In the bustling cityscape of New York, where the only thing predictable is the rush-hour chaos, inspiration struck in a most unexpected locale—a crowded subway car. For Phil Imbriano, a keen-eyed senior designer at Topps, the familiar yet overlooked surroundings of his daily commute became the birthplace of the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards.
Why use a subway commute as inspiration, you ask? Well, in the world of art and design, it often seems the mundane hides pathways to ingenious creativity. As Imbriano settled into his routine train ride, his eyes were drawn to a red-and-silver badge nestled in the corner of the carriage. The sleek lines and thoughtfully constructed curves beckoned his designer instincts. Without hesitation, Imbriano captured this unexpected muse with a quick photo, setting in motion a series of sketches by the time he reached his work desk at Topps.
This was not just doodling to pass the time; these early sketches blossomed into the base design for the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards—an eagerly anticipated release now officially unveiled. The intricate design features two bold lines gracefully sweeping up the left side and arching across the top of the card. Collectors with a keen sense of memory might detect echoes of past designs, reminiscent of the 1982 Topps set. Yet, this time, a modern twist emerges with the lines being color-matched to each team, adding a splash of contemporary flair.
Curiously, this nostalgic nod to the 1982 design wasn’t a conscious choice. Instead, Imbriano had initially looked to the textured woodgrain aesthetic of the classic 1962 and 1987 sets for inspiration. But as design serendipity would have it, the resemblance to the 1982 set was a delightful accident. “It works because it blends vintage style with a modern twist,” he mused, embracing the beautiful marriage of old-school charm and modern-day innovation.
The journey to selecting such a design is far from a solitary endeavor. Within the creative corridors of Topps, designers vie to have their concepts immortalized in print through a rigorous internal selection process. Ideas abound, and creative flair competes, with Imbriano’s subway-inspired brilliance triumphing over 20 rival submissions. In this crucible of creativity, past losers aren’t outright discarded; rather, they often have elements that find a home in future sets. For instance, the current design includes a small field graphic nestled in the corner that maps out the player’s position—a touch from previous contenders given new life.
The chugging moments from subway serendipity to the final design spanned across ten diverse iterations before settling on the version now available to the public. “There’s so much that goes into this process that I don’t think most people realize,” Imbriano reflected, acknowledging the quiet diligence required to craft the cards ultimately held by eager collectors.
The transformation from digital illustrations to physical prototypes is crucial, as explained by Topps’ senior vice president of product, Clay Luraschi. This tactile phase involves printing and packing the final five designs to simulate the unwrapping experience, inviting Topps staff to debate and deliberate over the worthy winner in a playful yet highly competitive office showdown. “The 74th edition of Topps baseball cards is a testament to our legacy,” Luraschi noted, highlighting the cultural significance and light-hearted camaraderie woven into the process.
Now that the visually striking base set has made its debut, Imbriano’s artistry continues to weave through various complementary subsets. With playful nods to the sport’s rich traditions and innovations, the 2025 Topps Series 1 cards include highlights such as Future Stars, All-Topps Team, Call to the Hall, and the vibrant City Connect Swatch Collection Autographs, to name a few. An additional beam of delight for Dodgers fans comes in the form of special base-card variations spotlighting Freddie Freeman’s delightful hip-swaying “Freddie Dance.”
Furthermore, in homage to the bold and colorful aesthetic of the 1990 Topps set, a 35th-anniversary tribute is thoughtfully incorporated. This rich tapestry of the old and new sits at the heart of Imbriano’s designs, embodying a captivating storyline that collectors can hold in their hands. To him, each card is akin to a movie poster—a visual narrative ready to captivate anyone fluttering through a pack.
Phil Imbriano’s subway-inspired design is not merely a fleeting facet of face value; it’s a testament to the notion that inspiration lies in wait along life’s regular routes. As these cards sit poised to take their place alongside the classics, they encapsulate a moment when the everyday revealed its extraordinary potential. Whether cherished by collectors today or rediscovered in decades to come, the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards echo through time, heralding the serendipitous ride that birthed their creation.