Graphic Design Trends 2025: 9 Key Predictions and Practical Applications

Since our previous graphic design trends round up, the Piktochart design team saw AI image generators grow in use case, sparking both excitement and apprehension in the creative community. Yet amidst all the buzz, I’ve seen designers embrace these new tools not as replacements, but as collaborators in the creative process.

While it’s hard to talk about graphic design without mentioning artificial intelligence in the same breath, I saw 2024 bring innovative, eye-catching designs that pushed boundaries and challenged conventions. 

In this article, I’ll share my top nine observations and how you can apply them in your own projects.

• Several new AI image generators emerged over the past 12 months
• Textured effects still trending, but moving away from just 3D and more towards grainy textures
• Retro elements continue to be in vogue
• Minimalist and maximalist design both have a seat at the table
• Designers are pushing boundaries with unconventional color choices and bold combinations
• Retro influences are evolving – drawing from the past but reinterpreting it in new ways

Our team of expert designers scoured the web to see what the biggest trends emerged from this year. We looked at the biggest events, famous brands, and other highly-talked about designs to see what companies (and designers) are trying to do differently.

When big brands adopt a striking new color palette or an unconventional layout, it tends to create a ripple effect. Other brands take note, and suddenly that bold design choice becomes a widespread trend. By carefully observing these early adopters, we can get a glimpse of what’s to come in the broader design world.

Less of a groundbreaking trend than reiterating its importance, generative AI-powered design is here to stay. We’ve seen how AI image tools could be used to create funny viral images. But after working with AI and watching the scene evolve, I’ve seen how powerful they can be in the right hands.

The versatility of AI tools shows, helping 90% of creators with their productivity. Even 76% of architectural and construction firms are planning to adopt AI into their workflows.

Natasya Sunarto, expert designer and founder of brand design studio Command N, shared how much AI helped her with her own workflow.

While designers are levelling up their productivity with AI tools, big brands aren’t afraid to test out AI-powered designs. Look at what Nike achieved with their AI-generated Neon concept campaign, made entirely with Midjourney AI and Adobe Photoshop for the finishing touches.

Clients from non-design backgrounds are open to this ever-evolving technology, as shown by AI design agency Superside. Their portfolio highlights how they’ve helped clients generate unique designs for various use cases, ranging from creating sports ads to employee avatars.

Bottom line:

Dread it, run from it, gen AI will probably feature in your workplace all the same. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

For myself, I use AI to handle more of the repetitive tasks. For non-designers, they might use AI for color palette generation or layout suggestions. And I think that makes sense; let it handle the time-consuming tasks while you focus on creative direction.

At Piktochart, we’ve integrated AI tools that understand this balance – they’re designed to amplify your creativity, not replace it. Because at the end of the day, AI is just another tool in our creative arsenal, like Photoshop was in the ’90s.

It used to be all about flat and minimal. Gradient-free designs, stark typography, clean edges. Now, I’m seeing more designers adding film grain effects to their work. Not just overlaying an image with an Instagram-filter, but being very intentional about how it’s used, making an otherwise flat 2D digital art feel more tangible.

We even saw Adobe incorporate this effect on their site for the annual Adobe Max awards ceremony.

In Blazing Beauty’s branding, textured noise grain adds a raw, urban edge that enhances its vibrant colors and bold designs. This gritty texture draws inspiration from Brazilian street art and graffiti, emphasizing the brand’s punk aesthetics and Basquiat’s expressionism.

With its tactile, DIY feel, the noise grain reflects Blazing Beauty’s authentic, transformative ethos while nodding to the natural, unrefined quality of hemp—their key ingredient.

Like this effect? If you have an event you need to promote, try using the following template.

One of the most abstract and unique designs we’ve seen are these illustrations featured in an article by Fast Company about the best companies to work for innovative employees. The grainy texture adds depth and movement to the geometric shapes and vibrant colors, evoking a sense of creativity and experimentation. This psychedelic style is an apt reflection of cutting-edge businesses and a thought-provoking approach to highlight innovative workplaces.

Enjoying these designs so far? You can create your own event poster with this design effect with our template. Simply update the event details, change the background color as needed, and you can download the visual in different formats!

