The Memphis Design movement is one of unlikeliest success stories in the history of design. Like so many artistic reactions, it began as an outlet for its creators, a way to rail against and confound elite sensibilities. The result was a style that was revolutionary in its time and whose spirit is a continual source of inspiration to this day.
As popular and influential as Memphis Design has been over the years, it can sometimes get a bad rap. It is a loud, colorful style that is hard to separate from its era. And when implemented without care, it can make some design projects feel antiquated. On the other hand, a good designer can turn these sins into virtues: obnoxious retro becoming lively nostalgia.
Memphis Design is a 1980s design aesthetic characterized by scattered, brightly colored shapes and lines. It typically combines circles and triangles with black-and-white graphic patterns such as polka dots and squiggly lines.
