The design trends that shaped 2024
Through our monthly INSPO series, we’ve spotlighted emerging innovations as they took shape.
Now, as we reflect on design trends of 2024, it’s fascinating to see how some of these have influenced industries—some making a strong impact, while others continue to evolve.
Let’s delve into how these trends have unfolded across different sectors…
Sustainable food breaks new ground
As the climate crisis intensifies, more businesses are finally moving to embrace genuine, planet-positive innovation. Carlo Ratti Associati’s orange juice bar concept illustrates this evolution, transforming waste – discarded fruit peels – into 3D-printed bioplastic cups for their customers. Just one brand taking the initiative toward circular economy principles in consumer products.
+ Carlo Ratti Associati’s orange juice bar
With the EU preparing to crack down on deforestation-linked products, Northern Wonder posed the question: what if the future of coffee didn’t need beans at all? With coffee cultivation being the sixth largest cause of deforestation globally, their sustainable lupin and chickpea alternative has already captured shelf space in 500+ stores across the Netherlands and Switzerland, challenging our assumptions about what makes coffee, coffee.
Planet-conscious design drives performance
This year, the sporting goods space showed how sustainability can supercharge performance. On’s Cloudboom Strike LS redefines shoe production with a robotic-sprayed upper, minimising waste while delivering explosive energy return – something Hellen Obiri proved when she won the 2024 Boston Marathon. Now the world’s fastest-growing shoe brand with $2 billion in sales, On are proving that strategic, sustainable innovation can be a competitive advantage.
In EV market, Lotus made a bold statement with their Theory 1 concept car, translating decades of performance heritage into the electric era.
The result? Raw supercar energy and sophisticated luxury, wrapped in clean electric efficiency.
+ Theory 1
AI finds its true creative purpose
The year saw a nuanced evolution in AI adoption. While AI influencers generated significant buzz early in 2024, their impact fell short of expectations.
Despite high-profile examples like Lil Miquela and Aitana Lopez, lower engagement rates compared to human influencers highlighted the enduring value of authentic human connection in digital spaces.
However, AI did make remarkable strides in creative industries, particularly through companies like Runway. Their generative video tools democratised high-end visual effects, enabling independent filmmakers and smaller studios to produce sophisticated content previously limited to big-budget productions.
+ Runway
A recent $1.5B valuation and backing from tech giants like Google and Nvidia is a signal that the expansion of AI-powered creativity tools will be central to the future of the creative industries.
Personalisation takes centre stage
2024 saw hyperpersonalisation move from buzzword to business reality. Freeletics exemplified this trend, evolving into one of the world’s most sophisticated fitness platforms with 57 million users. Their success demonstrated how deep personalisation, combined with transparent data practices, could drive remarkable growth.
In the edtech space, apps like Quizlet showed promise, using adaptive learning technology to create highly personalised study experiences. As the platform expanded their offerings and refined their algorithms based on user feedback, they set new standards for how brands could deliver truly individualised experiences while maintaining user trust.
+ Quizlet
Digital health gets personal
Healthcare took a decisive turn toward patient-centric care this year. Tia Healthcare’s “Whole Woman, Whole Life” approach proved particularly powerful, successfully bridging the digital-physical divide with a model that puts women’s health needs first. Their expansion across multiple cities showed us what truly integrated healthcare can look like.
2024 also saw smaller players make meaningful strides. The Lungy App, while not a headline-grabber, quietly demonstrated how digital tools can transform chronic health management. With 45,000+ users across 20 countries embracing what’s been called “The Most Beautiful Breathing App,” it’s a reminder that innovation doesn’t always need to shout to make an impact.
Retail reinvents responsibility
Launching just in time for the festive season, HURR’s partnership with Deliveroo connects fashion rental with rapid delivery, addressing last-minute needs sustainably. Valued at £4.8m, the growing rental market driven by younger consumers showcases how repurposing existing systems can deliver unexpected value.
This year, more brands began embracing transparency in their sustainability efforts. Swedish clothing brand Asket, for example, set new standards by providing comprehensive supply chain information, from environmental footprints to working conditions. This approach to data-driven ESG communication indicates a growing trend toward detailed environmental and social impact disclosure.
+ Asket
Looking forward
Whether it’s rethinking coffee without beans or harnessing AI for good, the design trends of 2024 remind us that successful innovation often emerges from bold experimentation, strategic design and persistent refinement.
In 2025, innovation will being driven by a powerful convergence of forces: environmental urgency, technological democratisation, and demands for greater inclusivity.
Will your brand lead the charge?
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