BiBiBiBi! Taiwan–Taiwan Tourist Train at Tokyo ● 156
Brand Lettering Antonieta ● 145
Brand New Logo ● 169
Burn Baby Burn: The Black Cat ● 157
Calligraphic Jewellery ● 142
Club Kokomo Spirits Packaging ● 160 Cordon Bleu ● 161
TYPEFACES
29LT Azahar Text + Display ● 200
29LT Idris Flat + Sharp ● 199
Adapter Georgian Text ● 222
Banger ● 176
Bibubator ● 183
Bizzarri ● 208
CHOSMOS ● 206
Davivienda ● 221
Edameh Font ● 202
FENDI 2025 New Year Gift: Calligraphy Copybook Set ● 168
Haraka Baraka ● 138
Hello Handsome ● 166
Il Caso del Castello Chiuso ● 165
Khwabgah: Culture Kitchen ● 139
Letraço ● 148
Lettering Greeting Cards ● 151
Euchre ● 189
Evert ● 194
Flux, a Low Poly Paradimensional Font ● 193
Gauche ● 207
Gofteh Font ● 203
Lofi Forest ● 197
Mahal ● 178
100
Loco Mosquito Clothing Display ● 143
New York City FC Crest ● 136
No Estás Solo ● 162
Protest Signs Against Fascists ● 147
Revelations of Divine Love ● 155
Salash Delicatessen ● 158
Sans Rancoeur ● 164
Stanford University d.school Yearbook ● 134
Tastes Like Saturday Morning Cartoons ● 154
The Goldsmith Playing Cards ● 159
The Nauvoo & British Pageants Rebrand ● 162
THE ZIPPO: Hot Rod Collection ● 153
● 123
Marjoree ● 190
Milling ● 195
NaataK ● 175
November Mongolian ● 205
November Tibetan ● 223
Playwrite ● 217
Ploquine ● 215
Pristine ● 182
Raketa ● 219
Ramboia ● 181
Rapida Hebrew + Arabic ● 214 Rosalie ● 186
Roses. In Full Bloom: A Type with Spikes ● 211 Saboneta ● 212
Seasummer ● 185
Sharp Roman ● 218
Shekanj ● 204
Talheen ● 196
The Economist ● 198
The Roses ● 211
Zed Icons ● 220
YOUNG ONES 14 SECS TO EARTH ● 245
20/20 ● 234
Needless to say, typography is entering an era of uncertainty with the advent of artificial intelligence. Some designers see opportunity; some don’t—or choose not to. Throughout this book, you will see the best creators cut out the noise, see beyond what is hard, and shape meaningful narratives through perseverance. It inspires optimism, contagious encouragement, and a nudging reminder of the joy of collaboration. Let’s revel in these moments where the content multiverse suddenly feels a little bit more connected.
A 79-YEAR-OLD LOVE LETTER
This isn’t just a book; it’s a love letter. And a journey. My own typographic odyssey has been firmly grounded in the Type Directors Club. When I became a member, I found a like-minded community of type nerds who were generous and open about what they knew and were excited to share it. Each interaction has been like increasing the magnification on a microscope, bringing ever greater typographic detail into focus.
As you view these pages, tune into the details. You’ll find a full range of typographic wonderment, from old masters to street stylists to fresh new innovators. You will find your own passion reflected and magnified.
The TDC was founded in 1946, and 79 years might seem like a long time to sustain a passion. But each year renews our commitment and drive. New faces (and typefaces) shift into focus. New strategies emerge, tools and techniques evolve. Classics are reinvented. Years of knowledge and experience are put into action.
Of course, typographic pleasures need not always come from formal training and tradition. The raw experiments of a student, or a self-taught hand, can provide just as much surprise and delight.
These are the passions we seek to amplify in this book: excellence, exploration, and the celebration of new voices and perspectives. With such a wealth of viewpoints, how do we determine what qualifies as “The World’s Best”? The judges for this competition were drawn from our community, from our dazzling Advisory Board, and selected by the jury presidents who oversee each discipline (communication design, type design, and lettering). This expertise represents something more than social media likes. A win in the TDC competition amounts to meaningful recognition from a deep community of highly qualified type-brainiacs. And there’s more… This year, we’re thrilled to welcome Slanted Publishers to our family to design, produce, and distribute the annual. They represent a kind of effervescent fusion of our ideals: tradition, passion, and enough raw energy and inventiveness to make a 79-year-old tradition seem fresh. You don’t have to be a student or a professional to enjoy this work. But if you are one, we invite you to enter next year’s competition (opening in fall of 2025) and let the world see the culmination of your typographic journey.
Carol wahler
Lucas: What do you think was the greatest type event you were a part of?
