2025 Design Trend Predictions: The Aesthetics you’re about to see Everywhere Next Year

The time has come again to grant you with our yearly trend prediction report for branding, marketing and entrepreneurship. Last year’s predictions were a huge hit so many of you messaged to let us know where you saw these trends materialize in real life. So let’s get into it…

LOOKING BACK: OUR 2024

Q1 2024 The Bingo Card seen ‘round the world. In the first week of 2024, we accidentally started a BINGO craze, posing our goal setting Bingo Card on TikTok (1M views) and Instagram (800k views). So many of you purchased the Canva template and made your own versions that we offered our first ever accountability mastermind for 12 lucky applicants. We’ve met each month all year to share our goals, celebrate our wins and gameplan our challenges. Want to play in 2025?

Q2 2024 Spring gave us Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter and Taylor Swift’s double album The Tortured Poets Department, the latter of which inspired our viral merch drop for Dental Hygiene Nation’s Tortured Dental Department. Followed shortly thereafter by Sarbrina Carpenter’s song(s) of the summer Espresso and Please, Please, Please.

Q3 2024 Not long after, summer Olympics madness was underway in Paris, France (listen to: Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast ep. 173 Olympics Predictions) and stand out stars like Ilona Maher caught our eye and captured our hearts. Brat Summer was in full effect thanks to Charli XCX, whose neon green aesthetic was quickly co-opted by the Kamala Harris social team, who let memes flow faster than coconut water.

Q4 2024 The year rounded out with an anxiety-inducing Presidential Election that proved just how segmented our media sources have become, and how much Podcasts are as important as ever for reaching voting age audiences. Simultaneously, we were ‘holding space for the lyrics of defying gravity’ in anticipation for the record smashing musical-to-movie adaptation of Wicked starring Arianna Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

TREND 1: SERVING HUNT 🪵🌲🫎

I WISH I could take full credit for the name of this upcoming trend but in truth I found it from the comment section of this incredible video of @marksebastianf doing a fashion show through Bass Pro Shops. HOWEVER, it doesn’t negate the fact that I think we’ll see a full lean into this aesthetic in 2025, but not in the way you’re thinking.

The aftermath of the 2024 election & the reality of another Trump precedency left a lot of biiiiig lessons and possible paths for trend predictions (listen to: Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast ep. 186 Branding Lessons from Presidential Campaigns).

In 2025, get ready to see more women, LGBTQ, and minorities occupy conservative spaces and reclaim them. We saw this first with the Old Money aesthetic (very Lily Par, very Sistered States), & how that look brought people besides straight white men  into golf, tennis, pickleball and other country club sports. Then, the Trad Wife phenomenon and Ballerina Farms expose doubled down on the festish-ization of regressive conservative values, where straight white men stay at the top of the socio-economic food chain, excluding everyone else (especially childless cat ladies) from the possibilities of achieving the same.

Imagine the script is flipped (much like the #womeninmalefields trend). We’ve spent so long as a culture creating safe spaces for people who have felt othered (which should remain!) but imagine if strongholds of conservative culture became places for the girls, gays and theys to thrive. We’ve seen this happen already as more Women and LGBTQ+ people take up guns after Trump’s win: ‘We need to protect ourselves’ and creators like @tacticoolgirlfriend, a trans gun influencer & educator bucks all stereotypes of gun ownership.  While I’ll NEVER be an advocate for guns, I will always support ethical, safe, practical gun education and regulation for all.

When I envision the origins of this Serving Hunt trend, I go back to the Tyler Mitchell 2020 Vogue cover of Harry Styles in a dress – which sparked major backlash from many (including hyper-conservative mouthpiece Candace Owens). But what those images gave us was a way to challenge gender norms and make traditionalists uncomfy.

From there – we pick up  Chappel Roan in 2024 with her instantly iconic album Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess – destined to be Spotify Wrapped Hall of Fame hits thanks to queer themed heartbreak ballads and earwormy pop anthems complimented with Camo Hunting hat later to be parodied? Copied? by the Harris Walz Team. Chappel has continued to wear the Bass Pro Shops-esque camo patterns in her campy glam way and so has her fellow indie pop comrade Remi Wolf with her own version “sexy villain” camo merch.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN = Think camo prints (read up on the History of Hunting Camouflage here), neon orange, tactical gear, antlers, utility pockets, plaid, boots, camping, fishing. Color palettes will be earthy, muddy, ochre-y, amber-y earth tones with pops of neon and sparkle. This trend relies deeply on pattern (plaid, tartan, houndstooth) and texture (wood, stone, wool, steel, clay, twine). You’ll find fonts that use an older rustic sign painter style lettering with a scottish/english pub feel AND/OR simplistic nostalgia for workwear brand aesthetics like Levi, Carhartt, Wrangler, Dickies, etc. that could be rendered as back pocket insignias.     

PHOTO & VIDEO = The photo and video style for Serving Hunt is based in rustic, moody, outdoorsy scenes with plenty of grungy texture which offsets the obvious sarcasm of the message. Think set design for Chappel Roan’s SNL Performance She Gets the Job Done. Almost all the subjects of these scenes play on obvious androgyny, gender-bending and disturbing conservative norms (think iconic drag queen Pattie Gonia). 

PRINT, OOH & IN-PERSON = In the apparel space, this trend could slip right in with the impending catalog renaissance, after brands like Amazon and JCrew saw success with real, printed catalogues in mailboxes in 2024. (Read: The Triumphant return of Physical Catalogues). In person events like gun safety classes, hunting weekends, mountain retreats, and shooting range outings might become more popular with the young & restless. Brands might also create more bandanas, patches, and hand tools to hinge on this theme. (Peek at our Pearly Whites Ranch theme box we designed for Dental Hygiene Nation). 

