The International Typographic Style (also known as The Swiss Style) originated in 1950’s Switzerland. This movement beckoned in a new age of graphic design which placed importance on legibility and simplicity. Sans Serif typefaces and mathematical grids rose to prominence during this era.
Many influential artists came from this period of design history. Jan Tschichold fled to Germany and settled in Basel and contributed heavily to modernist design. Many new typefaces came from the Basel School of Design- which focused on the importance of legibility in typography.
Pictured above is the work of Josef Muller-Brockmann, a key designer in the international typographic style. In these posterers you can clearly see how the grid structure is utilised to guide the eye through the deisgn- especially with the text. In the poster on the left, colour is used sparingly and pragmatically; with the bright white text emphasising the most important pieces of information.
Learning about the International style was beneficial in showing me the importance of minimalism and functionality in design. I think its very impressive that this style of design from the 1950’s still holds up today and still forms the basis for a lot of design rules today. It is evident that legible, simplistic design is timeless. The fact that designers of today, working on UX, UI and web design still look to the Swiss Style to inform their work is proof of this.