Carol: Type90. Without a doubt. It was really special. But honestly, it took me two years before I could even talk about it—because the stress and coordination involved was like nothing else I’d ever done. In 1990, computers and emails were just coming in. Spreadsheets and databases—I had to do everything via floppy disks and telephone.
I got to live in Oxford for a full month to run the event. Allan, my husband, came with me—he was my helper. Every morning, I had to have my coffee by 5:30. I’d grab something for breakfast, then be at Town Hall by 7:00 AM, and I wouldn’t stop until 10:00 at night.
We handled everything—lodging, travel, meals, equipment. I had to get cribs and cots for speakers. Literally. Steven Heller and Louise Fili were bringing their baby, so I needed to find a crib—in a city I had never been to, in a country I had never visited. I saw an Army and Navy store out the window and thought, “That’s my best shot.” We found one. Then our keynote speaker needed a cot and water between sessions. These are the things no one thinks about when they plan an event, much less when they attend one.
I didn’t even get to see most of the talks. I missed Neville Brody and Zuzana Licko speaking together on stage— can you imagine? I was right outside the door, managing logistics. But I remember the people. I met Steven Heller for the first time, with their baby Nicolas, who’s now famous in his own right. I met so many people who were just starting in the industry.
People still talk about Type90. And when they do, I think to myself—if I could do that then, why not now?
●
What do you think makes a great type event?
The speakers matter, of course—but not just famous names. You need people who bring something meaningful. Massimo Vignelli once spoke at an ATypI event and kept talking about his five favorite typefaces—Futura was one of them—but it can’t just be about personal preferences or showing your portfolio. People come to conferences to learn. You need a range of voices, people who can speak to what’s changing, what’s coming next, what people should be paying attention to.
You can have a great speaker who captivates the room, but if they’re not giving the audience something they can grow from, then it’s just entertainment. A good type event
leaves people feeling like they’ve learned something—and connected to something larger. Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable hour, and then it fades from memory.
●
Is the future of typography bright?
It depends on the people using it.
There used to be maybe a dozen new typefaces a year. Now they say there are thousands or tens of thousands. But how many are actually beautiful? How many are really worth using? It’s overwhelming. You can’t even process them all.
Every year in the competition, we see both. Some designs are truly original, carefully crafted. Others are more of the same. And sometimes you wonder—how many different typefaces do we need? I’m starting to sound a bit like Massimo now.
There’s a point to restraint. But also, there’s a point to possibility. I really don’t know what’s coming next, but I think if type designers and typographers still care about craft and beauty, the future will be bright as ever.
●
You started working in type at 11-years old, with your family business, Cardinal Type Service. Technology has changed dramatically, but how much credit do you give those early days with hot metal type for your overall typographic knowledge?
All the credit in the world. When you learn something, it’s always best to learn from the beginning, so you gain a deep understanding of what it was—then you can appreciate what comes next.
It was the basis for my knowledge, and everything else was built up from it.
It’s funny—or really, not funny—how different things are now.
People who haven’t seen what came before ... they don’t even think about it. Honestly, people don’t consider how their newspaper is set. We used to visit The New York Times and see how everything was assembled and pasted up. Now? You just type it all yourself.
●
What do you think has been lost now that design work has become mostly solo and digital, rather than collaborative and mechanical?
So much. The average designer today—and I don’t mean this as an insult—they just haven’t had the chance to learn what type really is. They’re in a rush, or they’re self-taught on
a screen. But when I started, it was hot metal. You couldn’t fake it. Negative space was a real, physical thing you had to consider. There was lots of math involved in a layout, and you had specialists in each step of the process, from beginning to end.
Today, people are just typing on a screen. There’s no metal. There’s no mess. And there’s very little understanding of how something like a line break or a hyphen changes the feeling of the text.
Just the other day, I got a document where it said “December” and then, on the next line, “31, 2025.” I would never have allowed that. Never.
When I worked on the annuals, everyone knew how I wanted lines to break. No unnecessary hyphens. I hate (dislike) hyphens. You need good rhythm with proper line endings. We all hated bad type. And I still do.
Even in something simple like all-caps—if a name is McDonald, you don’t write it in full caps. You use a small cap for the ‘c’. But most people don’t know that anymore. That’s the difference between someone who knows type and someone who just lays it out.
If you’re a type person, you can’t help but see the mistakes. You’re in traffic, looking at the trucks around you, thinking, “Oh my God, that spacing. That font choice.” It never leaves you. I don’t know if things have gotten worse on average, but there has been such a proliferation of technology, and everyone is in such a rush, and they’re working with fewer eyes on the output… that it’s easier to go to press with mistakes now.
●
How did you get your start as the Executive Director at the TDC?
Back then, the club had a tiny office, and whoever chaired the competition would ask their type shop to receive all the entries. That year, Jack Odette—Vice President of Communication Design at Citibank, Allan’s biggest client—was the chair. Allan asked if I could come and help out. He didn’t know exactly what they would need, but he always knew I’d be willing to help.