FASHION & CULTURE = Vivienne Westwood is the classic player in plaid (as seen most recently on Taylor Swift’s fits and possibly her lost album aesthetic?). Other high fashion notables in this category: Thom Browne SS 2025 & Chloe SS 2025. On a consumer level: Boys Lie, This camo purse, LL Bean, (remember 2023 and 2024’s What is the Ironic Boat Tote Trend?) and even Abercrombie & Fitch dropping their own Hunting Camo hoodie. As a continuation of 2024 – the Carhartt Barn Jacket and other blue collar workwear (Read: What’s Behind the Rise of the Barn Jacket?)

This hunting aesthetic could lean more english/scottish huntsmen when you consider that Outlander gets a new & final season in 2025. Same network Starz also greenlit another book turned series project called The Hunting Wives in 2025 which features a female protagonist who moves from the big city to small town Texas and takes up shooting with fellow socialites that leads to “obsession, seduction, and murder.”

Brands that should do this soon:

Food Packaging trends that are adjacent to hunting gear like 2024’s Snackle Boxes. Hunting snack alternatives like Vegan Jerky could shake things up with a woodsy makeover. Unisex Fashion brands wanting to play in a new aesthetic playground could embrace a more outdoorsman upset. Alcohol brands that have previously not catered to the female, minority, or LGBTQ audience (scotch, whiskey, beer, etc) could use this aesthetic to connect audiences they haven’t before.

TREND 2: CRAFTED COMEBACK 🧵🌸🧺

Not to make it political AGAIN, but here we are – Trump’s proposed tariffs on imported goods have the potential to drastically increase the cost of living for just about everyone and everything. So much so that Small Businesses are Scrambling to Buffer against Inevitable Price Hikes. If everything imported becomes more expensive, and supplies for small businesses become more expensive, we can anticipate a revival of the craft/upcycle/recycle scene & it’s corresponding aesthetic simply because Americans won’t be able to afford new things and instead will rework what they already own.

When we look back at American history there’s a strong correlation between economic inflation and craft-core. Three time periods come to the forefront:

1. Oil Crisis of 1973 and Stagflation (high inflation paired with stagnant economic growth), made many people look for more economical ways to obtain goods and simultaneously express themselves creatively. DIY became not only a method of saving money but also a practical necessity for many families. Coincidentally, 1973 brought us the chronicles of  DIY Craft Queen Martha Stewart’s Turkey Hill Home, as shown in great detail in Netflix’s Martha. Magazines, books, and television shows in the 1970s taught ways to live frugally and meaningfully with less.

2. There was another notable craft revival during 2008’s Great Recession when economic hardship led to a surge in up-cycle and handmade craft culture (For Craft Sales, the Recession is a Help). Etsy, which was founded in 2005 exploded during the recession as a way for buyers to connect with makers of handmade and homemade goods that were unique, affordable and personal which in turn helped support independent artists (How I Built This: Etsy).

3. This spilled into the Pandemic Crafting Boom in 2020 – when crafts became a mental distraction from the solitude of quarantine. Many of us picked up new hobbies simply because we had the time to – knitting, crocheting, quilting, painting, drawing, even sourdough bread making. 

In 2025, crafting (even upcycling thrift finds or Junk Journaling) becomes a response to over-consumerism (see Underconsumption Core) and an effort to bring sustainability to the forefront. The wastefulness of fast fashion and other consumer industries has a profound impact on the planet, especially climate change. Upcycling and crafting give new life to otherwise discarded items. Craft items also thrive on imperfection, collaboration, and the joy of making something instead of having stuff for stuff’s sake.

To get us into a Crafted Comeback aesthetic mindset, I first go to textiles and softness like @amberm.jensen’s woven looms and artful visible mending. Pinterest is reporting a huge uptick in craft related queries with small bead bracelet ideas +2000% and crochet bow bag +975% in fall of 2024. Credit where credit is due – Taylor Swift might have some influence here as well considering how much her friendship bracelets adorned the Eras Tour-goers. So raid your junk drawers, locate your needle and thread, and start stitching…

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN = A Crafting Comeback aesthetic in branding and design is a continuation of some popular 2024 design styles: funky pastels and garden adjacent color palettes, hand drawn and imperfect or intricate letterforms (see: @rosysignco), floral motifs, checkered and gingham patterns, ruffles, raffia, and yarn. This trend is about leaning into the eclectic collector’s drawer of treasures and putting any combination of little tchotchskies together to make something new. (Listen here: Kiss My Aesthetic Pdocast ep. 152 with Miniaturist Chelsea Makes). Craft core design is supposed to be intricate, layered, textured, and detailed. 

PHOTO & VIDEO = Photography and videography that emulate this crafty style will be derivatives of many forms of mixed media - drawings, sketches, video, animation, GIF, etc. Check out videos like  @elena_tea’s art journal layered over travel video clips or @imdaniellin’s tiktok process. Crafty photos and videos are visually maximalist, leaving no surface uncovered. Better yet, digital collages as launched by Pinterest’s Shuffles App launched in 2022 could become popular again (see: Everything you need to know about Shuffles App) which becomes an easy way to make dynamic visual content. Don’t be surprised if you see a 2025 version of The New Martha Stewart in all forms of media. Think Meredith Hayden’s Wishbone Kitchen, Brittany Jepsen’s @houselarsbuilt, and Kelly Mindell of Studio DIY and how they might serial-ize their content on their own channels to further cement themselves in the crafty hall of fame. 

