Counter-trends 2023: Dive into the thoughts of innovative creators & typography taste-makers

Designers, creatives and typography aficionados are always on the lookout for hot trends, fresh ideas and new technologies. Don’t sweat it, we are here for you. To make sure that you are up to date with the latest trends on the field of typography, type design and our love for fonts, stop looking at trends and start thinking about the “counter-trends” - hidden, subtle trends that probably do not live up to the hype, but they manage to effectively answer to the emerging issues of our - sometimes scary - reality.

Why should we look for more trends?

That’s the “controversial” question asked by Zeta Fonts in the introduction of their new publication “Type Trends Look Book Vol 5 / 2023 - The Counterspaces (Typography in the Age of Black Swans)” and it hits too close to home. We live in a world that’s going through a lot - wars, environmental catastrophe, pandemics, financial crisis. Is it really a time for new type trends? In this exciting and insightful lookbook you are going to dive into an alternative concept, the “hidden, emerging counter-trends that have arisen in response to the unpredictable events that have occurred in recent years”. 

The counter-trends explained by type design experts.

Through this deeply engaging book, you are going to find more elaborate and really hard-to-answer questions, like “Is Design Still Human?”. In order to think about and discuss these topics the authors have called some experts, innovative creators and designers that are proven authorities in their fields. Each of them speak on their own version of “counter” trends and how they do type design in this overwhelming reality that we go through. 

Some of the creatives talk about approaching the digital environment in a playful way, using tools to remain connected with the physical world, through personal involvement and engaging storytelling (counter-visual). Others break through the ceiling by staying in the “amateur” level of “naive thoughtlessness” that gives them a liberation like no other, without academic limitations, stereotypes and competitive constraints, just passion (counter-professional). There are really so many ways to go “counter”.

Form Follows Function (not).

Between these important sub-categories of the counter-trends, there is a special group of designers that belong to what the authors call “counter-modernism”. They are the ones that go against uniformity and practicality to embrace expressive, experimental design and “return to the emotional power of naive invention”. Panos Vassiliou, Parachute’s founder and head of creative, was also asked to present his creative approach among a group of other renowned designers and thinkers, like Ksenia Samarskaya, Andy Cruz and Toshi Omagari.

“How long can somebody remain stuck to the same nonconformist and oversaturated grotesque/geometric genre?”, asks Panos Vassiliou to follow up by saying that he strives to step away from repetition. He also states that he explores “ways for making type exciting and distinctive by experimenting with new alternate shapes that add rather than subtract from the overall aesthetic value of a type design”. A true counter-modernist!

So, what’s hot for 2023?

In this era, the biggest trend is always not following trends, so look for the counter-trends. Look for ways to differentiate your creations, stop repeating the same styles, embrace your taste, instincts, personality and don’t let all new technologies, tools and everyday overwhelming evolutions dim your own creative drive. And if you need some guidance on how to achieve this, time to check out Zeta Fonts’ and Type Campus new lookbook, “The Counterspaces (Typography in the Age of Black Swans)” to hear it from the ones who know best, the leaders of the counterspace.

You can download your digital copy here and dive in the most inspiring journey for 2023 so far.