Beige isn’t a brand—it’s a cop-out. Let’s talk.
Let’s talk about the beige wave in branding—minimalism, white space, serif fonts. I know you know what I’m talking about. 😏 It’s everywhere.
And while it’s not bad, I’ve been wondering—are these design choices truly intentional, or are we all just leaning on the easiest, safest trend out there?? 🤔
It's such a go-to design vibe for brands that want to FEEL high-end, and premium, because the slick & crispy aesthetic is what a lot of top level brands do—but there's a huge piece of this convo that I reckon is missing.
Branding for solo entrepreneurs should be an extension of you. Something so fucking cool and unique that people can’t help but notice because it’s unmistakably you. 👏
And, that being said, I can feel the disconnect when I see people using this safe, polished-but-generic look, and their personality and their energy says otherwise.
I'm defo not saying I'm immune to this either. 😆 My brand has evolved so much, I defo went through this phase myself, and I still love a good minimal beige moment (more on this below). But it always comes back to this: were those choices intentional, or just… easy?
Lemme ask you this: If your brand had to tell your story without a single word, would your design speak for itself? Or it would it blend in to every other brand with the same visual vibe? 🌀
Because here's the other thing, white space and a high-end font don’t mean shit if your design lacks intention & strategy.
The font, the kerning (letter spacing), the leading (line spacing), the photography, the layout—every single detail is on display. If one thing is off, the whole design goes to shit and it loses impact, fast. 💩
When it’s done well, though, it hits so hard. The spacing feels intentional, the fonts feel like they align with the energy of the brand, and the everything just clicks. People won’t even know why they love it—they just do. And THIS is the power of attention to detail. 😍
Minimal might look like the easy option, but unless you’ve done the strategy work to back it up, it’s not. It’s unforgiving as hell—and it will call you out every time.
If this isn’t your zone of genius, that’s cool, and it’s why working with a pro designer can be so damn valuable. Or maybe it’s time to learn how to nail this yourself. Either way, design done right is worth it.
Minimalism with meaning.
I’m not saying this style is wrong—because when it’s done well, it’s fucking magic. 🪄
That’s exactly why the designs inside The Stash lean into it. 🙏 This aesthetic works for me here because it’s adaptable as hell & perfect for templates—whether you want to go bold with colours and imagery or keep it crispy and understated, the layouts flex to fit whatever brand you're building for.
A brand that does it really well is Salty Face.
Full credit to Mariko Studio for their branding—it’s minimal, clean, and crispy as hell. Every detail is 10/10, and even if they are DIY-ing some of their own graphics, YOU CAN'T TELL because it all looks so damn professional.
Another solid piece of their brand is their unique logo mark (check their Insta profile pic) makes it feel way more thought-out than just fonts slapped on white packaging.
The clean vibe feels super intentional, which probably makes people want to snap and share it even more. 😉
Two prompts I wanna leave you with...
🤯 What would your brand look like if it had nothing to prove? If you focused on how it feels instead of just how it looks?
😬 And maybe the most important question I can ask... Do your brand & design choices actually represent you, or just someone you admire?
Minimal & clean design isn’t about stripping things down to the point of nothingness. It’s about honing things until every single fucking element speaks loud and clear. It’s not easy—it’s design at its most intentional.
