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Shaun Borstrock

Associate Dean of School, Design, Business and Innovation, Head of Creative Ideas, HertsPropeller, The Digital Hack Lab and In Pursuit of Luxury, University of Hertfordshire
Shaun is Associate Dean; Business, Innovation and Projects and is Head of the Digital Hack Lab, In Pursuit of Luxury and Creative Ideas in the School of Creative Arts. He is interested in design-led innovation where design comes first—not as a service to fulfill a business strategy but as a visionary path where design is considered to be an intrinsic part of decision making. This invites a new kind of multi and trans-disciplinary collaboration from around the world. He also works as an independent consultant to luxury brands and associations around the globe. They have included Unity PR, Ford, Finpro, The Cape Town Fashion Council, Ford, Thomas Pink, Fortnum and Mason, Dolce Gabbana and Gucci. He is a regular Keynote speaker at events around the world as an authority on luxury branding and fashion, consumerism and brand strategies.

Shaun’s research evaluates notions of luxury that seem far removed from today's world of excessive consumption. He explores how technology is changing the perception of the hand made in the context of how luxury brands have grown as a result of being able to supply historically hand-crafted products en-masse through technological innovation. His practice, in collaboration with Professor Mark Bloomfield, includes the development of Modeclix, the world’s first fully customizable 3D printed textile. Modeclix has been nominated for a numerous international 3D print awards.

Luxury goods: why elite brands are weathering the pandemic better than high street retailers

Nov 04, 2020 00:14 am UTC| Business

Clothes shops are among the worst hit retailers from the coronavirus pandemic. Sales in the UK are still well down on pre-March levels. Big players such as HM and Gap are closing stores, and jobs are being lost....

Economy

Fed’s Goolsbee Warns Inflation Remains Elevated, Signals Caution on Rate Cuts

Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee has cautioned that recent inflation data presents a challenge for the U.S. central bank, reinforcing a cautious stance on potential interest rate cuts. Speaking in a recent...

Trump Rejects Iran Proposal as Tensions Persist Amid Fragile Ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Irans latest proposal for renewed talks, signaling continued deadlock in efforts to resolve the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. Despite a ceasefire reached on...

EU Warns of Response as U.S. Considers 25% Tariffs on Car Imports

The European Commission signaled it is prepared to defend its economic interests after the United States threatened to impose new tariffs on European vehicles, raising concerns over a potential escalation in transatlantic...

Wall Street Mixed as Apple Earnings Boost Nasdaq and Oil Prices Ease

U.S. stock market performance ended mixed on Friday, with major indices showing resilience despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and fluctuating oil prices. The SP 500 and Nasdaq Composite posted gains, while the Dow Jones...

Gold Prices Slip Amid Iran Tensions and Rising Rate Concerns

Gold prices edged slightly lower on Friday, hovering near one-month lows after a volatile trading session. The precious metal continues to face pressure following consecutive monthly declines, as global economic...

Politics

Trump Signals Major U.S. Troop Reduction in Germany Amid NATO Tensions and Trade Disputes

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to significantly reduce the American military presence in Germany, going well beyond the previously proposed withdrawal of 5,000 troops. Speaking briefly to reporters before...

Peru Election Results Under Scrutiny as JNE Calls for Comprehensive IT Audit

Perus National Jury of Elections (JNE) has officially requested a comprehensive and exhaustive IT audit of the ongoing general election results, intensifying focus on transparency and electoral integrity in the country....

Trump Signals Possible Renewal of U.S. Strikes on Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the United States could potentially resume military strikes on Iran, highlighting ongoing tensions between the two nations. Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach,...

Kim Jong Un Highlights Youth Role in North Korea’s Military and Political Agenda

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently met with delegates from the ruling partys youth league congress in Pyongyang, reinforcing the governments focus on young people as a driving force behind national development and...

Russian Forces Advance Toward Kostiantynivka as Fighting Intensifies in Eastern Ukraine

Russian troops are steadily advancing toward the strategic city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, signaling a renewed push to gain ground near one of Ukraines most heavily fortified defensive zones....

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

U.S. Cybersecurity Pushes Faster Patch Deadlines Amid Rising AI-Driven Threats

U.S. cybersecurity officials are exploring significantly shorter deadlines for fixing critical vulnerabilities in government IT systems, driven by growing concerns that hackers are leveraging advanced artificial...

Apple Q2 2026 Earnings Surge as iPhone 17 Sales Drive Record Revenue

Apple delivered a strong fiscal Q2 2026 performance, reporting record-breaking revenue and profit growth fueled by robust iPhone sales and expanding services. The tech giant posted earnings of $2.01 per share on $111.18...

FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case

The Chinese governments alleged hack-for-hire ecosystem is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly difficult to control, according to a senior FBI official. Speaking on Thursday, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman...

Taiwan Activates Backup Communications After Undersea Cable Break on Dongyin Island

Taiwan has activated emergency backup communications for Dongyin, its northernmost and strategically important island, after an undersea cable was damaged due to shifting shipwreck debris caused by severe weather. The...

Meta Raises 2026 Capex Outlook Amid AI Spending Surge, Shares Drop After Earnings

Meta Platforms has increased its full-year capital expenditure guidance for 2026, signaling continued aggressive investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure despite rising costs and market concerns. The company...