Photo: Fred Lonidier
When you think of the 1970s, it's common for funky fashion trends such as bell-bottoms, tie-dye and feathered hair to come to mind, but in reality it was a much darker decade full of division and disappointment for many (History.com, 2010). People of colour, women and LGBTQ+ people were continuing their fight for equality in an era full of protest and revolution. At the end of the decade, people reported feeling helpless, apprehensive and full of disillusion (Davis, 2019). These emotions starkly contrasted the bright colours and funky fonts that populated graphic design in the 70s.
Type design was a very prominent element of graphic design in the 70s and was mainly used for either self-expression or as a weapon for protest (Keung, 2020).