PRINT, OOH & IN-PERSON = Since craft is about the tactile, anticipate that brands that use the craft aesthetic embrace physical print as well. These brands exist beyond the screen, and they’ll find every chance to push the materiality of their offerings (think stickers, patches, hand written note cards (like this restaurant that gives you a pen and card at the end of your meal to write a letter to send to yourself in 1 years time), embroidery, screenprinting, etc). A Crafted Comeback movement would leverage in-person events like craft workshops, community nights, makers markets, and barter options over traditional exchange of money for goods and services. Heck, crafting circles could also be the antidote to the dating app (Read: Gen Z’s new go-to NYC date night mixes booze with crafts, eliminating ‘awkward’ hangouts with activities, art and ‘liquid courage’).

FASHION & CULTURE = Alongside arts and crafts movements are arts and craft interior design & fashion aesthetics, which reject the machine made in favor of something maximal and ornate. Creator @milatextiles crafts exquisite hand embroidered ties, bags, hats, and more. Clothing rentals have also gained in popularity in recent years with services like Nuuly (with over 300k subscribers), Rent the Runway and others becoming a more practical option for swapping wardrobes. Nuuly is also launching a thrift option as part of their business model as a way of liquidating final sale clothing. The secondhand apparel market is predicted to reach $264 Billion in 2025 and rising. Reselling can also be an income generator for many, like this 22 year old who made nearly $100k from selling on Depop. Additionally, there are plenty of brands that are doing maximalist craft aesthetic… to the max.  The eye-bogglingly beautiful @villa.palladio.jaipur leaves no surface uncovered, similar to how fashion brands Farm Rio, La Double J, and @Ahluwalia whose SS 2025 runway featured pieces made of doilies. 

Brands that should do this soon: Brands that could benefit from craft-inspired rebrands would be the ones that lost their human-ness along the way. Dating apps come to mind as something that is so deeply personal that’s become algorithm-ed and impersonal. A Craft Comeback is also a way for artists to showcase their craftsmanship. Bring us more carpenters, ceramicists, textile artists, blacksmiths and leathersmiths in 2025. A craft resurgence could also lead to craft beer, craft coffee, craft everything but DIY at home a la hipster/tumblr era of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s. The thriftier we get, the more at home recipes for food, cosmetics, and other household items may rise – and the creators that can teach and educate others will gain major traction. Tech apps that celebrate independent artists and resellers like Pinterest, Etsy, Depop, Poshmark and others might also see a rise in popularity, which could lead developers to create competitive apps and platforms.

TREND 3: DO NOT DISTRUB DELUXE 🧘☁️🏛️

Doomscroll. Push Notifications. Group texts. Screen time. Eyestrain. Tech Neck. Like all addictions, the side effects of too much tech are taking a toll on our bodies, our minds, and our mental health so much so that Travelers are going to Extreme Lengths to Avoid Scrolling. The ultimate luxury in 2025? Turning it all off and going off the grid.

According to a recent study, adults check their phones an average of 58 times per day (way more if you’re an entrepreneur or social media manager) and 1 in 3 americans believe they spend too much time on their smartphones with 68% of people polled believing that too much screentime has led to a decline in their mental health. The antidote to this addiction might be sending yourself to tech rehab. Tech-free Trips Are on the Rise — From Hotels With No Wi-Fi to Multiday Retreats With No Phones Allowed  and Wellness Getaways Are Poised to Dominate Travel Trends in 2025. Although the American Psychiatric Association does not consider phone addiction a medical condition (yet), it wouldn’t be a far stretch to think that this could happen in 2025 and that more and more adults will turn to the travel industry to help them break the vicious screen time cycle & reset their nasty habits.

Medical tourism is not necessarily new (european elites in the Renaissance traveled great distances to enjoy healing properties of roman baths) but it saw a resurgence during COVID as healthcare costs increased and quality of care declined. More than 2 million Americans travel abroad for medical tourism every year and cite the cost of that care as being significantly cheaper than what they can find at home. Global medical tourism as an industry is set to reach $112 Billion by 2030 so it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that it will continue to grow in 2025.

For those who can afford to get a break from their devices, a Do Not Disturb trip could go very deluxe in 2025. Hospitality brands that already do this exceedingly well (for a high price point) already are Six Senses Hotels which allow you to enroll in Sleep Wellness Programs while staying on property, Aman Wellness Immersions, and Canyon Ranch’s Wellness reset programming.

Expect to see the Roman Bathhouse concept take off in 2025 with brands like Aire Ancient Baths gaining in popularity as phoneless places for relaxation. The bio-hacky Andrew Huberman and Peter Atilla worshippers could be responsible for why Oregon’s Sauna Scene Has Never Been Better. Across the pond, Auberge Resorts to land in London in 2025 with two-floor spa inspired by Roman bathing and most of the 25 Dazzling New Luxury Hotels Opening In 2025 will have wellness offerings.

Although wearable tech is still on the rise, companies like Oura Ring and Whoop that don’t have a screen display, and Yondr which allow you to offer screen-free experiences by placing smartphones in lockable neoprene pouches could gain in popularity as well.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN = Pinterest reports an uptick in serene color palettes (+110%) so you can expect brands embracing this trend to zen out neutrals, beiges, and textures like bronze, silver, water, stone, tile, earth, ceramic, marble. The Do Not Disturb aesthetic is biophilic in its design but also pulls inspiration from greco roman antiquities like statues, columns, baths, domes, and arches. Fonts and logo marks are clean, leaving lots of negative space to ‘breathe’ around them and corresponding linework and illustration are measured, symmetrical, methodical and pleasing to the eye. 

