In the labyrinthine bustle of New York City’s subway system, an ordinary commute transformed into an extraordinary source of inspiration for Phil Imbriano, a senior designer at Topps. A mundane journey turned creative epiphany when his eyes caught a red-and-silver badge nestled in the corner of the train car. Something about the sleek lines and dynamic curves struck a chord, leading him to snap a quick photo. By the time he reached his desk at Topps, Imbriano was deep in the throes of sketching design concepts that would eventually revolutionize the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards.
What’s fascinating about creativity is its unpredictable nature. “I love drawing inspiration from everyday things,” Imbriano shared with an enthusiastic glint in his eye. “Buildings, signs – anything that catches my eye. I take pictures and refer back to them later. You never know when something simple will turn into something big.” This ability to see potential in the mundane set the stage for what is now Topps’ newest baseball card design, launching with fanfare today.
The new design boasts two bold lines sweeping up the left side and across the top, a nod to the iconic 1982 Topps set while updating it for a modern era with team-specific color matching. Ironically, the nostalgia in the design wasn’t even an intentional homage. Initially, Imbriano drew inspiration from the woodgrain aesthetics iconic to the 1962 and 1987 sets. “The ’82 connection was a happy accident,” he revealed. “But I think it works because it blends vintage style with a modern twist.”
A highly competitive in-house process decided this design. Topps designers submitted their concepts, facing multiple rigorous rounds of scrutiny. Imbriano’s creative vision emerged victorious over 20 other submissions, and elements from past non-winning designs even found ways to seep into future sets. A particularly nice touch is a new graphic in the bottom right corner marking the player’s position—a simple yet effective enhancement.
From a gut feeling on a train to the premier design adorning collectables, Imbriano revised and tweaked his initial ideas through approximately ten different versions before achieving the final masterpiece. “There’s so much that goes into this process,” he noted. “I don’t think most people realize how much work happens before they ever hold the card in their hands.”
As designs evolved from digital concepts to tactile prototypes, Topps engaged in an intensive evaluation strategy. Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior vice president of product, extolled this hands-on approach. “When we’re down to the final five designs, we actually print them out and simulate opening a pack,” Luraschi explained. “It’s a long, competitive process, and it’s one of the biggest debates we have in the office all year.”
This scrupulous attention to detail and history isn’t cavalier—they’re aware of the profound legacy behind the Topps brand. “Everyone on the team knows how important this is,” Luraschi emphasized. “This is the 74th edition of Topps baseball cards. From the early days when Sy Berger designed them on his kitchen table to today’s high-tech process, we all take that legacy seriously. It’s a big deal—but also a lot of fun.”
Beyond the innovative new base design, the 2025 Topps Series 1 set introduces an exciting array of subsets that will captivate baseball enthusiasts and collectors alike. Among these are Future Stars, All-Topps Team, Training Grounds celebrating Spring Training highlights, Call to the Hall which honors new Hall of Fame inductees, and the sophisticated City Connect Swatch Collection Autographs. Intriguing subsets include Heavy Lumber Autographs, an artistic merging of sport and sound in Signature Tunes, pairing players with the artists behind their walk-up songs, and the glitz of First Pitch featuring celebrities who had the ceremonial first pitch last season.
For Dodgers fans, the 2025 set offers an extra icing on the cake with base-card variations that capture celebratory moments—for instance, those featuring the effervescent Freddie Dance, a trademark hip-swaying celebration of superstar Freddie Freeman.
Adding a backlink to the past, this year’s 35th-anniversary tribute turns a colorful spotlight on the 1990 Topps set, renowned for its bold hues and dynamic design. Nonetheless, the anchor of the collection is firmly embedded in Imbriano’s latest creation.
Approaching his designs with a cinematic flair, Imbriano imparts each card with the deliberate intent of a mini movie poster. “Each card should stand out on its own, almost like a mini poster in a collector’s hands,” he commented, showcasing a dedication to aesthetic brilliance that has long powered Topps’ strategies over the years.
Phil Imbriano’s ground-breaking design does indeed speak to the collector’s heart. “Fifty years from now, people should be able to look at a card and instantly recognize the year it’s from,” Luraschi gushed. “This one absolutely nails that idea.”