Finally, as simple and as complicated as it sounds - consumers and users strive to live a vivid, saturate, warm life.

This might sound similar to the previous point, but strategically it plays out differently. t’s about making brands and narratives feel alive through their presence in a person’s life, rather than by adding extra layers of experiences and activities - instead, through the simple, consistent presence of the brand in that person’s world. Through strong core messaging, powerful symbols of belonging, and material signatures - all of these must translate into one coherent atmosphere, with warmth and vividness at its core.

We want to see layers and sides of life - to feel there are many paths and angles for curiosity and exploration.

But to avoid overwhelming, choice and directions must be clearly conceptualised, structured, and directional.

Physical contact with the space; with the things around us. Touching, feeling, smelling.

Touching, feeling, smelling. This is not new - immersive experiences have been with us for a while. For years, brands have built “experiences.”, but what is changing now is the depth and direction of that immersion. Spaces and brands should better strategise subtle sensorial layers, tactile rituals, thoughtful blends of fabrics and materials.

So what do these patterns really mean, especially for brands? Three insights stand out.

And colour can truly act as independent force - through blends and contrasts, there’s different ways of play around colours. Colour creates atmosphere before the form is even fully understood. Sometimes colour speaks first.

3. Finally, to top it up with colour

Elements of the exotic mixed with beauty in imperfection - handcrafted lines, no mechanical intervention, a kind of precision that never fully repeats itself. The pattern may look structured, but there’s always something slightly different that bring new sprout of life to the picture.

2. Japanese patterns

There’s a growing pull towards medieval and modernist visual languages.

It feels like it’s moving beyond a passing trend and becoming a more enduring, established taste across creative fields. Architectural Digest Middle East, for example, recently published a piece on modern medieval influences in interior design - another angle on this from a different craft.

Heraldry, decorative motifs, intricate frames, dense layered compositions - craftsmanship, texture, realism, an ability to touch and feel. Often these designs involve rich materiality: the type of paper, contrasts between colours and line thickness, even specific scents, as they are frequently associated with perfumery and home décor, such as candles. And of course, it’s mystical and intriguing :)

The language beneath the pattern: design shifts – and the brand strategies they demand

One of the most enjoyable sides of our work is working directly with design of different sorts - from graphic design to creating conceptual guidelines for development. It’s not just the domain of designers; for strategists, too, it offers a particular kind of pleasure. Behind every line, every colour sits a wealth of psychological, cultural and market context, which reveals big pictures.

Here are three recent “trends” in design that reveal shifts within society today and give strong insights for those working across marketing, built environment and design, and creative.

THREE VISUAL TRENDS THAT SIGNAL A DEEPER SHIFTS IN SOCIETY