PHOTO & VIDEO = Photography and videography for a Do Not Disturb Deluxe aesthetic carry on the same themes of symmetry, purity, simplicity and stillness. There are no quick cuts, special effects, or harsh color edits but instead low contrast, slow motion, smooth camera maneuvers and an airiness that feels like floating among the clouds.

PRINT, OOH & IN-PERSON = To feel elevated and luxurious, print materials feature minimalist layouts and matte textures. These brands will find ways to take everything that we used our phones for and make them analog again – Wellness Journals, sketchbooks, written agendas, soundscapes, and reflective natural surroundings to look inward instead of onscreen in moments of boredom. In person wellness workshops ranging from yoga and meditation, to sleep and even silent retreats for the super hard core (Read: I went to a 7 Day Silent Meditation Retreat – Here’s what I learned).

FASHION & CULTURE = The wanderlust for being phone-less might hit an all time peak as  White Lotus Season 3 kicks off in 2025, set in Thailand and reprising spa owner Belinda as a connecting character from Season 1. Themes of wellness, relaxation, and luxury minimalism are evident in brands like Loro Piana which is known for its world class cashmere, vicuna and fine wools. Fragrance forward brands like Aesop, Necessaire, and OUAI are masterful at this look and feel.

Brands that should do this soon: 

Brands that should embrace a Do Not Disturb approach in 2025 would most obviously be the travel industry and travel creators (like Jetset Christina, Trusted Travel Girl). From large chains, to boutique finds, to luxe airbnb’s (like what we designed for Piano C) tech-free wellness experiences could be an absolute upsell for the traveler who is not interested in uploading 45 instagram stories daily. Social media apps could take note, by introducing more features that encourage healthy limits and boundaries with their tech and more devices could opt to be ‘dumb’ over ‘smart’ with less screen functionality. Event planners, communities and corporate retreat companies (like So Diego, Same Skin, With the Blinks and Bad Bitch Book Club) could create opportunities for connection sans phones. Lastly, fitness and wellness professionals can start to offer mindfulness and wellness options that encourage DND like In Light Hyperbarics various modalities for better healing.

TREND 4: MONUMENT OR MAKE-BELIEVE 🏢👛🎈

Now it wouldn’t be a trend report without touching artificial intelligence and augmented reality. In fact, I would be shocked to not see some variation of this in every 2025 trend prediction published here on the internet.

Our team’s first foray into AI image generation was back in 2021 for the San Diego Open “tennis taking over SD” campaign thanks to insights gained from my conversation with @thebemusedstudio on the Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast (listen: KMA Ep 117). Lauren has since returned to the podcast (KMA Ep 133 and KMA Ep 162) to teach us about the advancements of all the different apps and programming that can be utilized to make your visions come to life, blending reality with make-believe. In 2024, we used AI in just about every single branding project – from creating stock imagery, to GIFs, to video and more. Using these tools has helped us help our clients by showing them possibilities that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to create. See FRG’s Announcement Teaser, In Light Hyperbarics Videos, Dental Hygiene Nation Fictitious Chateau, and Morgan Eckroth’s Personal Rebrand. 

And the world’s biggest brands have been cashing in on this ability for a while now… suspending disbelief for just a moment - employing tromp l’oiel like scenes with cartoonishly oversized versions of their signature products in major cities around the world. One of the first to do it and do it well was Jacquemus back in 2023, with their driving bags through Paris, or Maybeline’s mascara tube on the tube video. While some consumers are annoyed by this type of content for ‘tricking them’, I think in 2025 we’ll see brands turn these comically gargantuan faux brand applications practical.

In fact, some already have. Ahead of the Eras Tour coming to Vancouver, the BC Place stadium added mammoth bracelets around their venue. On New York City’s famous 5th Ave and Paris’ iconic Champs Elyses, Louis Vuitton has sheathed their storefronts in their signature suitcase motif, complete with latch closures and handles. Also in NYC – the Highline Pigeon nests itself as another example of larger than life proportions. The hot new bombshell on the Las Vegas strip, the Sphere brings a 360 approach to the possibilities of brand advertisement. As we continue on into 2025, don’t be surprised if you all of a sudden feel like you’ve walked into a scene from “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”

Generative AI gives businesses of all size the chance to flex their creative muscles and push the limits of what’s possible for giant brand installations. Although not practical in all instances, we predict that more brands will be able to use these tools to green light their vision for gargantuan practical builds in ways that evoke genuine shock and awe from spectacle seekers. Take the Wicked movie for example. Instead of using CGI sets, Director John M Chu had Shiz University, Munchkinland, Oz, and the Emerald City train built practically… an incredible feat for film making and a factoid that had audiences reeling for more

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN = In branding, expect to see more companies play with texture, size and scale. Like artists Christo & Jeanne Claude’s fabric wrap installation art from the 60’s and 70’s more brands will take creative licence to drench your most notable landmarks in their brand colors, fonts, styles, patterns and motifs. Creative Directors will seek out ways to make their brands’ products larger than life in commercial displays, pop ups, and in person experiences. Generative AI apps like Adobe Firefly and Krea allow users to create believable logo illusions that mimic real world textures, adding depth to digital design work like this reel of the Burberry Logo on different textures. What’s most important here is the consistency between what you’re making and the world your brand operates in… resist the urge to make something just because it looks cool, but because it contributes to the brand storytelling at large. 

