The Origin of the 1980s Aesthetic


Dion Lee from Vox looks back at how the Memphis Group, a team of designers from Italy helped shape the unmistakable aesthetic of the 1980s with their brightly colored, asymmetrical designs.

“Memphis Design movement dominated the ’80s with their crazy patterns and vibrant colors. Many designers and architects from all around the world contributed to the movement in order to escape from the strict rules of modernism. Although their designs didn’t end up in people’s homes, they inspired many designers working in different mediums. After their first show in Milan in 1981, everything from fashion to music videos became influenced by their visual vocabulary.”

Previously from Dion: How a Lazy Egg Yolk Became a Japanese Pop Culture Icon