Let’s talk about the quiet shift happening in the creative industry
Not a trend cycle. Not a new tool. A recalibration.
Across the industry, more teams are asking what it actually means to build a brand that feels real in a year defined by speed, sameness, and constant change. We’re seeing a move away from surface-level polish and toward clarity, intention, and conviction.
At 7 Layer Studio, we’re thinking about this a lot. And we’re not immune to the shifts shaping the landscape.
Authenticity isn’t a style. It’s a series of choices.
What you show.
What you stand behind.
Where you draw the line.
We’re watching brands respond by getting more specific. Less performative. More intentional. Aerie’s decision to commit to real bodies and no AI-generated models is one example. Not anti-technology. Just clear about what they value and why.
That kind of clarity resonates because it’s felt, not marketed.
Creativity still starts with vision.
The tools are faster than ever. Output is easy. What still matters is knowing what’s worth making and why. The brands that connect aren’t doing more. They’re choosing better.
This isn’t new. Designers like Milton Glaser lived through massive shifts in tools and process, moving from hand-built work to digital systems that changed the industry forever. The medium evolved. The responsibility to think deeply about the work did not.
Distinction comes from being clear, not loud.
Most brands don’t disappear because they lack ambition. They disappear because they try to be everything at once.
As we look toward 2026, we keep coming back to a few questions we hear echoed across the industry:
How do brands stay human as everything accelerates?
Where do new tools genuinely support creativity, not replace it?
What does it mean to build something with intention in a crowded landscape?
A moment of honesty from the studio.
Our studio is actively navigating this moment, too. We’re having real, ongoing conversations about how we grow and stretch to meet what the world is asking of us. How do we remain future-focused and open to new tools while staying grounded in our beliefs, ethics, and responsibility to the people behind the work?
We don’t have all the answers. We’re asking more questions than ever.
How do we continue to provide meaningful value to clients building brands for the future while staying aligned with our purpose and values? How do we remain curious and adaptable without losing our center as technology and tools evolves at an unprecedented pace?
What we do know is this: our strength lies in perspective. In experience. In intuition. In asking the right questions at the right moment. We are people first and creativity first.
What we’re carrying in our backpack for 2026:
Intention
A willingness to challenge ourselves and get comfortable with discomfort
Showing up, even when it’s messy
Play
Knowing when to tread, when to swim hard, and when to float
Staying curious. Staying open. Staying grounded.
Carrying hope for a world that feels heavy
And always, creativity
Bags are packed. Here we come, 2026.
Rachel Zorel, Founder & Creative Director
Meet the team