PHOTO & VIDEO = Photographers, videographers and other content creators will play with proportions too, like @vine.fits who creates collages of their OOTDs unlike anyone else. Artists like Refik Anadol and @alva.skog have incorporated AI into their working process creating pieces assisted or entirely created by machine. AI assisted video is also growing at lightning speed and giving creators more ways to delight and surprise. We anticipate that this will lead to more brands experimenting with unexpected animation similar to this @ladoublej animation, this one from @hermes, many of the eyecatching architectural animations from @chinmayakotian or the absolute masterpieces coming out of @sucukundbratwurst. @jadkassis’s Adobe Firefly tutorials are a great place to start if you’re looking at achieve this kind of look for your brand.

PRINT, OOH & IN-PERSON = This trend takes over in 2025 when brands that have the funds to do so, make these gigantic installations happen. Putting the consumer within the context of the brand world being built allows for a heightened experience of the product at play and will continue to break barriers of traditional 2D advertising.

FASHION & CULTURE = Comically large and exaggerated features will remain at the forefront if we follow the lead of December’s 2024 Marc Jacobs led cover of Vogue featuring Kaia Gerber in cartoonishly exaggerated accessories and enhancements. In fact, the entire Marc Jacobs collection follows suit, showing uncanny proportions for clothing and accessories. As mentioned previously, almost all of the major fashion houses have attempted their take on larger than life marketing… but 2025 let’s see them put their money where their mouth is and make them real. 

Brands that should do this soon: Although exciting, the rapid changes with AI cause a decent amount of ethical, environmental and private security concerns. Cyber security hacks, personal identity biometrics, and digital exploitation (see Donald Trump’s AI Taylor Swift endorsement) are all on the docket for deep discussion and legislation in the new year (listen: Kiss My Aesthetic Podcast episode 168 with Claire Xue). There seems to be a lot of work to be done in the education space around AI, VR and AR. The first online educators that can create a comprehensive AI Media Literacy course in 2025 will make bank. Other businesses that could thrive in 2025 are installation artists, muralists, sculptors, and set designers who have the opportunity to meet the market needs by bringing those visions to life in visual merchandising, sculptural installation and event design.

IN CONCULSIOOONN…

These are just a select few trends and themes we’re anticipating in the new year, but by no means is this everything. I’ll be keeping this Pinterest board active with more sub aesthetics and trends as they come across my desk. The main takeaways being these consistent threads:

• DO lean into transformation and take creative risks that challenge the norm. Is your brand ready to embrace a bolder, more inclusive version of itself? Can you take traditionally exclusive aesthetics and make them a place where everyone belongs? The spirit of 2025 is all about reclamation and ingenuity…this is your invitation to be a part of it.

• DON’T shy away from materiality and human tactility. Whether it’s rugged camo, serene wellness textures, or elaborate handcrafted details, 2025 is a year to explore the physical, tangible side of branding and to bring your designs into the real world in a meaningful way, large or small.

If you made it all the way to the end of this blog post, you deserve all the accolades for staying curious and connected to what's next. Stay tuned for the accompanying podcast on Kiss My Aesthetic, which you can listen to anywhere you find your podcasts OR tune in on YouTube. You can also find @mkwcreative.co on TikTok and Instagram.

Ready to implement one of these trends for your brand in 2025? Let's make magic together.

2024 Design Trend Predictions: The Aesthetics you’re about to see Everywhere Next Year

As we gaze into the crystal ball of 2024, a few clear narratives emerge to pick up where 2023 left off. In order to know where we’re going we must start where we’re coming from. In summary…

LOOKING BACK: OUR 2023
ERAS

WOMEN RULE ERA

We’d be remiss to not call them “Eras” after the chokehold Ms. Taylor Swift had on pop culture this year (like being named Time’s Person of the Year, hitting Billionaire status, and producing the highest grossing tour of all time). But she’s not the only female at the top of her game. From Beyonce’s glass-ceiling-shattering Renaissance Tour, to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, to the Rihanna Superbowl Halftime Show (most watched halftime show in history), these iconic moments cemented the year of the woman, and simultaneously ‘eventized’ the in-person experience. Almost all of these events ignited their own dress codes to match, giving super fans a chance to pledge their loyalty (and super fandom) in costume and flex their creativity online and off. More of that in ‘24, please.

APEROL SPRITZ ERA

Speaking of themes, in 2023 we said “andiamo a italia” for a summer of la dolce vita. After my over-the-top white lotus italian 30th birthday theme invites went viral on TikTok, it was no surprise we noticed tons of Italian design influence flooding our feeds (or hey, that’s just how the algorithm works). Photo dump carousels and compilation reels consisting of bikinis, boats, spritzes, stripes, pizza, pasta, and more pistachio gelato that anyone should have in their lifetime gave us an Italy hangover in the best way… but felt very 2023 in retrospect. (All recapped on Ep. 125 Bday Boxes and Aesthetic Themes).

R.I.P. TWITTER, HELLO THREADS ERA

Elon Musk’s $44 Billion dollar acquisition of Twitter and rebrand to X was like a dagger to the chest for all branding and marketing enthusiasts. The lackluster logo and seemingly nonexistent accompanying brand suite felt like bro marketing flop at its finest.. or its worst? (He should have tuned in to Kiss My Aesthetic Ep. 127 about Common Branding Mistakes). The silver lining (and polar opposite) was Meta’s rollout of Threads. Discussed on KMA Episode 121 with Ashli Pollard of Team AP Consulting.

