Page 14 - final flipbook

There can also be a trend in the stock market to be bullish or bearish, depending on
economic indicators, or a political trend reflecting a nation’s current mood. Some

trends are fun, some fabulous, some appalling, but however long they last, you can

be sure there will always be a new trend coming along to replace the old.

In design, we talk a lot about trends, those changes in style and the direction of
our industry. But why do design trends happen, and how are they sourced and

predicted? Is a trend defined by its newness, or are we at the point where everything

we do is recycling a style previously used? The idea of using the past as an
inspiration for the future has long been around, but with the rise of hipsterism and

the new valuation put on all that is old is good, it’s a particularly relevant discussion.

Why do we now value this antique style of design, these hand lettered badges
and retro tones? Graphic design trends are how we interpret what’s happened before,

to help us try and understand and predict the future. The idea is that we want

something different than we have now, but not too different. A gradual change from
what was to what will be. And what we have now will soon be what was in the past,

ready for re-analysis and adoption at a later point. In the end, design is cyclical
continuously pulling from the past.

Steve Hai embraces the Steampunk Trend, displaying antique elements in a more
contemporary style, in his design for the Monniker contest keywords selected by the

client. When we talk about trend prediction as a harkening back to the past, we have
a whole series of vocabulary to describe what we mean. Often, we find that people

define these words differently. But on the whole, here’s what they mean:

 Contemporary is what people mean when they often say modern. Contemporary

is the terminology for what’s newest. It’s technically defined as post-WWII art
and design, but often interpreted as something created in the last couple of

decades, and more modern than modern design.

 Modern is a broader term, referring to a movement based in the late 1800s

through the 1900s. A reaction to the industrial revolution and the world wars.
Watch this video to get a better idea of what that means.

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