TrendCommittee 2025: What I was a huge fan of as a child
International experts, trend scouts, market researchers and journalists - these personalities can all be found on the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee. While the members search for the hottest toy trends every year, it's great to get a little insight into the experts' private lives. The members were able to reminisce about their childhood and talk about what they were a big fan of back then.
Jane Wong (China)
The editor was already enchanted by Far Eastern folklore as a child. Her greatest idol was the mythical legendary figure "Monkey King", also known as Sun Wukong. There are many legends and fairy tales about the king of the monkeys, but as a child Jane Wong found the character traits of the tricky ruler particularly enviable. He's cunning, clever, has magical powers and is a master of martial arts - a real jack-of-all-trades.
Philippe Guinaudeau (France)
Market researcher Philippe Guinaudeau takes you on a trip to new heights. Ever since he devoured the comic books about the combat pilots Tanguy & Laverdure and Buck Danny as a boy, he has been fascinated by aviation, speed and action. This passion even went so far that Philippe Guinaudeau almost became a commercial pilot. Nevertheless, the exciting stories still motivate him today and have probably sparked a passion for travelling.
Reyne Rice (USA)
Ever since her childhood, journalist and author Reyne Rice has been all about play, fun and excitement. It didn't matter whether it was indoors or outdoors, she and her siblings and parents were busy playing every day. Classics such as Monopoly or Cluedo were a must on a good game night. However, if the old familiar games became too monotonous in the long run, they simply thought up new ones themselves.
Sujin Lee (South Korea)
Product and brand specialist Sujin Lee is still a big basketball fan to this day. As a child, it was something very special for him to watch a match on television with his favourite player at the time, John Stockton. He learnt from him what true teamwork means. He also enjoys playing basketball in his spare time and is already passing on his enthusiasm for the sport to the next generation. As a family, they cheer on their favourite team, the Los Angeles Lakers, together.
Urszula Kaszubowska (Poland)
Even as a young girl, editor-in-chief Urszula Kaszubowska couldn't say no to a good book. Her favourite was the book series "Tomek's Adventures", which is full of journeys and experiences in faraway countries and continents. In addition to the exciting stories, she learnt a lot about history, culture as well as flora and fauna while reading. Even though the books and their contents are now outdated, they remain a fond childhood memory for Urszula Kaszubowska.