I showed up—and Allan had 180 packages piled into his office. I asked where do they go, and he told me. “I can’t dump—my brain doesn’t work like that.” So, I figured it out. Honestly, I don’t even remember how—how do you organize 180 unknown packages? But I did. And, Jack was impressed and asked if I would like to work and enter the entries.
Jack told me Klaus Schmidt would be coming in to show me the ropes. Allan said “Do you know who Klaus Schmidt is? He’s a major influencer in advertising typography!” I said to Allan, “Don’t make me nervous!” When Klaus arrived, he explained everything. I made a mistake on the
first entry, and he chastised me. I didn’t make another mistake after that. Klaus became a mentor and a dear friend.
I entered as much as 300 entries a day—all by hand. Then I was asked to help with the judging. Then I helped with the book. Then this, then that. Suddenly, I was doing everything.
One day, Jack called and said, “Carol, how would you like to be Executive Secretary-slash-Director?” I said, “I’m in school and I’ve got two kids—let me think about it.” But Allan said, “If someone offers you an executive position, take it.” So, I said yes.
I didn’t know what the job really was, but I knew how to work. My father taught me to answer the phone, take copy, handle customers. My mother taught me bookkeeping. That’s what the job really is—helping people, solving problems, and doing the work behind the scenes.
●
What carried you through 42 years with the TDC?
The people. The relationships.
Members weren’t just members. Even if I had never met someone, they felt like friends. Every year I’d go through the list of unpaid dues and call people. I didn’t mind. One member—may he rest in peace—used to say, “I purposely don’t pay on time so that you’ll call and we can have our annual catch-up.” When he passed away, his son called me directly. That meant everything.
I’ve met all the greats. Ed Benguiat, Hermann Zapf, Adrian Frutiger, Matthew Carter. I have been lucky enough to know them—not just professionally, but personally. I was in a cab once with Ed and Hermann. Ed made me laugh so much. He and I were close until he passed away.
But more than the names—it’s been the community. The students, the teachers, the people who truly love type. That’s what kept me here. I have loved meeting people around the world and talking with them about our shared special interest.
●
When the TDC nearly shut down in 2020, what inspired you to keep it going?
I couldn’t let it end. I love the club. It’s a part of me. But it was serious. We had a conference coming up and had to refund between $14,000 and $18,000. My husband and I sat in different rooms and refunded everything, transaction by transaction. It broke my heart. We had no money left. That easily could have been the end.
Kevin Swanepoël from The One Club for Creativity called me. I had known him for years—we used to have our exhibits there. Kevin approached me with the concept of merging TDC into The One Club, but only if I came with it.
COMMU NICATION DESIGN
COMMUNICATION DESIGN:
01 MEET ThE jUDGES
1. The Weirdest, Wildest Performances of the Year ● 90
6th Guanzhong Mangba Arts Festival ● 36
9th 2024 O! Daejeon × Soje-dong: Material ● 125
38th Annual Purim Ball ● 116
2024 Typographic Ecology Design Exhibition ● 112
Abracadabra ● 103
12—15
ADCC 75 Year Book ● 53
ADCC 2024 Campaign ● 122
After October 7 ● 50
ALEXANDRE DUMAS ● 48
Amazon Brand Architecture ● 85
Anonymous Landscapes ● 115 Are Awards Candy or Poison? ● 77
bEST Of DISCIplINE 16
Art for Justice Fund Web Design ● 108
Avo Consulting ● 121
Barco de Papel ● 38
Barra Monospaced Experimental Typography ● 100
Belizean Bitters ● 82
Book Series ● 44
Brooklyn Museum Visual Identity ● 31
BRUT ● 114
Carnation, Word and Melody ● 62
China TDC 2024 ● 74
jUDGES’ ChOICES
Chronicles ● 43
Cloud Chamber Brand Identity ● 127
Common Sounds ● 18
ComPotte ● 80
16—39
Crop X: Yield ● 56
Deem Symposium Branding: Designing for Dignity ● 123
Efthimis Fillipou – Screenwriter ● 107
Environment Entends-tu? ● 69
Flux Watch Face ● 101 gerhardkirchschlaeger.at ● 33
Performance-Based Assessment in Early Childhood ● 49
Perspecta 56: Not Found ● 55
Playtime: Au Chon Hin and The Rodina Duo Exhibition ● 119
Pollinate Dynamic Identity ● 67
REBEL PRINTS–The Poster Rex Manifesto ● 46
Rebranding Busan Museum of Contemporary Art ● 59
Residential Rehbühl ● 76
Ritomello-BIFT 2024 ● 45
Sans theme ● 20
Sen Umbrella Packaging ● 81
Shiqi’s Calligraphy ● 40
Sigurd Bronger. Wearables ● 22
Sistine Spritz Packaging ● 83
in New York led by craft, culture and imagination. She is also part-time Creative Director at body care brand, Billie, and mom to her 2 year old son, Luca. Her work aims to viscerally synthesize a unique balance of familiarity and newness— led by the desire to build timeless brands with true cultural relevance and an original, ownable point of view.
