A simple subway ride, often loaded with every kind of personality imaginable, can also become a vessel for artistic inspiration. For Phil Imbriano, Topps senior designer, a routine journey became anything but mundane when his gaze landed on an innocuous red-and-silver badge in an NYC subway train corner. Intrigued by its sleek aesthetic allure, he snapped a quick photo moment, inadvertently seeding the genesis for the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards’ compelling new design.
Fast forward to today, and the evolution of those initial design sketches culminates with the official launch of this much-anticipated card series—a testament to Imbriano’s knack for finding beauty in seemingly incidental details. He reminisces about his process with enthusiastic delight: “I love drawing inspiration from everyday things. It could 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 will turn into something big.”
The 2025 design features two prominent lines, strikingly sweeping the left side and artfully crossing the top of the card. It’s akin to the 1982 Topps set, albeit with an overlay of modernity. This time, the lines are color-matched to each baseball team—an unintentional hark back to nostalgia that works seamlessly by merging vintage and contemporary design elements. Imbriano recounts how his artistic journey initially drew inspiration from the woodgrain of the beloved 1962 and 1987 sets: “The ‘82 connection was a happy accident. But I think it works because it blends vintage style with a modern twist.”
The road from concept to creation wasn’t a straight one. Topps encourages a competitive in-house process in which designers submit their visionary concepts, progressing through an exhaustive series of reviews. Imbriano’s design emerged victorious over 20 other submissions—each limning a piece of a puzzle of creativity and aspiration. Intriguingly, components from non-winning designs aren’t necessarily lost; fragments find resurrection in future iterations, exemplified by the inclusion of a small field graphic marking the player’s position on this year’s cards.
Through a storyboard of about ten different renditions, Imbriano meticulously refined his design as it transformed from that spontaneous subway seedling into the stunning embodiment of athletic artistry now in collectors’ hands. “There’s so much that goes into this process,” he mused. “I don’t think most people realize how much work happens before they ever hold the card in their hands.”
It’s not simply a matter of pixels on a screen; once digital designs are ratified, Topps conjures physical prototypes to scrutinize and admire in tangible form. Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior vice president of product, passionately expounds this touch-invoked tradition: “When we’re down to the final five designs, we actually print them out and simulate opening a pack. It’s a long, competitive process, and it’s one of the biggest debates we have in the office all year.”
The legacy stretching back to the origin tales of Sy Berger’s living room tabletop creations looms large over the team, infusing their process with an earnest blend of reverence and exuberance. Balancing Topps’ rich history with innovation, they grasp the dual significance of honoring icons while pioneering new landmarks. “Everyone on the team knows how important this is,” Luraschi stressed. “This is the 74th edition of Topps baseball cards… It’s a big deal—but also a lot of fun.”
Yet, the base design, as stunning as it is, serves merely as the foundation. The Series 1 lineup boasts a variety of beloved subsets sure to captivate the collectors’ imaginations: Future Stars and All-Topps Team lead the charge, alongside Training Grounds showing spring training highlights and Call to the Hall paying homage to Hall of Fame inductees. Insightful innovations include the City Connect Swatch Collection Autographs and the resonant Heavy Lumber Autographs.
Returning fan-favorites such as the electrifying Signature Tunes, which pairs players with the artists titling their walk-up songs, and First Pitch, a showcase of the celebrities who graced the last season’s symbolic first throws, deepen the connection between the game and its supporters.
Particular zest is added to this year’s card roster with special base-card variations capturing the Dodgers in serendipitous celebration—freely showcasing moments like Freddie Freeman’s infectious dance of joy. A stirring tribute to the dynamic design ethos of the 1990 Topps set for its 35th anniversary further spotlights bold artistry and vibrant color schemes.
Phil Imbriano views his designs akin to cinematic expressions, seeking that each card possesses the engaging presence of a mini poster ready to captain a collector’s treasured stack. His morale aligns perfectly with Topps’ broader design philosophy, ensuring all their creations resonate with the year they represent.
Luraschi crowns Imbriano’s creation with high acclaim, asserting, “I think Phil’s design is incredible. Fifty years from now, people should be able to look at a card and instantly recognize the year it’s from. This one absolutely nails that idea.” From an impulsive subway snapshot to an iconic collectible piece, Topps’ 2025 Series 1 baseball cards tell a story that blends tradition, innovation, and the beauty of unlikely inspiration.
