Major Trends

Our major trends, based on year-over-year search increases, are each influenced by an era of design with an emphasis on our brightest and boldest memories. This is the past broadcast in stunning technicolor.

Major

Zine Culture

In the digital age, zine culture lives on in the decentralized mindset of social media where independent makers can share and niche groups can discover.

  • +1376% Contemporary art collage

The style is uniquely undesigned, creating a raw look that stands out in a polished digital world.

Built on principles of collage, and largely influenced by the invention of the photocopier, it's paper cutouts, noise and grain textures, and rough-edged layers that define this trend.

Express Yourself
Major

'80s Opulence

The '80s are back and ready to party with gold chains, animal prints, and attitude.

  • +1060% Elegance pattern
  • +731% Chain print
  • +157% Snakeskin pattern
  • +168% Leopard print pattern

We say forget good taste, this is about good times.

When every element competes for attention, the effect is inexplicably harmonious.

Clashing is the keyword for this trend. Think leopard print and snakeskin, peacock feathers and gold chain belts, soft fur and hard metal textures.

Shine On
Major

Yesterday's Tomorrow

What's old is new again. This trend is an optimistic redux of early-tech – a focus on what yesterday's tomorrow looked like.

  • +717% Synthwave
  • +676% Retrowave
  • +230% Duotone

glowing neon, light grid landscapes, buzzing synthesizers

It's all about the looks and sounds that defined futurism at the dawn of the digital age, like purple, blue, and pink duotone gradients, basic vector graphics, and dreamy synth music.

Look Back

Rising Trends

Some of the year's rising trends are a rhapsody of beauty and joy made for escapism, while others put reality into sharp focus. From unique illustrations to urgent issues, see what will make an impact in 2019.

Rising

Beyond Plastic

With conscious consumerism on the rise, a world free of plastic looks more possible than ever before.

  • +729% Plastic free
  • +676% Bamboo toothbrush
  • +752% Hemp

As the climate changes, so does our attitude towards consumerism.

Now the conversation is about alternatives. Green products made from hemp and bamboo are making headway, while the Three R's – reduce, reuse, recycle – are the inescapable motto of years ahead.

Images
Rising

Kawaii

The culture of cuteness was born in Japan, but it's making waves across the world as a welcomed distraction in uncertain times.

  • +911% Kawaii
  • +182% Cute illustration

We're biologically primed to love and cherish the childlike characters of Kawaii style.

Joyous, pastel-colored vectors and sweet-faced inanimate objects are hallmarks of this positively adorable style.

It grabs our attention in a way other cultural artforms cannot, offering a warm reprieve from daily life.

Rising

Kalamkari

The Indian art of painting and printing on fabric, Kalamkari is a traditional method with stunning results.

  • +160% Kalamkari
  • +974% Ceramic decors
Rising

Kalamkari

The Indian art of painting and printing on fabric, Kalamkari is a traditional method with stunning results.

  • +160% Kalamkari
  • +974% Ceramic decors

Natural colors and complex patterns are central to this traditional artform.

This hand-done process uses only pure, natural colors, like indigo, mustard, and ivy green to make intricate patterns and motifs. Digital representations mimic the handmade quality through pure colors and natural patterns of flowers and animals.

Images
Rising

Rococo Romance

The Rococo period is known for rich and elaborate art, full of dramatic vintage patterns, leafy gold scrolls, and an overgrowth of florals.

  • +160% Design vintage romantic
  • +1277% Damask

Romantic undertones emanate from soft pastels, sensual light and shadow, and elegant curving lines.

Inspired by this distinctly ornamental period, this theatrical trend is all about artful maximalism. It goes beyond the canvas, taking cues from fine art to influence the elegant colors and textures of interior design, intricate lighting and set design in photography, and elaborate takes on web design.

Rising

Prism

Color never goes out of style and this trend is proof, showing every color of the rainbow in a bright and geometric frame of reference.

  • +7923% Disco lights
  • +434% Rainbow geometric

Dazzling rainbows envelop 3D shapes and seamless patterns.

The trend can be buoyant, playful, and supersaturated, or sharp-edged, moody, and neon. Through shining seamless patterns or rippling motion graphics, it showcases multicolor as a powerful design tool.

Rising

Hypnotic

The repetitive patterns, swirling spirals, and kaleidoscopic illusions of this trend create truly immersive design fit for the digital age.

  • +844% Poly art
  • +513% Kaleidoscope
  • +741% Hypnotic

Multifaceted and multicolored illusions create trance-like design.

These elements are a mainstay of psychedelia, offering a mind-altering experience through surrealism and abstraction. Look for hints of a glitchy new dynamic called datamoshing in this classic style.

Images
Rising

Everyday Futurism

Incredible advancements that seemed impossible at the dawn of Y2K are now part of our daily lives.

  • +1679% Esports
  • +1414% Face ID
  • +923% RPA

As tech reinvents the world,
 a new language and symbology is emerging to capture our everyday.

From esports' mass live-gaming events and virtual reality multiverses to consumer-level biometric scanning and the automation revolution, the world of tech is alight with imagination and excitement, and we get to watch it unfold.

One to Watch

Get ready to indulge. This sweet style is the cherry on top of our Creative Trends.

One to Watch

Tempting Typography

Fat and sugar-dusted or round and chocolate-coated, our first-ever typography trend gives text a seat at the table.

  • +8389% Icing Letters

The rise of augmented reality and immersive design has inspired adventurous new depth and dimension in digital typography. With vector-based tactile lettering, this whimsical typography trend shows us how sweet 3D design can be.

Images

This is type you can taste, lifted off the screen through shadow, texture, and sometimes sprinkles.

Global Trends

Several of the fastest growing global trends confirm larger themes, while others are more surprising. Here are the top search terms in 20 countries around the world.

Argentina

Fish Pattern

Australia

Elephants

Brazil

Vintage Romantic

Canada

Ice Cream Pattern

Germany

World Tourism

Egypt

Fabric Printing

France

Motorcycle

India

Peacock

Italy

Watermelon

Japan

Superhero

Korea

Retro Neon

Malaysia

Magnolia

Mexico

Fragment Illustration

Poland

Velociraptor

Russian Federation

Gold Animal

South Africa

Black and White Vortex

Spain

Chess Pattern

Turkey

Geometric Watercolor

United Kingdom

Intelligent Space

United States

Colorful Cartoon Art