EVERYONE’S OBSESSED WITH AI ERA

I mean, guilty as charged. From skeptic to superfan, AI totally transformed the way we run our agency this year. Personal sensei, guru, and self-proclaimed AI Auntie Lauren DeVane of Bemused Studio spilled it all on Kiss My Aesthetic Episode 117 & again on Episode 133: Midjourney & AI Part 2. Creators on Instagram and TikTok started popping off with their AI creations, like how @glamseasons transformed a soccer field into a mystical castle scene blending video and AI image generation or how I can’t stop making Faux-tels for Hotel Lobby Candle. Sitting out on integrating AI into your business in 2024 will the equivalent of choosing to run your business without using the internet in the dot com boom. Saving myself from writing an entire dissertation on the ubiquitous-ness of AI in the creative space, I just want you to know that in 2024 we are going to be seeing MORE AI, not less… and therefore each of the themes outlined in this article will hint at how that can be integrated.

TREND 1: CHERRY, CHOCOLATE, SILVER 🍒🍫🍴

Move over vanilla aesthetic, grab a spoon, and dive in to the chocolately deliciousness that is the 2024 version of Cherry Garcia. In both fashion and art a cherry chocolate color combo speaks to a broader cultural fascination with blending the tart, with the sweet and the sultry. These colors on their own carry such individually rich history and symbolism, but together create a combined palette that is warm, nostalgic, and decadent. You might recall this combo from late 90s & the early 2000s, where it was actually a revival of 1970s fashion trends that brought back chocolate browns into vogue: influencing attire, interiors, automotive, and cosmetic industries. The internet’s PR agent Girl Boss Town’s titular Red Nail Theory summarizes this on the cherry side.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

Embracing the Cherry/Chocolate/Silver trend in your brand aesthetics means going full bore moody, reflective, seductive, and fruity sweet. Here’s where you’ll see it most:

BRANDING & DESIGN - Color palettes will start to shift from dreaded beige, greige, tan and black to incorporate more richness like dark chocolate or espresso color tones. Typography will also start to look more fluid and sugary, mimicing a sense of thickness and viscosity reminiscent of these candy coated visuals (does the Wonka movie have anything to do with this?). Packaging designers can draw inspiration from old candy wrappers (see DumDums) and dive in to blind emboss effects to give physical depth to pieces they make. Anticipate playing cards and board games making a huge comeback in 2024, as more Gen Z and millennials are drawn to an alcohol-free lifestyle but still want to stay connected with friends.

PHOTO & VIDEO - The photography style for the Cherry/Chocolate/Silver trend carries the baton of flash photography low res grainy edit of 2022 and 2023 but peppers in the late 90s early 2000s white wall backlit studio headshots a la Christian Dior, Chanel, and Tom Ford. The Cherry/Chocolate/Silver brand brings their brightness all the way down, and saturation all the way up, yet counts on the hint and glimmer of chrome, motion blur, and sparkles to bring romantic mystery.

FASHION & CULTURE - From the runway to your timeline, Red Stockings and Tights have already picked up steam and chrome and silver jewelry are quickly replacing it-girls’ gold dainty chains. I’d guess to say that Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn set to come out next October has Cherry/Chocolate/Silver potential… and something about this moodboard is also very Taylor Swift Reputation (Taylor’s Version) coded… but also a hint of Shania Twain?

Brands that already do this well: Shop Natalie MCM What Happens in Vegas Fragrance which morphs on the skin and smells like nothing you’ve ever smelled before, trust me. Summer Friday’s Midnight Retinol Launch Campaign, Schutz Cherry and Silver Fiorella Pumps or even Chocolate brown Croc boots, Jacquemus Cherry and Silver, Rhode Lip Glosses

Brands that should do this soon: Imagine if department store Macy’s reinvented themselves with this look? They’re halfway there with the red star already, but a revamp of the brand to 90s/2000s mall rat nostalgia would crush. In fact, I’m very down for a revival of mall culture. Additionally, a Miley Cyrus x Lana Del Rey collab again is long overdue for this look, since their last team up was way back in the Charlie’s Angels reboot era and a Gucci (already cherry red) shoot on top… why not. Lastly, Coca Cola could save face by bringing back Cherry Coke after dropping it from their line up in 2023.

TREND 2: BOW ADORNED BALLERINA 🩰🦢🎀

It’s no doubt that bows are having their moment. You’d be hard pressed to find any influencers holiday tree sans-ribbon this season, but here’s why bows and ballerina-core are here to stay.

Bows, historically a symbol of femininity and grace, have seen various iterations in fashion over the decades. Prominently featured in the voluminous and elaborate dresses of the Victorian era, bows symbolized luxury and refinement. In the mid-20th century, bows were reimagined in a more subdued manner, often as accents on collars, waistlines, and hair accessories. The return of bows in 2024 continues the Barbie legacy of 2023, allowing women to embrace and celebrate their femininity not as an antithesis to masculinity but as its own asset; its own attribute to be proud of. In 2024, ballerina-core is poised to make a significant comeback filling a craving for fluidity, grace, and elegance and intoxicatingly sweet silliness. This trend will likely emphasize soft fabrics, flowing silhouettes, and a palette that includes pastels pinks and neutral tones.