Even for interior design, textured noise grain can soften the stark elements and create a welcoming, almost playful atmosphere in modern residential complexes.

Bottom line:

I believe the reason this trend works is simple: we’re tired of perfect. Where AI-generated imagery creates flawless digital renders, texture adds soul. Like the difference between vinyl and digital music, sometimes the imperfections make it better.

But here’s the trick: subtlety is key. Be careful not to go overboard and try to be intentional with how you use it. Use it to create depth, movement, gradients, and texture that can almost be felt just by looking. If used right, you can make a lot of noise with your visuals.

For anyone looking to experiment with this trend, start with monochromatic designs. Add a light noise overlay at 10-15% opacity. Play with different grain sizes – my rule of thumb is that if you can see individual grain particles from arm’s length, it’s too much. And remember, texture should enhance your message, not distract from it.

• To promote events with posters to evoke warmth and nostalgia, like the Tangier Jazz Festival.
• Implement noise grain in brand logos or packaging for a rustic, authentic feel seen in Blazing Beauty’s designs.
• Apply textured grains in promotional visuals for art exhibitions to add depth and intrigue.
• Social media graphics with textured backgrounds for eye-catching visuals that convey creativity.
• When you want to reflect a playful, experimental spirit, as seen in Fast Company’s features.

While minimalism removes unnecessary details to highlight key elements, maximalism welcomes complexity and abundance to express individuality and creativity.

This shift shows a growing trend where designers embrace richness and depth, encouraging them to create layered experiences instead of limiting their artistic expression.

At first glance, maximalist illustrations can be overwhelming. Much like staring at a giant “Where’s Wally?” poster, there’s so much to take in. Every inch of the canvas is filled with patterns, characters, and embellishments. But the more time spent with these designs, the more you can appreciate the sheer amount of skill and effort that went into creating them.

We saw this style distinctly during the Paris Olympics 2024, and even in Google’s ‘The Most Searched Playground’ interactive game.

We asked freelance designer, Den Faderegao, for his thoughts on this trend.

Admittedly, creating huge designs with this level of detail is a luxury many brands can’t afford. That said, if you have the space, you can leverage the style in a creative way to highlight your services or product.

Another creative application of maximalism design is for large, open spaces that are typically left empty, such as these elevator doors. The animals are culturally significant in Asian culture, usually interpreted as guardians and protectors.

Our interpretation of these kinds of large-scale, detail-rich designs is to slow the reader down for thoughtful consideration. They’re intended to make the reader spend time looking at the details.

Bottom line:

Den summed up the most common use of maximalism designs so far below:

To venture into maximalism territory, adopt a “more is more, and we’re not afraid to show it!” mindset.

• Use colorful, detailed illustrations to create eye-catching event posters, making them feel lively and memorable, like at a festival.
• Incorporate complex designs in online games or interactive experiences to engage users and encourage them to explore, similar to Google’s fun playground project.
• Design magazine covers with rich patterns and bold colors to showcase important cultural themes, capturing readers’ attention effectively.
• Create busy and interesting social media posts that tell stories through layers of visuals, similar to promotions for events like Oktoberfest.
• Turn large, empty spaces into meaningful art displays using detailed murals that reflect cultural stories, inviting people to take a closer look and think deeply.
• Use detailed graphics in advertising to highlight unique products, encouraging customers to notice the interesting features that set the brand apart.

This isn’t your 2010s minimalism with its polite Swiss typography and careful white space. The new wave is more like minimalism that went to the gym.

I’m seeing it everywhere now: PayPal’s recent rebrand with its chunky sans-serif lettering, Nike’s latest campaign posters using single words that fill entire walls, even indie coffee shops abandoning their vintage-inspired logos for stark, bold statements.

There’s a heavy emphasis on the few elements in the design, as they leave a stronger impact on the viewer. We noticed bold and strong typography choices were the primary features, often paired with equally bold and strong color palettes.

It certainly struck a chord with our rockstar designer, Lian!

