2019: The Year of Being Human
As 2018 came to a close, I found myself scrolling through the Apple News app both under- and over- whelmed by the headlines. If I'm being honest, it's rare that articles catch my attention this way. But then, I stumbled upon what's arguably my favorite piece of 2018.
To put it bluntly, Vox nailed this article. The writer took me on a journey through time and reminded me of how every change in economic history has drastically impacted how things look. When I privately (and quietly) launched Deore Design in 2017, I was motivated by the reality that yes- looks matter, BUT our perception of how things look matters more. Vox reminded me that this is as true today as it was 50 years ago.
As Merriam-Webster puts it: Perception [is an] awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation. Our environment impacts how we think things look. Vox connects the dots this way...
It’s impossible to separate the aesthetics of consumer goods from the economic circumstances under which they were created.
So, where does that leave us as we head into the New Year? What can we expect the aesthetic landscape to look like?
The white space (paired with the occasional sans serif font) we see dominating the design industry was a direct response to the Recession. People craved value, honesty, and transparency. Yet design that encompasses these values (startup minimalism) "is no longer novel; it’s a baseline for companies seeking to develop their brand identities."
In order to successfully push the boundaries and differentiate themselves, startups have to build off that foundation in a way that authentically speaks to the vision and mission of the company. Enter "The Year of Being Human". Typeform recently rebranded in a way that epitomized this. They went back to the basis and found out what made them tick.
I'm thrilled to finally publicly share what I've been working on behind the scenes and cannot wait to continue pushing these boundaries with startup and fortune 500 clients alike.