In the world of design, it seems that the rebels are back in full force. We’ve seen sleek minimalism dominate web aesthetics for years, but lately, a nostalgic (and slightly chaotic) trend is making waves: anti-design. And even more recently, the brat trend has added fuel to this fire—blurring the line between organized chaos and, well, just chaos. Let’s take a quick journey into these trends.
A Brief History of Anti-Design
First things first—what is anti-design?
- Origin: The anti-design movement traces back to the 1960s in Italy, challenging the modernist principles of clean lines and function-over-form that dominated the design world.
- Style: Expect bold, clashing colors, jarring asymmetry, exaggerated shapes, and typography that ignores conventional rules. Basically, anti-design is everything your typography professor told you not to do.
- Message: It’s a rebellion against traditional, “safe” design choices. Instead of being sleek and polished, anti-design embraces rough edges, imperfections, and an unapologetically disruptive visual approach.
In a world increasingly dominated by cookie-cutter designs, anti-design has returned as a breath of fresh (if chaotic) air, fueled by a desire to stand out from the overly curated feeds we’re so used to.
The Brat Phenomenon
The Brat trend is the rebellious younger sibling of anti-design. It’s loud, unapologetic, and designed to disrupt. The brat aesthetic rejects sophistication and traditional beauty, choosing instead to evoke raw emotion, confusion, and often a sense of What did I just look at?.
- Origin: The brat trend stems from Gen Z’s desire to reject polished, perfect visuals—essentially, a digital tantrum that expresses frustration with overly curated, perfectionist aesthetics. It’s chaotic on purpose.
- Style: Think aggressive typography, garish color schemes, random emoji sprinkles, distorted images, and clunky layouts.
- Pop Culture Moment: Kamala Harris famously used the brat aesthetic in one of her X banners during a political campaign. It featured a bold, chaotic design that stood out in a sea of clean, professional political branding. While it raised some eyebrows, it definitely got people talking.
Why Is Anti-Design Back?
- Over-Curation Fatigue: People are getting tired of everything being “perfect” online. The brat trend and anti-design are almost a digital exhale—“Finally, something that doesn’t look too perfect!”
- Authenticity: Younger generations value authenticity over polished appearances. The messiness of these styles reflects that real, unfiltered vibe.
- Attention-Grabbing: In a digital world where everything fights for your attention, these bold, chaotic styles command it.
Should We Join the Brat Revolution?
So are we going to break our own mold here at 126 Designs and introduce a brat design template?
Pondering…
Pros
- – It would definitely stand out in our collection of designs giving clients an option to tap into a younger, edgier audience.
- – It could be an attractive choice for clients who want to push boundaries and reject traditional design principles.
Cons
- – Anti-design and the brat rage aren’t for everyone. They can be polarizing, and some clients might find the style too jarring or “unprofessional” for their brand.
- – We pride ourselves on being easy to work with—and let’s face it, explaining the organized chaos of a brat design might be a challenge in our 6-step process.
Conclusion: To Brat or Not to Brat?
Ok maybe one template.
Maybe.
Ok maybe one template.
Maybe.
