Hi friends!
Have you stopped to think about how, when you look at old posters, movies, print ads, magazines, etc. that you can usually pinpoint the time period that they were created? That got me thinking… 20 years from now, will we be able to point out that an item was created in 2025?? How can we tell? Let’s dive into current trends in design that could indicate something was designed in the 2020s!
Computer software giant Adobe posted this list of the top 10 graphic design trends for 2025. I’d like to dissect it a little. Here’s the link to the article: https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/design-trends-2025#:~:text=Edit%20this%20template-,Free%20in%20app,coming%20our%20way%20in%202025.
AI-powered design +
The use of AI is a hot topic right now. While AI is useful for idea generation and inspiration, it can be overused if not in the right hands. Many designers can be found using AI to help them come up with new ideas that will keep their designs fresh, or using AI to help them tailor their designs to a specific audience or keep to a certain theme. However, a lot of people are frustrated as some designers for brands and companies have been caught using AI to completely come up with ideas or create imagery/videos/. The images and videos in particular can be easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for. (Think extra toes and fingers, no reflections in sunglasses, textures where they are not supposed to be, etc.) Seeing these brands and companies use images that are not even real can create a disconnect between the brand and their audience, as the images can be off-putting. It can also create a sense of laziness on the brand/company’s part, as they are just trying to push content that they did not even create.
Bold minimalism +
Minimalism is hot in 2025! Think fewer elements, but heavier. Big, bold text with simplistic designs is almost everywhere you turn in 2025. Cut down on the colors, too! The less there is, the better.
Metallics +
Silver, chrome, gold, etc. While these colors are nothing new in design, they are becoming more and more popular this year. You can find these colors on everything from book covers to movie posters to album covers! (These colors are also super popular in fashion design right now too!)
Pixels +
I feel that pixelation is a nod to the 90s/Y2K designs, which lend a cool, tech aesthetic to any design it is added to. It can be used in both photography and graphics, but is most commonly used in typography.
Shapes +
Flexibility is key! In 2025, you can find shapes that are somewhat free-flowing or organic, but that still add structure to a design. A common feature that you’ll find in designs nowadays is the use of shapes (especially ones with curved edges) as frames for imagery. Using the shapes themselves as frames gives you movement within your design as the both the shapes and imagery can move your eyes along the page.
Textured grains +
What’s the difference between viewing an event invitation on a screen vs. in your hands? My first thought is that the screen invite is very clean, sharp, and smooth, while the invitation in my hands is a little fuzzy and textured. With most of our content and communication becoming fully digital, you might start to miss that feeling of having something physically in your hands. (Well at least I do…) To combat this, adding textured grains to a design can help bring back that tangible, tactile sensation. According to our source cited above, “Used to add depth and movement, throwing a little texture into your work can make it feel more tangible, raw, and edgy.”
Maximalist illustration +
Details, details, details! It’s all about the details! In contrast to (but also in alignment with) the bold minimalism we discussed earlier, maximalist illustration is rising to the top of the charts here in 2025. Creating illustrations that are highly detailed can couple beautifully with bold minimalism. This makes the audience focus more on the visual of the design, instead of the typography, as the high number of details makes the audience slow down to take it all in.
Retro serif +
Retro typography + retro color palettes = nostalgia. Using these 3 elements, along with modern layouts, gives a new, fresh twist to something that was already popular in earlier decades. (You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel to make something new and creative.)
Gothic fonts, badges, and crests +
Using these elements together “allows brands to convey a sense of reliability, experience, and trustworthiness, while also giving an air of old-world elegance and sophistication.”
Handcrafted +
Back to the drawing board! (I’m serious.) In an age where AI is becoming more prevalent, designers are going back to their roots by treating their screens as pen and paper. Hand-drawing and hand-writing fonts and illustrations/drawings helps show to others that this work was created by a human. Think of your work as a scrapbook page – textured and all – and use your favorite markers, washi tapes, magazine clippings, and stickers!