Graphic design trends for 2025

1. AI-powered design

More and more designers are integrating AI into their design workflows as a personal assistant to help with inspiration and ideation, as well as to add finishing touches to designs. In the right hands, AI can be an incredibly powerful tool for creating designs both unique and extraordinary. However, AI is not here to replace the need for all designers. While AI image-generation is amazing for non-designers to capture the vision they don’t have the skills to create, AI is best used by designers when it’s to amplify their existing skills.

Further reading: Seven ways to make a statement with Firefly AI text effects

2. Bold minimalism

Minimalism is coming into 2025 with a much stronger and bolder impact. Look out for designs with few elements, but with heavy emphasis on the ones that are featured. Bold typography and color palettes across stripped-back, simple designs are something we expect to see more of this coming year.

3. Metallics

Shades of silver, chrome, and other metallic hues are set to rise in popularity in 2025 with the metal aesthetic seeping into many more designs towards the end of the year. With WGSN and Coloro declaring Future Dust (a dark blue with hints of purple and grey) as “Color of the Year,” we can only expect this color and similar shades to become dominant over time.

4. Pixels

Increased use of pixelation has been noted across typography and branding, giving a tech-focused yet retro vibe. Surprisingly fitting for a variety of industries due to its versatility, this use of pixels can emanate a playful, tech-savvy aesthetic that feels both modern and anchored to the early digital age.

5. Shapes

Not only is the use of bold and unique shapes likely to feature more heavily in 2025 designs, adding structure and dimension to visuals, but so is the use of photos cropped into custom shapes for more creative and free-flowing design elements that have flexibility and character.

6. Textured grains

Perhaps indicative of the industry’s need for a little imperfection during a time wherein flawless AI-generated imagery has become ubiquitous, the use of textured grains in graphic design is on the rise. Used to add depth and movement, throwing a little texture into your work can make it feel more tangible, raw, and edgy.

7. Maximalist illustration

When it comes to illustration in 2025, more is more. We’re expecting to see a variety of elaborate and complex illustrations that are busy, colorful, and vibrant. This trend allows you to capture your audience's attention and force them to slow down to acknowledge the detail of your work.

8. Retro serif

Retro typography and color palettes used in conjunction with modern layouts establish a sense of nostalgia and whimsy but with a fresh twist. Popular in branding, the retro serif trend was big last year and is sure to stick around.

Further reading: 10 font pairings for maximum impact

9. Gothic badges and crests

We’re seeing modern gothic fonts paired with badges and crests making the rounds in the world of branding, packaging, and logo design. The use of such allows brands to convey a sense of reliability, experience, and trustworthiness, while also giving an air of old-world elegance and sophistication.

10. Handcrafted

In a rebellion of AI-generated imagery, we’re seeing a shift towards the earthy and analog, using elements such as organic lettering, earthen textures, and hand-crafted elements — think scrapbooking and hand-drawn doodles. As we've discussed with grainy textures, a pivot towards more natural aesthetics is coming our way in 2025.