Blending In
Following a design trend can become boring because you're following the majority. Doing something trendy can be considered the easy way out and not very challenging or rewarding.
Creativity is a conversation. A conversation that’s been ongoing since we first learned to recreate elements of our world in ochre and charcoal on cave walls. Since we learned to turn abstract marks carved in clay with sticks into packages full of meaning — i.e., language. Trends are just the main threads in that sprawling, chaotic, polyphonous conversation. Whether we choose to adopt or resist them, our creative choices exist alongside these trends. They provide context. Because what’s innovation if not a break from the normative? And what’s the normative but last year’s trends? Just because something is popular at the moment doesn’t mean that you have to jump on the bandwagon. Performing your own analysis and using your best judgement will make you a trustworthy source of information for clients (not to mention a better designer).
Do you really need to follow trends? Isn’t the tried-and-true the better way to go?
Let’s look at the benefits and risks of using trends for a client.
Following a design trend can become boring because you're following the majority. Doing something trendy can be considered the easy way out and not very challenging or rewarding.
Trends often do little to push design forward or improve user experience. Designers have to consider whether trends are a primary consideration, or whether the user experience should define the styles and direction.
Following design trends can be a slippery slope because trends are constantly changing. If you adopt trends too quickly, your brand can come across as inconsistent. If the trend is short-lived, your brand can go from lovable to lame in a matter of months.