Noted for its collaborative nature, Figma is a leading web-based design tool used for interface design, user experience (UX) design, and prototyping. An ever-evolving company, Figma sought to reflect their dynamic culture in their latest brand refresh. As they continue to take innovative steps forward, Figma has moved away from the static cursors and heavy black outlines that had defined their brand for the past five years. The new visual identity centres around dynamic composition, an expanded colour palette, integrative motion principles, and a bold bespoke font, creating a visual language aligned with Figma’s future trajectory.
To jump-start the exploratory phase, Figma’s Brand Studio began by investigating all the ways people use Figma. With a major emphasis on the collaborative and active nature of the brand, Brand Designer Jefferson Cheng recalls looking toward the playgrounds of Isamu Noguchi and Mitsuru Senda for early inspiration—a metaphor for play and experimentation, which are vital components of Figma’s function and brand.
A key element of Figma’s brand evolution was the creation of their new custom typeface, Figma Sans. Designed by the Swiss-American type foundry Grilli Type, the refreshed typeface adds to the strength of the new visual identity, with a focus on its relationship to the evolving shapes and colours. Described as having a “no-nonsense” attribute, the new typeface maintains a directness that attracts attention to the text without detracting from the impact of colour and imagery. The team placed importance on the typeface’s interrelated qualities, ensuring their efforts created something that truly elevated the word “Figma.”
Figma continues to demonstrate how visual identities function as a language through the development of their collection of primitives. The intentional variation in the eccentric shapes symbolises the diversity of the people who created them, a key message behind the rebrand. Reiterating that the process was a collaborative effort rather than the work of a single individual. Their open-ended nature suggests that these elements are not static, allowing room for continued evolution and growth.q
Motion designers collaborated closely with brand designers on animation experiments, sparking new ideas on how these elements interact, such as a dashed marquee border symbolising energy and teamwork. The compositional arrangements of the shapes consist of four key movements: overlap, reveal, clustering, and multi-move.
It was important to Figma that their colour palette continued to enhance the detailed messaging and sharp visuals delivered by their composition and shapes. While they’ve kept their signature purple, they have also expanded the palette to include bold primaries, vibrant neons, and muted earthy tones, showcasing the wide range of possibilities within their business. The team continued revitalising their brand through the impact of motion, bringing their shapes to life through spirited movements on the screen.
Figma’s creative director Damien Correll summarises everything well by explaining that : “A brand’s visual identity tells a story about how a company shows up in the world. As Figma matures and embraces new audiences, a refreshed identity can act as a signifier of that change both internally and externally. We crafted a more inclusive brand with a flexible foundation that will continue to grow and adapt with Figma’s ambitions in the years to come.”
You can keep up to date with Figma’s distinctive brand evolution on their website here.
Instagram @figma
Browse more of our typeface design editorials here.
Written by Maggie Horneff, October 2024.
