It’s a well-known adage that inspiration can arise from the least expected of places. For Phil Imbriano, a senior designer at Topps, this revelation struck not in a storied library or an ornate museum, but on the metallic, bustling carriages of the New York City subway. Amidst the daily commuters, Impraiano’s artistic vision was piqued by a seemingly mundane feature—a simple red-and-silver badge adorning the corner of the train car.
While others may have dismissed the badge as just part of the functional aesthetics of urban transit, to Imbriano, the sleek interplay of lines and curves represented untapped potential. He acted promptly, capturing the moment with a quick snap of his camera and later translating this spark of imagination into tangible sketches at his Topps desk.
Soon, those embryonic sketches metamorphosed into what would become the foundation for the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards, a design now formally unveiled to the world.
“I love drawing inspiration from everyday things,” Imbriano elaborated, underlining his approach to creativity as spontaneous yet observant. “It might be a building, a sign—just something that catches my eye. I take pictures and refer back to them later. You never know when something simple can transform into something big.”
The new 2025 card design weaves together two bold lines sweeping up the left edge and across the card’s top, a gesture of visual homage resembling the iconic 1982 Topps set. Yet, there’s a twist—these symbolic lines are imbued with colors matched specifically to each respective team, bringing a tailored vibrancy to every card.
Interestingly, the resemblance to the bygone 1982 edition was a serendipitous outcome rather than a predetermined homage. Imbriano initially embarked on this creative journey inspired by the wood-grain aesthetics of the 1962 and 1987 cards. “The ’82 connection was a happy accident,” he confessed with a chuckle. “But it works marvelously, blending the feel of vintage with a contemporary flair.”
As with many great innovations, the design selection did not come easy but was subjected to Topps’ rigorous in-house selection process. Designers submitted various concepts, theses subjected to numerous rounds of scrutiny and analysis. Emerging victorious, Imbriano’s design triumphed over twenty other submissions through a months-long selection marathon. It’s not uncommon for elements from previous non-winning designs to be reincarnated into new sets; this year, a small field graphic decorates the bottom right corner, tactfully indicating the player’s position.
“There’s so much that goes into this process,” Imbriano remarked, shedding light on the intricate web of creativity and analysis that the public rarely sees before a baseball card sees the light.
Once an artful design eschews the digital chrysalis, the embryonically physical cards undergo prototypical testing. This phase is crucial, emphasizes Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior vice president of product, as it puts artistry to the tangible trial.
“When we’re down to the final five designs, we actually print them out and simulate opening a pack,” Luraschi elucidated, pointing out why such a tactile evaluation matters. “It’s a long, competitive process, and it’s one of the biggest debates we have in the office all year.”
He added with a sense of institutional pride, “Everyone on the team knows how important this is. This marks the 74th edition of Topps baseball cards. From the days when Sy Berger designed them on his kitchen table to today’s high-tech process, we all honor this legacy with gravitas and gusto.”
Beyond the base design lies an array of fresh subsets within the 2025 collection: Future Stars, All-Topps Team, Training Grounds featuring Spring Training highlights, Call to the Hall in celebration of Hall of Fame inductees, and several more thematic inclusions such as City Connect Swatch Collection Autographs and Heavy Lumber Autographs.
Signature Tunes, a fan-favorite, paints auditory profiles by pairing players with artists behind their walk-up songs while First Pitch offers a spotlight on celebrities who have graced the ceremonial first pitch role in the prior season. For Dodgers enthusiasts, there’s an extra indulgence—special card variations capturing celebratory tableau, complete with the Freddie Dance, Freddie Freeman’s signature hip-swaying moment of triumph.
This year’s 35th-anniversary tribute reverently nods to the 1990 Topps set, renowned for its bold utilization of color, yet at the heart of it all resides Imbriano’s freshly minted base design.
“I approach designing cards like I would a movie poster,” he articulated. “Each card should command attention on its own, almost like a mini poster displayed in a collector’s grasp.”
And indeed, it is this collector-centric mindset that propels the design ethos at Topps.
“I think Phil’s design is extraordinary,” Luraschi expressed magnanimously. “Fifty years from now, people should be able to eye a card and instantly recognize the year it hails from. This one absolutely embodies such a notion.”