This trend is also nicknamed the coquette aesthetic (and seen via personal favorite: the coquette trend on TikTok, or read Bustle’s snarky take here). The term coquette quite literally translates to “to deal with something playfully rather than seriously.” Don’t forget — Mean Girls reboot comes out in 2024, and we would bet that one of the plastics will be repping this style & attitude in the movie musical.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN - Where 2023 was the height of the hand written calligraphy, the Bow Adorned Ballerina brand is going to use classical style cursives and formal script fonts that feel more regal and prestigious. Edge embellishments on print invitations and monograms fit for monarchs will be popular among personal brands, luxury lifestyle products, fragrance houses, and confectioners. This style is about all things light, airy, and delicate, meaning that the color palettes and packaging designs would look just as natural on Marie Antoinette’s bed side table as it does in your favorite influencer’s GRWM. Textures will also be huge in carrying out this aesthetic to its fullest: lace, tulle, satin, silk, bronze, and pearl are all on our watch list.

PHOTO & VIDEO - The photography and videography of this Ballerina-core/Coquette aesthetic will undoubtedly be soft focus, hazy, monochromatic, with billowing clouds of fabrics framing feminine features. This aesthetic could take a turn for more grunge-y/less pretty in pink when toughened up with harsh flash, black accents, or unnatural posing, but overall the sweetness and innocence as seen in this moodboard will prevail.

FASHION & CULTURE - Ballet, with its fantastical settings and costumes, offers a form of escapism. The world of ballet is often seen as a magical realm appealing to those who seek a sense of wonder and fantasy. With the Paris Olympics taking place in the summer in the city of love, anticipate french culture dominating the fashion and aesthetics landscape. We can speculate that attending the a ballet, opera, or museum event will become more popular after the Met Gala 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' takes place the first monday in May.

Brands that already do this well: Christian Siriano SS24, Belle of the Ball Selkie, quickly followed by LoveShackFancy, creator @isa.bella.ricci or @thesandraduran

Brands that should do this soon: Van Cleef and Arpels should claim this space after Swarovski rebrand went more bold in 2023. This aesthetic could be reclaimed by pop princess Ariana Grande in anticipation for her role as Glinda the good witch in the upcoming movie adaptation of Wicked slotted for November 2024.

TREND 3: NEON FAUVISM & SHEER SURREAL 🪲🍸🌀

The Aperol Spritz is to the Amalfi Coast what Chartreuse and Absinthe is to Copenhagen on an acid trip… or what I’ll coin “Neon Fauvism.” Different but not dissimilar to the Gen Z affinity for lavender purple and citrine green, this design movement will be as if that Gen Z-er got a job in a French/Danish fashion house or art museum.

Fauvism was a radical early 20th-century movement where vivid color reigned supreme. Spearheaded by visionaries like Henri Matisse and André Derain, Fauvism broke free from realism's reins and took an emotional, surreal and sometimes garish approach to the ordinary. These 'Wild Beasts' (‘Les Fauves’ in French) dared to use bold, unorthodox hues to express emotions, rather than replicate the natural world's tones. Their canvases were a riot of color, unapologetically loud and emotionally charged, making Fauvism a brief but blazing comet in the art firmament, forever altering the trajectory of modern art.

Envisioning Fauvism in 2024, we might expect a contemporary reinterpretation that blends its foundational ethos of bold color and emotional expression with modern artistic trends and technologies. In the digital age, Fauvism could evolve through new mediums like digital art/generative AI, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), where its characteristic vibrant colors and emotive forms take on a new life in interactive and immersive environments. Colors that were relegated beyond the pantone swatches (or only designated in the neon palettes) can be reintroduced thanks to the boundless limits of modern tech, pushing the boundaries of what we expect things to look like.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN - Expect a painterly approach to brand work, incorporating loose brush strokes with a wide range of funky color tones. This look will work best with products and services who don’t shy away from the weird and unconventional. They’ll use loosey goosey fonts like this free one called Donut, sheer shape-shifting textures like tulle, chainmail, chiffon and gauzy linens. These brands love a highlighter pop of color to bring emphasis to the emotions they most want you to feel.

PHOTO & VIDEO - The photography and videography styles that best encapsulates this trend are pieces that feel like a dreamscape — hazy, burry, sometimes garish, but all in the daytime. This aesthetic is NOT nighttime neon from Blade Runner or Pulp Fiction, but instead a fluorescent that feels herbaceous, floral, and otherworldly. Quirky architecture and street style fashion photography come to mind with this trend, especially when unconventional colors, textures, or materials are at play.

FASHION & CULTURE - In a nod to Fauvism’s dramatic flair, accessories in Fauvist-inspired fashion can be statement-making, with vivid colors and unique, sculptural designs that stand out as art pieces in their own right. This might manifest in unexpected drapery, asymmetrical lines, or unconventional garment construction that challenges traditional forms. Culturally, hoteliers, artists, architects, and interior designer will incorporate a fauvism approach as instagram eyecandy.

Brands that already do this well: The GOAT of this trend is Schiaparelli, especially Hunter Schaffer’s dress for the 2023 Hunger Games Premiere, also loving Glassworks and Homewares by Completedworks, Ganni, Artist Tiel Duncan, Delightfully Neon Illustrations by @theintuitivecreative, & @jw_horner ‘s Mirrored Florals.

Brands that should do this soon: Poppi Sodas (they’re sooo close as it is, we’d love to see them go full bore with this theme). Also in the food category, Altoids should bring back their Citrus Sours as a millennial throwback. Brands in the cannabis and psilocybin realm could have a field day with this theme, due to the trippy color combos and painterly aesthetics. Lastly, if Green Chartreuse could get whoever did Aperol’s PR, they’d be flying high all year long.

