What's in a job title?

I’ve had a few job titles in 25 years. I'm sure many of you have experienced this. Fashion designer. Design director. Trend forecaster. Fashion Futurist. I’ve been called a Futurologist too. Add to this Strategist, Educator, Speaker, Advisor, Writer, Speculative Designer​

The consensus was always: stick to titles that are easy to understand, for a niche that is already 'niche niche'.

But 2024 marked a personal turning point where I went full throttle, in the full slow. 100% commitment.

​I took a quiet sabbatical from what I felt was creating a lot of static in my mind and soul. I have been yearning to recalibrate but always too busy and overcommitted. This meant protecting my energy and mental space, in a world overwhelmed with commentary and rules of the game that have come to feel counterintuitive to my process. I parked socials (not quite fully but almost), stopped reading a gazillion newsletters and articles, and prioritised more intimate communications, collaborations and relationships.

In hindsight, this journey started a few years ago with slow fashion forecasting and the inspiring forecasters in the Trend Atelier who were embedding this in their work and lives.

One of the things that has recently emerged from this period of reflection is that my 'title', a form of signalling to the world, isn't a fit anymore and, in fact, perhaps never was.

At first, I felt self-conscious. My knee-jerk reaction was: ‘Who do you think you are to create your own title?!’. But I was reminded of Veronica Fossa, an inspiring Trend Atelier community member who created her title and fascinating job: Gathering Designer.

Then I realised something that doesn't quite make sense in my mind:

We’re always saying the jobs of the future are nothing close to what we can imagine. And I see the truth in this. But these jobs, can’t we claim them now?

So here's to grabbing the future by the 🎱 and a job for a future I can’t wait for any longer.

Regenerative Futures Architect

I ran my new title by a few people including Alice Wilby who is a Sustainable Fashion Tutor at UAL, the Co-Founder at Fashion Act Now and a consultant. She said it gave her goosebumps so I took this as a good sign. Prior to that Joanne Jorgensen, a Design and Innovation leader, as well as a fantastic coach and human, encouraged me to own this and share it with the world ... ASAP.

My fears and self-consciousness somehow turned into positive energy. I announced my Regenerative Futures Architect role and title last week whilst presenting Rewilding Futures, at the Venice Sustainable Fashion Forum hosted by The European House Ambrosetti.

It made an impression, more than I could have imagined, so much so that Jalaj Hora named himself Regenerative Futures Engineer the next day at the Forum. You can watch his talk here.

The need to reframe our titles and jobs is in the air. Paul Foulkes Arellano just released a LinkedIn poll worth checking out. 'The jobs we have today will not exist in 2040'. He asks 'What will you retrain as?'.

My role as a Regenerative Futures Architect reflects the following tapestry of evolving work helping author futures for the greater good of the people and planet:

By Geraldine Wharry