Graphic design trends in 2025: What’s Next in Graphic Design
Every graphic designer needs to stay updated with the latest design trends. As we head towards 2025, the design world is set to see some exciting changes. Keeping up with these trends will help you stay competitive and create the best designs.
TWith rapid advancements in technology and evolving consumer preferences, the graphic design landscape is constantly changing, giving rise to new trends. In 2025, we’ll see a mix of advanced technology, old-fashioned styles, and a focus on sustainability and inclusivity. These trends will shape the future of design and provide new opportunities for creativity.
In this article, we’ll explore the top graphic design trends to expect in 2025. From AI-powered design to retro-futurism and personalised designs, each trend offers unique ways to improve your designs. By understanding these trends, you can stay ahead and make your work stand out. Let’s step into the future of graphic design and see what’s next.
1. AI Design in Graphic Design Trends 2025
AI is transforming not only the process of creating designs but also how designers approach their work. Tools like Adobe Firefly, Sensei, and Canva’s Magic Resize go beyond basic automation. Designers can focus on creativity and problem-solving by incorporating AI into daily workflows. Imagine designing an entire brand identity—logo, colour palette, typography—within hours using AI tools to automate repetitive tasks.
However, the key to using AI in 2025 will be understanding how to balance AI’s automation with human touch. While AI can generate ideas and elements, it’s upon designer’s creative sense and vision that transform these elements into memorable designs.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Runway AI for video content and animation, and combine them with other AI tools to enhance your productivity. The goal isn’t just to use AI to “do things faster,” but to use AI to bring up new creative ideas.
AI will analyze user behaviour to create personalized designs that enhance engagement and boost effectiveness. By making design processes faster and giving predictive analytics, AI will help you keep your designs fresh and relevant and stay ahead of trends.

2. Custom Illustrations

Custom illustrations are not just a passing trend—they are a powerful way to tell your brand’s story in a unique voice. While hand-drawn elements convey warmth and authenticity, designers can enhance custom illustrations with 3D effects, AI-powered textures, and mixed media, creating unique designs that seamlessly blend timeless and contemporary elements.
In 2025, the secret to mastering custom illustrations lies in using AI-assisted sketching tools, such as Adobe Fresco, to sketch, add depth, and even suggest color schemes. This not only speeds up your workflow but ensures that each illustration has a special creative style. The combined use of human creativity and AI precision will allow illustrators to tackle big projects without feeling overwhelmed by the technical aspects.
For clients or projects requiring quick revisions, AI tools like Artbreeder can help designers explore different versions of an illustration, saving hours while maintaining a strong sense of hand-made detail. Use AI to generate multiple repetitions of your illustration for client approval without struggling to start from scratch.

3. Motion Graphics
Motion graphics in 2025 will go beyond micro-interactions and simple logo animations. The future lies in interactive storytelling, where brands use motion graphics not only for attention-grabbing visuals but also to deeply connect with their audience through engaging storytelling strategies.
Interactive motion graphics will take centre stage in user experiences. Think about including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in your designs. Using tools like Blender or Adobe After Effects, motion graphics can become strong within VR environments, creating a 3D experience that engages users in your content.
When designing motion graphics, focus on user interaction. Instead of just designing animations, create designs that respond to the user’s actions—such as floating, scrolling, or tapping. This creates a more engaging and personalized experience for your audience.
For example, Dropbox uses motion graphics in its tutorials, adding animations that make complex information easier to understand. This has made learning and enjoying the platform easier for new users.
4. Neumorphism

Neumorphism is more than just a design style. It offers a smooth and easy-to-use experience by gently guiding users with soft shadows and a sense of touch. However, one big challenge with Neumorphism is its accessibility—its use of soft contrasts can sometimes make buttons or other parts hard to see for people with vision problems.
For designers looking to adopt Neumorphism without compromising accessibility, the key is in contrast balancing. Integrate more sharp edges or experiment with better color contrasts to keep buttons and elements more distinguishable.
To avoid potential issues with usability, combine Neumorphism with Flat UI elements. This combined approach makes sure your design stays modern and easy to use while still being accessible to everyone.
Apple has integrated neumorphism into some of its iOS widgets, providing a soft, realistic feel that enhances user interaction. Subtle shadows and highlights give a sense of depth while maintaining a clean, modern look.
5. Brutalism