What’s fascinating is how this trend flips the old minimalist playbook. Instead of whispering with delicate hairline fonts, it’s shouting with typography thick enough to cast shadows. The Bold Avenue brand identity is a perfect example – their logo is basically a heavyweight champion of letterforms, but it works because everything else gets out of its way.

We saw minimalism at its best with product marketing, especially when bold typography creates a contrast against or augments the product.

The most successful examples I’m seeing follow a simple rule: one bold move per design. Look at Adidas–they use the same font with the same color, either for contrast or to complement their product. Yet, in both examples, their shoe is centerfold.

Bottom line:

To experiment with this trend, start with this question: what’s the one thing you want people to remember? Make that element impossible to miss, then ruthlessly eliminate everything that doesn’t support it. And don’t be afraid of white space – it’s what makes the bold elements feel bold in the first place.

This trend isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s a response to our overwhelmed world.

• Create impactful website headers using bold typography to grab visitors’ attention immediately.
• Design striking product labels that use large fonts and limited text to clearly communicate brand messages, ensuring the product stands out on shelves.
• Develop promotional posters that feature a single powerful word or phrase in bold letters to effectively convey the core message of an event or campaign.
• Design simple but powerful infographics that focus on one main statistic or idea, using bold typography to emphasize the message while limiting visual clutter.
• For branding projects, create a logo that features thick letterforms and a limited color palette to convey a strong identity without unnecessary details.

Remember when we all played by the rules? Complementary colors, safe palettes, nothing too jarring. Now I’m seeing designs that look like someone raided a candy store while blindfolded, and somehow they’re working.

Last year, we saw bold duotone-pastel color combinations gaining traction. This year, I saw designers try brave pairings to great success.

The more “wrong” these combinations feel initially, the more memorable they become, as seen in HAPPYWORK’s branding. They paired mint green with coral red – colors that should clash but instead created this vibrant, playful energy.

You can feel a similar kinetic energy with Commbi. While the colors are a bit more muted, it’s still a striking combination that gives you insight into the brand’s unique personality. 

The more you see examples of this trend, you more you notice the sheer energy and youthfulness.

The menus at Pink Tiger shows you can introduce a playful mix of vibrant pinks, greens, and gold accents for a festive aesthetic.

The DOREAN branding incorporates a sophisticated mix of muted colors like muted pinks and greens combined with gold accents. The incorporation of cultural symbols from Eastern, Middle Eastern, and European cultures creates a sense of luxury and history while appealing to a sophisticated audience.

But there’s a method to this madness. When Trufl Vegan Chocolate launched with a palette of burgundy and electric lime, they weren’t just throwing darts at a color wheel. Each unexpected combination was chosen to challenge what we think luxury chocolate should look like. It’s color psychology turned up to eleven.

Bottom line:

When used right, an unconventional color combination creates an electric tension that’s impossible to ignore and turns heads for the right reasons.

If you want to try this trend for yourself, start with colors you’ve been told never to use together. The crucial part I learned (through several spectacular failures) is you need one anchor color that grounds everything else. Just like cooking with spices – you can go wild, but something needs to hold it all together.

• Create eye-catching event posters using bold and unexpected color pairings.
• Design logos that incorporate unusual color combinations to make the brand memorable.
• Design festival menus with playful color mixes to create a fun and inviting vibe.
• Incorporate striking color combinations in website designs to create a unique look that sets a brand apart and enhances user experience.
• Use surprising color palettes in advertising campaigns to challenge traditional ideas.

The team discovered that designers have shown how to break free from the tyranny of the triangle; cropping their photos into a brand’s shape. It was like seeing photos being treated like liquid, being poured into a brand shape to fit.

The CHROMAS Furniture campaign cropped their product photos into these gentle, curved forms that made basic furniture feel like art installations.

Above, you wouldn’t think that this poster is for a construction company, due to the cyberpunk vibes it gives off. Yet the design choice is intentional to highlight the brand identify of “foundation of strength”.

Bottom line:

Using custom shapes in your designs can be trickier to implement for non-designers. The key isn’t to avoid rectangles entirely – it’s to break them intentionally.

Think about your brand’s personality. What shapes reflect your values? A financial company might use stable, grounded forms, while a creativity platform might opt for more fluid, dynamic shapes.

