Maximalism is back in design, and it’s needed more than ever

Brand identities that launch with a bang are a welcome counterpoint to conformity in design

“Retro, gloopy, psychedelic fonts” were a mainstay of the New Brand Identity category at the 2026 D&AD Awards, according to juror Alex Center, founder of his eponymous design studio, Center. But as the trend has become saturated, he wants to see more differentiation. He was encouraged to see the rise of identities that fully leaned into loud, expressive aesthetics. “I wasn’t expecting to see so many maximalist projects from around the world, and that’s actually quite exciting,” he says. One project that caught his attention was Pentagram New York’s identity for Brooklyn café Bottega, which drew inspiration from the intense sunlight that filters into the space and used this to create a unique typeface and illustration toolkit. “It made for a really fresh identity system.”

Get more insights straight from this year's D&AD Awards judges in Trends from the Jury Rooms.