Brutalism, known for its sharp, raw aesthetic, is making a strong comeback. Characterized by complex layouts, rough edges, and strong typography, Brutalism focuses on delivering the message quickly and directly.
This trend, inspired by mid-century architectural movements, is about stripping down to the essentials. While Brutalism can seem harsh, its strength is in its authenticity and practicality. In 2025, designers will continue to use this style to make bold statements, using sharp contrasts and minimalistic layouts to capture attention.
Inspired by mid-20th-century architecture and early web design, Brutalism offers a fresh, modern, nostalgic, and visionary approach.
6. Retro-Futurism
Retro-futurism is more than just an acknowledgement of the past—it’s a way to create a sense of nostalgia while looking forward with a modern touch. Designers can use retro color palettes, geometric shapes, and typography from the 80s, but with a futuristic twist by adding holographic textures and space-themed elements.
For brands, retro-futurism offers a chance to connect with the audience’s emotions. Whether it’s using neon hues similar to 80s gaming or including futuristic elements like space travel, this trend allows you to create visuals that feel both comforting and exciting.
Combine vintage design elements with modern technologies such as dynamic illustrations or AR filters, allowing users to experience the past and future together. When done right, retro-futurism provides a powerful balance of familiarity and innovation.

Hollywood movies like “Blade Runner 2049” use retro-futuristic graphics to create a unique atmosphere by blending the past and the future. This results in stunning visuals that have received a lot of praise and appreciation from audiences.
7. Experimental Typography
Experimental typography is about pushing the boundaries of traditional type design, challenging readability, and creating an appealing graphic experience. In 2025, typography will become increasingly interactive, with text dynamically moving, changing, or adjusting based on user interaction. Typography will improve user experience by adjusting to different screen sizes and adding effects like floating or hovering text.
However, one major challenge with experimental typography is finding the right balance between creativity and readability. Designers should ensure that even with irregular layouts, distorted letters, or playful arrangements, the message remains clear to the audience.
Use tools like Adobe Illustrator or Procreate to experiment with hand-drawn text that can later be vectorized for digital use. Combining text with images, or even integrating 3D typography into web design, can create depth and interactivity while still guiding the user’s attention.
Note: When using experimental typography in branding or web design, always test its readability on different devices. What may look great on a desktop might become difficult to read on a mobile device. Ensure that any typographic experiment enhances the user experience rather than lowering it.
8. Maximalism
Maximalism is all about creating bold, complex visuals that attract and engage audiences. By using a variety of colors, textures, and patterns, designers can create designs that feel rich and detailed without overwhelming the user.
In 2025, When working with maximalist designs, it’s important to maintain a clear focal point. Make sure the design remains practical and user-friendly, balancing rich visuals with natural layouts. Using tools like Figma, you can test different UI/UX layouts to ensure that maximalism enhances the user experience rather than lowering it.