TREND 4: FOODIE-TORIAL 🍅🥒🥨

Permission to play with your food: granted. 2023 had its fair share of food induced themes from butter boards to flavored water, everyone’s cottage cheese obsession to girl dinner (which inspired my halloween costume). In 2024 however, you’ll see food in more of a high fashion context. Following the footsteps of Jacquemus and Loewe (Read: Food as a Status Symbol or the Culinary Team behind Luxury’s most Exclusive Dinners), integrating food into fashion, fragrance, homewares and lifestyle accessories will become mainstream in the new year to embody the “art of multi-sensory marketing”.

Our cultural obsession with food as status is not new. Renaissance and Dutch Masters made painstakingly accurate renditions of food-filled tablescapes until the invention of the camera in the 19th century. Yet it wasn’t until the mid-20th century, with the boom of advertising and print media that food photography started to gain significant commercial importance. The gourmet food scene of the 70s and 80s led to a more sophisticated approach to food photography emphasizing elegance, opulence, and authenticity. Today, in the digital and social media era, food photography is a blend of professional and user-generated content, reflecting both artistic expression and cultural trends in food consumption and presentation while also flashing to your friends and followers “look what I can afford”.

In 2024, the avant-garde depiction of food as high art is likely to transcend traditional boundaries, blending culinary mastery with innovative artistic expression. As the lines between art, technology, and gastronomy blur, we can expect to see food presented in ways that challenge and expand our understanding of aesthetics and taste. Interactive and immersive experiences, possibly utilizing augmented and virtual reality, will elevate the dining experience to a form of performance art. This evolution will mark a new era where food is not just sustenance or pleasure, but a powerful medium for artistic and social commentary.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on where you stand on the issue), weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Monjaro have already undoubtedly changed the way we look at food as a society. We predict that in the new year, you’ll see food presented as art objects & in avant garde ways. Mark my words butter pyramid towers are coming because Gwyneth Paltrow had one at her Goop holiday party (…its giving the party scene at the Capitol in Hunger Games). How is this possible when everyone else is feeling the crunch of economic downturn due to high cost of living? Read more in this fascinating Nylon article: Fashion’s Obsession with Bread is Recession Camp.

WHERE YOU’LL SEE IT

BRANDING & DESIGN - Don’t be shocked to see food used a as styling tool for selling goods and services unrelated to the food itself. Foodie Editorial or “Foodie-torial” craze as I’m dubbing it, across visual communications pairs well with bold, san serif, poster-ready fonts for max impact. Bold color palettes will be derived from the produce itself: tomato red, buttery yellow and leafy green. Patterns you’ll see accompanied with this look will be traditional restaurant tablecloth inspired like gingham and checker.

PHOTO & VIDEO - Food as prop seems to be the most obvious theme but food looking like things that aren’t food and vice versa also seems to be an impending trend. This photo/video style makes use of naturally lit UGC just as much as a high gloss studio setting. The primary ingredient in these compositions is fun and absurdity. You’ve got to be ready to take on the silly excessiveness of using food in this way in order to do the trend justice.

FASHION & CULTURE - As explained in CNN’s article Conspicuous consumption: Why the worlds of food and fashion are Colliding “fashion brands including Prada, Gucci and Ralph Lauren have opened cafes and restaurants, allowing shoppers to literally consume their favorite brands.” Expect more of this in 2024 as fashion and food are two industries that everyone does participate in (cue Cerulean scene from Devil Wears Prada). We also think that we’re overdue for a new era of celebrity chefs to hit the scene maybe due in part to the popularity of The Bear which is renewed for Season 3 in 2024.

Brands already doing this well:  Iconic food fashion hybrids Lisa Says Gah & PanacheBklyn, Food Artist @thisismold, @badtaste.biz, Jacquemus, Loewe, Schiaparelli again with the Lobster Dress, Oscar de la Renta’s Creative Director Laura Kim’s feed is half dedicated to food > fashion. Ultimate brand crush doing Foodie-torial right is Flamingo Estate. If you don’t know them you better… and you can thank me later.

Brands that should do this soon: We’ve seen fashion and food paired well together, but not as much with beauty, haircare, or skincare. Imagine DryBar did a campaign themed around hair food for a new product line launch. What if Ilia or Rare Beauty’s next shoot had juicy fruits and farm fresh veggies in scene? Additionally interior design brands should use this approach in their brand visuals to create quirky renditions of lighting setups, chairs, furniture installations, wallpapers and fabrics. Not that 2000’s tuscan kitchen trompe l’oeil or stuffed olive oil jars need to make a comeback, but interior rooms decorated for dinner parties with unexpected off the wall presentation & themes are welcome to stay.

IN CONCULSIOOONN…

These are just a select few trends and themes we’re anticipating in the new year, but by no means is this everything. I’ll be keeping this Pinterest board active with more sub aesthetics and trends as they come across my desk. The main takeaways being these consistent threads:

• DO double down on your brand adjectives to drive your aesthetic. Is your brand sweet or sultry? Quirky? Unconventional? Traditional and nostalgic or modern and avant garde? These descriptors should represent your home base (making any deviations from home a true experiment worth pursuing by the way!) and be something you come back to as a core tenant of what you offer in the broader communication of your visual style

• DON’T be afraid to push the envelope and create ART in your marketing… with food, with color, form, texture or messaging, 2024 is a year to embrace your frenzied creative mind and make something magical, either physically or with the help of your favorite AI tool of choice

If you made it all the way to the end of this behemoth of a blog post, thank you, and I want to reach through my computer and kiss you. Stay tuned for the accompanying podcast on Kiss My Aesthetic, which you can listen to anywhere you find your podcasts OR tune in on YouTube. You can also find @mkwcreative.co on TikTok and Instagram.

Looking to implement one of these trends with your brand in 2024?