for many years. Initially used as a coffee substitute in Finland during World War II when coffee beans weren’t available, today, mushroom coffee is a delicate blend of ground mushrooms and coffee beans combined to make a dark, smooth, and nutty brew. Using extracts from medicinal mushrooms such as chaga, turkey’s tail, lion’s mane, reishi or cordyceps rather than culinary mushrooms like shiitake and portobello, this trendy cuppa doesn’t taste any different than your regular coffee. 

FASHIONING MUSHROOMS

From American fashion designer Brandon Maxwell being inspired by mushrooms to create colourful graphics for his spring/summer 2022 collection to Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio attending the 2021 Met Gala in an Iris Van Herpen dress inspired by the mycelium world, elements of the fascinating fungi have been sprouting up regularly on the runway. In the past year, the fashion world has tried to capture the mushroom’s endlessly mesmerising qualities, from its bioluminescence and amorphous form to its layered intricacies. The mushroom’s implied grooviness has served as a theme for designers such as Iris Van Herpen, Rahul Mishra and Alexander McQueen, while Stella McCartney and Hèrmes have taken it a step further launching vegan leather used across their handbags, accessories and even clothing.

FROM MUSHROOM TO LEATHER

Stella McCartney has stood as a luxury house that never uses leather, feathers, fur or animal skin, without compromising on desirability or sustainability. Today, the fashion house has launched what they call the world’s first-ever garments made from vegan, lab-grown mushroom leather called Mylo. A soft, sustainable leather alternative, it is made from mycelium (the infinitely renewable underground root system of mushrooms). Remarkably similar to animal products with fewer environmental impacts, it is also not petroleum-based unlike most current synthetic options. This means lesser use of fossil fuels or plastic deposited in landfills and oceans.

MUSHROOM MUSIC

Canadian musician, classical singer and biologist Tarun Nayar harnesses the sound of the mycelium world, describing his music as organismic and uplifting, while calling it “plant ragas”. Hoping to make listeners remember the joy of being in wild places, Nayar plugs his synthesiser into mushrooms and other forms of plant life, to capture their invisible bioelectric rhythms and build them into tranquil soundscapes.

Immerse yourself in his tunes here.