The Hollywood film “The Great Gatsby” uses maximum set design and costumes to create graphically impressive scenes, enhancing the cinematic experience by attracting the audience with its detailed and rich aesthetics.
9. Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a powerful trend in graphic design for 2025, bringing elements of the past into modern design to evoke warm and familiar feelings. Designers use retro color palettes from past decades, such as the muted tones of the 70s, bright neons of the 80s, and grunge colors of the 90s, which immediately took viewers back in time. Vintage typography, which represents the old typefaces found on old posters and advertisements, is making a comeback, adding an authentic retro feel to modern designs.
Combine vintage design elements with modern technologies like AR filters, animations, or dynamic graphics. For example, a retro-themed website can integrate interactive features, like sound effects or pixel art animations, creating a fully appealing user experience that feels both familiar and new.
While nostalgia can create an emotional connection, it’s important not to divert modern audiences by leaning too heavily into the past. The key to effective nostalgic designs lies in balancing retro elements with modern aesthetics.
For example, Nintendo uses old-fashioned design elements in its marketing campaigns to evoke memories of classic games when introducing new products. This old-fashioned approach has helped Nintendo maintain a loyal fan base and increase sales of new releases.
10. Diversity in Design
Diversity in design is no longer a trend; it is a necessity. In 2025, the focus will shift towards creating designs that reflect the diverse experiences of users—across race, gender, age, disability, and culture. This goes beyond simply using diverse stock images. Designers must actively seek to understand the cultural and social variations that shape user experiences.
When designing for inclusivity, pay close attention to the symbols, color palettes, and typography choices you use. For example, colors have different meanings in various cultures—red symbolizes luck in China, while it might represent danger in Western contexts. Typography can also convey cultural significance. Incorporating diverse typefaces and non-Western script styles can help build a deeper emotional connection with your audience.
It’s not enough to just show diversity graphically; the design itself must be accessible to everyone. This means ensuring that your designs are usable by people with disabilities—using alt text, ensuring high contrast for color-blind users, and providing keyboard navigation for those who can’t use a mouse. Tools like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) can help ensure your website or digital design meets accessibility standards.
In Hollywood, the film “Black Panther” celebrates diversity, using representation as a central theme in its story. This approach has not only increased the cultural impact of the film but also contributed to its commercial success by attracting a wider audience and promoting positive social change.
11. Sustainability in Design
The importance of sustainability in graphic design continues to grow, and this trend will be even stronger in 2025. As consumers become more environmentally conscious, designers should adopt practices that reflect these values. This includes using eco-friendly materials, reducing waste in production processes, and choosing sustainable methods for digital design.
Incorporating sustainability into your design practice means selecting materials and methods that minimize the impact on the environment. For example, go for recycled paper for print projects and use digital platforms that prioritize energy efficiency. Additionally, consider the lifecycle of your designs—creating pieces that can be easily updated or reused reduces the need for frequent reprints and helps conserve resources.
Designers can also use their skills to promote sustainability through visual storytelling. Creating eye-catching graphics that highlight environmental issues or recommend sustainable practices can raise awareness and inspire action. By integrating sustainability into your work, you not only contribute to a better planet but also connect with an audience that values eco-friendly practices.
Brands like Patagonia have successfully incorporated sustainability into their design and marketing strategies, emphasizing their commitment to the environment through every aspect of their brand. Similarly, Jaguar’s recent rebranding into 2025 is a great example of how sustainability is becoming an integral part of modern branding. The luxury carmaker has adopted a more sustainable approach by focusing on electric vehicles and environmentally conscious design elements in its branding. The new design of Jaguar’s logo now reflects sleek minimalism, signalling its commitment to reducing environmental impact while maintaining its heritage of elegance and innovation.
This rebranding shows how even established brands can move toward sustainability without compromising their identity, setting a new standard for environmentally responsible design practices. By showcasing such examples, designers can inspire customers and industries to make more sustainable choices.
By adopting thoughtful design practices and embracing innovative branding strategies, you can position sustainability as a core theme in your work. Whether it’s through materials, processes, or visual storytelling, keeping up with this trend can help you create designs that will not only attract but also contribute to a greener future.
12. Personalized Design: The Designer’s Touch
In the age of automation and AI, the personal touch in design has never been more valuable. Personalized design connects on a human level, reflecting the designer’s unique style, attention to detail, and deep understanding of the client’s needs.
In 2025, personalization will overtake AI-generated design. Designers who understand human psychology can create work that resonates emotionally, influences behaviour, and sets trends in the industry. AI can speed up workflows, but it’s the designer’s vision that transforms ideas into authentic, relatable stories.
For example, adding hand-drawn elements, analogous color palettes, or custom typography can make branding more meaningful. Tools like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator enable designers to create distinctive assets that stand out and connect with audiences.
Pro tip: Use AI for repetitive tasks, but focus your energy on creative and strategic aspects that require a human touch. This balance ensures that designs are efficient, emotionally impactful, and trendsetters.
Conclusion
Graphic design trends for 2025 are both exciting and diverse, offering new ways to improve your work and stay ahead in the design world. From AI-driven design to personalised designs, these trends offer new opportunities to make your project stand out.
By adopting these trends, you can keep your designs modern and attractive. Whether you’re using the latest tools or trying out new styles, these trends can inspire you and guide your creative process. Embrace these trends, stay inspired, and leverage them to create designs that captivate audiences and deliver impressive results. The future of graphic design is full of possibilities – take advantage of it and make your mark with your unique creativity.