Frutiger Aero and Y2K Futurism Appreciation Thread - When the future looked bright and optimistic, before the world turned gay and retarded.

[Patrick Bait-man]

Before cheap flat designs and Corporate Memphis swooped in to make things look ugly and devoid of soul, there was Frutiger Aero and Y2K Futurism; two prior popular aesthetics of the eras that have grown to have a large following in recent years which brought a sense of hope and optimism to the future even after the likes of 9/11 (never forget) and the 2008 financial crisis.

Y2K Futurism​

Y2K Futurism was a slick aesthetic emerged near the turn of the millennium used from the late 90s to early 2000s, characterized by "slick futuristic fashion, technology, and music." Everything was shiny and chrome with new fast evolving cutting-edge technology at the forefront, strange otherworldly fashion, and fresh music genres like drum 'n' bass that truly made you feel like you were heading into the stereotypical high tech future portrayed at the time; and it was the definition of cool.

Frutiger Aero​

After Y2K Futurism's run, Frutiger Aero was introduced and commonly used from the mid 2000s to the early 2010s; characterized by "Skeuomorphism, glossy textures, cloudy skies, tropical fish, water, bubbles, glass, lens flare, sprawling patterns, 'humanism', aero glass, bokeh, Frutiger fonts, Abstract Tech, auroras and bright, vibrant colors (usually greens and blues)." Unlike the futurism of Y2K, Frutiger Aero is more centered on realism, nature and Earth. It's heavy on glossiness / aero, details / Skeuomorphism, and it's the most pleasant aesthetic to have ever existed. It's a hallmark of the golden age of the Web 2.0 Internet and high point of technology with smartphones, media players, laptops, etc.

Spoiler: Frutiger Metro Bonus

Popping up during Aero's life, Frutiger Metro is an aesthetic also commonly used during the same time period that focused on colorful often times flat vector art of various shapes, lines and iconography. Unlike Corporate Memphis though, it's design was rich and filled with character (YWNBFM).

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0:31

 

[break these cuffs]

You'll find a vast searchable repository of these styles in the Winamp Skin Museum. For instance, I hit the random skin button and it brought me this first try:



Sure you'll find plenty that are just Weird Al or Buffy the Vampire Slayer's face, but there is a lot of cool shit in there. They're all interactable as well. Look at it and know that this is what itunes, spotify, etc took from you. I still wish I could find the coolest visualizer I lost nearly 25 years ago in an HDD crash.

 

[invisibult plus+]

There's an exhibit about Frutiger Aero in the Museum of Aesthetics. Y2K Futurism is split in two: Y2K and Internet Futurism.

 

[berry bruiser]

aw shit yeah, frutiger aero is the aesthetic of my adolescence.

1:42

 

[Colon capital V]

You'll find a vast searchable repository of these styles in the Winamp Skin Museum. For instance, I hit the random skin button and it brought me this first try:

Ver archivo adjunto 6159412

Sure you'll find plenty that are just Weird Al or Buffy the Vampire Slayer's face, but there is a lot of cool shit in there. They're all interactable as well. Look at it and know that this is what itunes, spotify, etc took from you. I still wish I could find the coolest visualizer I lost nearly 25 years ago in an HDD crash.

You'll find a lot of old Music VSTs also had this similar, overly detailed look to it compared to how most programmers design them now.

 

[NaggotFigger]

 

[The Cheese Aisle]

This shit was so cool. It actually felt futuristic and appropriate for the turning of the millennium. Ironic that all we have nowadays in the actual future is sanitized corporate minimalism

 

[Anonitolia]

Big fan of Y2K but Frutiger Aero is creepy corporate slop and I really disliked it even when it was dominant. Every single other aesthetic from that time (skeumorphism, "soft urban" vinyl stuff, the weirdly-omnipresent class sketchbook/cut-out collage and mixed media boom that doesn't really have a name yet) is vastly superior.

Kinda wish these two aesthetics got different threads, but i'm glad that Y2K is getting any appreciation around these parts so I'll contribute some of that to balance out the greater presence of Aero.

Spoiler: ENORMOUS image dump

I had more of these but my browser is starting to complain so i'll leave it here lol

I got pretty much everything up there from here, a pretty decent resource all things considered. There are some especially exemplary gifs starting from about this point in case you're curious.

 

[invisibult plus+]

Reposting from the 2000's Futurism thread.

 

[Alex Hogendorp]

Growing up, I was often spoiled by the beauty of this aesthetic. It felt really optimistic and amazing, then going into the mid-2010's. Those art styles were often replaced by the shitty Memphis corporate art style and corporate minimalism to appeal to the pussified youth like it's some sort of Hug Box or something. I really missed the days Y2K Futurism and Frutiger Aero were the norm.

 

[Neurotypical Mantis]

 

[Anonitolia]

Some more Y2K for the road.

Spoiler: Huge image dump (again)

The Menthol ad is my favorite photo here. It's existence is almost aggressively stupid. Trying to sell a plain cigarette with the most over-the-top "futuristic" sheen you could think of. It's almost adorable in how earnest it is about being desperate.

 

[Anonitolia]

Crossposting an okay imitation to keep the thread alive.

look at these character profiles.


These kick ass and I love almost everything about them. The emphasis on cartoonish stylization with the gloves and exaggerated proportions, the interesting poses, the pleasant colors in the back contrasting the very bright and colorful character designs, that fucking FONT, the drop shadow! Why can't other Y2K imitators be this good? I love how this is done! If it wasn't for how clean the textures looked (+ the color schemes of the character designs, esp the pale pink blush on tan-brown skin) you could've probably fooled me into thinking this was actually from 1998-2002.

I'll dump some more stuff from are.na when I've got the time, I really love that site and everything on it.

 

[The Decimator]

I love this kind of stuff too!

 

[SNEED.EXE]

Not sure if it counts, but here's a very 2000's building.

 

[Meriasek]

Sure you'll find plenty that are just Weird Al or Buffy the Vampire Slayer's face, but there is a lot of cool shit in there.

That kinda sounds like you're implying that Buffy Winamp skins aren't the hottest shit ever.

 

[break these cuffs]

That kinda sounds like you're implying that Buffy Winamp skins aren't the hottest shit ever.

Call me a snob, but I'd say the one on the right is uninspired. You can't just slap your celebrity crush on a skin and call it a day. Make it a real theme.

 

[888Flux]

Love this thread. couple desktop wallpapers i use

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

Pure childhood in one thread.

I miss when corporate slop was at least trying to have some sort of aestheticism to ht.

 

[2mm and 99 others]

I know this predates the Frutiger and Y2K (I don't have a photo of the entire box), but how is called the 90's aesthetics, where your mainboard has a background of roses and goes so fast it's blurred?