Some thoughts on design trends

Design trends usually start because something stops working.

When everything's shouting, quiet feels like a relief. And when everything looks finished and polished, something unfinished suddenly feels fresh.

That's how trends start. Not from moodboards, but from real situations.

Someone solves a problem in a specific context. It works and it spreads. At first it feels fresh. Then familiar. Eventually it's everywhere.

The problem begins when a solution that worked in one context starts getting treated like a universal answer.

Just because something works on a British yoghurt shelf doesn't mean it'll work on a Finnish shelf.

Different shelf logic. Different competition. Different buying behaviour. Different culture.

Trends feel safe. When enough people do the same thing, it's easier to justify. Easier to explain. Easier to sell forward.

The problem isn't using trends. Nobody works in isolation. The problem is when the trend becomes the idea and all competitors start looking the same.

When the thinking shifts from "What does this need to do?" to "This feels on-trend right now."

Good design rarely starts with "What's trending?"

It usually starts with "What does this need to do, here?"

Brand design isn't fashion, even if it sometimes behaves like it. A brand's job is to work where people make their purchase decisions.