Picture libraries and artist agencies are not just a great source of imagery for greeting card publishers, but due to their wide reach into other fields are also an invaluable gauge of design trends and influences on the aesthetic.
In this instalment of a popular series, Kaye Hunter, licensing manager for This Is Iris shares what she feels will be driving our design tastes and highlights a trio of trends. (And if you fancy a bit of a uplift, check out the This Is Iris Instagram feed as Kaye has prompted various members of the wide greeting card artistic community to share little videos of what they are most looking forward to when lockdown eases – https://www.instagram.com/irislicensing/?hl=en)
Drivers: “We are constantly looking to influencers and forecasters to predict trends to see how they may influence buyer’s decisions and more importantly, how they might support the creatives we represent.
However, the world has changed so dramatically in the last 12 months that the rule book has been torn up. The inspiration and drivers are very much stemming from our true emotional self rather than being affected by the latest ‘new thing’ or latest radical colour palette.
If I had to pick one overarching trend that I feel will be strong this year, it would be that we have all become a bit more human, and more aware of what is important.”
A trio of trends…
Mindfulness: “Having been bandied about as a somewhat hollow buzzword for the last few years, the last nine months has given mindfulness real substance. The appreciation of hearing the birds singing, deriving pleasure from noticing the blossom on the trees during our daily walks.”
Sentiment and Caring: “Things we were once blasé about, seeing family, meeting up with friends, assuming everyone is always there is no longer the case. Purchases, particularly in greeting cards and gifts, have become important conveyers of care, love, showing you are missing people with editorial and script-based designs having much more resonance.”
Sustainability: “The fragility of our planet and our responsibility to play our part in safeguarding it has become the norm rather than the exception. Consumers are making more conscientious purchases with concerns over sustainability almost now engrained in our psyche.”
Top: Appreciation of nature and caring for each other is a driver, acknowledges Kaye Hunter. (A design by Georgia Breeze).