Just remember that using custom shape cropped photos is to be memorable, not just different. That means making an impression that lasts; all design elements should complement each other and align with the brand identity.

• Create unique brand posters by cropping photos into custom shapes that match the brand, making them visually interesting and memorable.
• Product advertisements that use unusual shapes to frame items, enhancing their appeal and helping them stand out from typical rectangular images.
• Test this trend out in social media assets for a unique look compared to your usual images.
• Design event flyers that feature cropped images in dynamic shapes.
• Create packaging for products that uses interesting shapes to highlight what’s inside.

While liquid retro display typefaces was trending last year, we’re seeing designers bringing retro back even more. This trend is about combining retro typography and color palette, but incorporated with modern layouts for contrast. It’s a personal favorite of Lian’s, who noticed other designers have been leaning into this retro refresh approach.

We loved this brand design by Mashi, emphasizing the emotional connection and rewarding experience of dog adoption. Their new visual identity uses handcrafted illustrations with a modern aesthetic to convey the joy and fulfillment of welcoming a new companion from dog shelters.

We loved the used of Serif font to bring contemporary design to a vintage furniture store. It’s a great way to play with colors and layouts against a more straightforward background to make the connection between classic design with modern living.

Look at how the Jasmine Foundation paired this gorgeous, vintage-inspired serif with modern photography and minimal layouts. The result feels both established and approachable – exactly what you want when raising awareness about mental health.

Bottom line:

Understanding why these fonts worked in their original context helps you use them more effectively in modern designs. A running theme we’ve seen in this year’s trends are designers aren’t afraid to break rules.

For your own designs, use the typography to enhance modern elements rather than overwhelm them.

• Use retro serif fonts in your logos to create a nostalgic vibe.
• Design invitations for weddings or special events that use classic serif fonts alongside modern layouts.
• On packaging for gourmet food or handmade products to evoke a sense of tradition and quality.

We’re seeing a mainstream renaissance via modern gothic fonts being crafted into badges and crest and applied into branding, packaging and logos. The result being a very elegant and sophisticated look to visuals.

The use of modern gothic fonts helps brands stay current. It’s a style that could build trust or a sense of reliability towards the brand or product the style is used on, a style that somehow could help to indicate the years of experience or history the particular brand or product may have, without it looking or feeling too dated.

The packaging for French patissier Heure du Goûter wouldn’t look out of place from the set of the Grand Budapest Hotel. They combine modern gothic fonts alongside vintage design elements, resonating with both tradition and contemporary flair. We really love how they made it feel luxurious with the dark green background combined with gold accents.

Bottom line:

We believe modern gothic badges and fonts are more about attitude rather than accuracy. It’s another way to contrast tradition against modern brands, almost like finding a sweet spot between a medieval manuscript and a modern app icon.

Traditional brands may not find a place for this trend, due to the complexity of the font that might not go well with your brand assets. But if your goal is to give your brand more pomp and stand out from safer designs, it could be worth experimenting with in your next design refresh.

• Works well on menus and signage for cafés or bistros to remind customers of classic dining experiences.
• Music festivals or community events, combining vibrant colors and modern layouts.
• Unique labels for artisan goods or craft beverages to give products a handmade, vintage.
• On clothing tags and packaging for fashion brands to create a stylish, timeless, and sophisticated identity.

As tech evolves, companies needed new ways to demonstrate the hardware. Smartphones grew bigger, computational speed increased, and image quality became crystal clear.

That’s why seeing pixelated images is reminiscent of poor quality. Yet we saw brands bring back pixelated-themed style executions into fonts and branding. This opens doors to a wide variety of style interpretations.

Depending on the execution, pixelation is a very versatile style that can be applied to and used in various industries.

Perhaps pixelation reminds people of American culture, as this Zhuhai-based American seafood restaurant opted for bold text and pixelated art.

Bottom line:

Modern pixelated branding isn’t just about recreating the past, but about taking those beloved jagged edges and giving them new context. We saw many brands do an excellent job at finding this balance, using pixelated elements that feel intentional rather than outdated.

