Design Trends to Watch in 2027

*Image courtesy of the "Stills 2026 Design Trends Report"

Some design and photography trends we’ve been seeing across several industries point toward a return to the imperfect, the personal and the handmade—with a healthy dose of nostalgic ’90s grunge thrown in for good measure.

This shift in visual design trends seems to be, at least in part, a response to the hyper-polished content coming out of the AI revolution. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, brands are finding new ways to bring personality, authenticity and human character back into their visual identity.

A few design trends for 2027 we’ll be keeping an eye on:

1. Direct Flash Photography

Direct flash is making a comeback—and not necessarily because we all suddenly miss being photographed at a questionable nightclub in 1998.

The hard flash, deep shadows and raw aesthetic create photography that feels immediate and candid. For brands, it can be a great way to create authentic visual content that feels personal rather than overly produced.

2. Maximalism

After years of minimalist layouts, neutral palettes and carefully curated feeds, maximalist design is bringing back color, pattern, texture and personality.

For brands, maximalism can help create a more memorable visual identity. The key is making sure all that visual energy supports the brand rather than simply adding noise. That’s where brand strategy and audience insights come in.

3. Scrapbook / Scanner Aesthetics

Scanned textures, handwritten notes, imperfect cutouts, photocopy effects and scrapbook-inspired layouts are bringing a tactile quality back to graphic design and content creation.

There’s something inherently human about these imperfections. They remind us that not everything needs to look like it came from a perfectly calibrated design system—or an AI prompt.

For brands, these techniques can add personality to social media content, campaigns, photography and digital marketing.

The Bigger Picture

Trends come and go. Good creative direction should do more than simply follow them.

The most effective brands know when to embrace a trend, reinterpret it or leave it firmly in 1997. The goal is creating design, photography, video and content that feels relevant while still being unmistakably yours.

As we head toward 2027, we’ll be watching how this movement toward more personal, imperfect and tactile creative continues to shape branding, marketing and content creation.