
Frutiger Aero (also known as Web 2.0 Gloss) is a design aesthetic that spanned from roughly late 2004 to 2013 and peaked around 2007 to 2012. Early instances of the aesthetic overlapped with Y2K Futurism in the mid-2000s before completely eclipsing it by 2007, and also overlapped with the McBling and Electropop 08 aesthetics.

This aesthetic was originally unnamed; at the time, its visual elements were often associated with specific software packages or web design kits intended as workstation tools for developers and designers (e.g., Windows Aero, iOS's skeuomorphic icons, and the visuals of Mirror's Edge and Spore) rather than a broader aesthetic. While some referred to the glossy elements as "Web 2.0 Gloss" during its mainstream period, this term described a specific aspect of Frutiger Aero rather than the aesthetic as a whole.


It is characterized by its use of 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 (typically white, green, and blue). The aesthetic's timeline coincides with the early days of Web 2.0 and the transition from feature phones to smartphones.

History of frutiger aero





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This aesthetic was originally unnamed; at the time, its visual elements were often associated with specific software packages or web design kits intended as workstation tools for developers and designers (e.g., Windows Aero, iOS's skeuomorphic icons, and the visuals of Mirror's Edge and Spore) rather than a broader aesthetic. While some referred to the glossy elements as "Web 2.0 Gloss" during its mainstream period, this term described a specific aspect of Frutiger Aero rather than the aesthetic as a whole.