It wasn’t their technical limitations – it was their clarity of purpose. Every pixel mattered because there weren’t many to work with. Apply that same intentionality to your modern designs.

• Pixelated logos for tech companies to reflect a modern and digital approach, making the brand feel cutting-edge and innovative.
• Brochures or flyers with pixelated elements to create a playful, tech-savvy look.
• Product packaging, especially for tech gadgets or games.
• Event banners or signage with pixelated fonts.
• For headlines in posters or advertisements for games, apps, or retro-themed events to draw in viewers with a familiar style.

Designers push boundaries on global stages, making daring choices that redefine visual communication. Bold color palettes clash with unexpected typography, creating visual tension that demands attention. Asymmetrical layouts break free from traditional grids, guiding the eye through unconventional paths.

Beneath these striking visuals, subtler currents shape the design landscape. Designers embrace imperfection, incorporating hand-drawn elements and organic textures. Data-driven personalization allows for tailored experiences, while cross-cultural influences blend diverse artistic traditions. The lines between digital and physical blur, with designs seamlessly transitioning between screens and printed materials.

Graphic designers champion environmental responsibility through thoughtful material choices and streamlined processes. Opting for FSC-certified paper ensures responsible forest management, while soy-based inks reduce harmful emissions during printing.

Minimalism takes center stage, not just as an aesthetic choice but as an eco-conscious strategy. Designers strip away superfluous elements, conserving resources without sacrificing impact. Vector graphics offer infinite scalability, eliminating the need for resource-intensive reprints as projects evolve.

These practices extend beyond individual projects, influencing entire brand identities. Companies showcase their commitment to sustainability through designs that embody efficiency and environmental awareness, resonating with eco-conscious consumers.

Augmented reality (AR) transforms static designs into interactive experiences, bridging the gap between imagination and reality. Designers now craft 2D visuals with AR potential, allowing users to explore depth and dimension through their devices.

Tools like Google Lens push the boundaries of visual search, turning everyday objects into gateways for digital content. This technology reshapes industries, from real estate to furniture design. Potential homebuyers visualize property renovations before making offers, while shoppers place virtual furniture in their spaces to perfect room layouts.

AR integration demands a shift in design thinking, requiring creators to consider how their work will transform across multiple dimensions and contexts.

Graphic design embraces the full spectrum of human diversity, moving beyond tokenism to authentic representation. Brands like Barbie lead this charge, showcasing a wide range of body types, ethnicities, and abilities in their visual communications.

This shift reflects a deeper understanding of audience needs and experiences. Designers now approach projects with empathy, considering how different groups interact with and perceive visual elements. Color choices, font selections, and imagery all play crucial roles in creating designs that resonate across cultures and abilities.

Inclusive design builds bridges, fostering trust and loyalty. By seeing themselves reflected in visuals, audiences form stronger connections with brands and messages.

Incorporate these emerging trends into your design projects to stay ahead of the curve. Refresh your logo by infusing sustainable elements or adding AR functionality. A QR code seamlessly integrated into your logo design could unlock interactive brand experiences when scanned.

For seasonal campaigns, blend inclusivity with augmented reality. Create visuals featuring diverse models, then allow users to “try on” products virtually using AR technology. This approach combines representation with cutting-edge interactivity.

Experiment with eco-friendly materials in your print designs. Use textured recycled paper to add a tactile dimension to business cards or brochures. Pair this with minimalist layouts to maximize impact while minimizing resource use.

Remember, trends serve as inspiration, not rigid rules. Adapt these concepts to fit your brand identity and audience needs. By thoughtfully applying these trends, you’ll create designs that resonate with modern sensibilities while pushing creative boundaries.

That wraps up our round up of the trends we expect will increase in popularity in 2025. We hope they inspired you to push your own boundaries and dare to experiment.

If we had to leave you with a last takeaway, it would be this: take creative risks and test designs that initially didn’t feel they fit. Also, if you haven’t already, find a way to incorporate AI as your collaborator.

Oh, and don’t be afraid to share your designs! You contribute to the ever-expanding language of visual communication. And who knows, your unique perspective might spark the next big trend.