11.
Adriel N. Teles
DoorDash_InHouse: Head of Design Richmond, VA, US
A visionary in Graphic and Industrial Design with over 25 years of experience transforming global brands. Head of Design at DoorDash. His work blends global and local perspectives, balancing consistency with innovation. Before DoorDash, Adriel honed his craft at top agencies like The Martin Agency and Saatchi & Saatchi, earning accolades at D&AD, Cannes, One Show, ADC and more. He founded Cohab.Club, a Brazilian studio exploring art, subcultures, and design for provocative storytelling.
12.
Michelle Phillips
Studio Yukiko: Founder / Creative Director Berlin, DE
Michelle Phillips co-founded YUKIKO with Johannes Conrad in 2012, a Berlin-based creative agency specialising in creative direction, art direction, brand strategy, concept generation and graphic design for commercial and cultural clients alike. She is also a founding member and Art Director of Flaneur and Sofa Magazine, where Yukiko explores new forms of visual storytelling and audience engagement. Studio Yukiko has been recognised at D&AD, Lead Awards, Stack Awards, ADC Germany, German Brand Awards, Deutscher Digital Awards and Type Directors Club NY.
13.
Tony Tung
Apple: Creative Director, Design Los Angeles, CA, US
A creative director at Apple within the Marcom LA group. His work spans brand identity, visual design, and creative solutions for Apple Services. He began as an entertainment creative at Disney ABC Television Group, later serving as VP at agencies such as Crispin Porter + Bogusky. He has led major launches for Facebook and YouTube and holds two creative technology patents used in award-winning campaigns for Coca-Cola, Google, and the film “Despicable Me.” His work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, and Clio Awards.
14.
Marina Veziko
Studio Marina Veziko: Founder / Creative Director Helsinki, FI
An Art Director and graphic designer specializing in branding. In 2021, she was named Graphic Designer of the Year in Finland. Veziko has worked extensively with international clients on various commercial and cultural projects. Her award-winning work has been widely featured on international design platforms. She has received accolades including the Dieline Awards, ADC*E Awards, a Certificate of Typographic Excellence from TDC Type Directors Club, the European Design Awards, and the Adobe Nordic Creative Talent Award. In addition to running her own studio, Veziko is the co-creator of FEW Magazine and a lecturer at Helsinki Design School.
15.
Ryan Waller
Other Means: Graphic Designer Brooklyn, NY, US
Ryan Waller earned his BFA in Graphic Design from RISD in 2003 and his MFA from Yale in 2009. After a Fulbright fellowship in Switzerland, he co-founded Other Means
studio in Brooklyn with Gary Fogelson and Phil Lubliner. In 2013, they launched Typography Summer School in New York. He has taught, lectured, or workshopped at California Institute of the Arts, Center for Curatorial Studies (CCS Bard), Cornell University, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne ECAL, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Maryland Institute College Of Art, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe, Virginia Commonwealth University, Werkplaats Typografie, and Yale.
16.
Stefanie Weigler
Triboro Design: Partner & Co-Founder Brooklyn, NY, US
Stefanie is a partner and co-founder of the Brooklyn studio Triboro. She has designed major initiatives for a global roster of respected international brands and artists including MoMA, Nike, Marc Jacobs, and Paul McCartney. Stefanie was born in Düsseldorf, Germany. In 2010, she was named an ADC Young Gun. Her revolutionary work for many iconic NYC restaurants has helped reinvent the city’s culinary identity landscape. Stefanie has taught design and lectured around the world, while pursuing self-initiated experiments such as Triboro Leftovers and the Wrong Color Subway Map, now in the collection of MoMA.
17.
Thomas Wilder
Wolff Olins: Global Principal New York City, NY, US
Thomas previously served as ECD at Sweetgreen, the billion-dollar fast-casual restaurant focused on rewriting the future of food. Prior to Sweetgreen, Thomas was Partner at COLLINS, which AdAge named Design Agency of the Year for 3 consecutive years. As a Partner, he led work for clients like ESPN, Twitch, Dropbox,
Sweetgreen, Ogilvy & Mather, Target, Facebook, Eos, The TDC, MOMI, and Babyganics.
18.
Forest Young fundamental.co:
Executive Director of Design New York City, NY, US Forest Young is the Executive Director of Design for Fundamentalco—a value creation consultancy. Previously, he led the Rivian brand across its people, products and services. Prior to Rivian, Forest served as the first Chief Creative Officer for Wolff Olins and led the company to be recognized as the world’s Most Innovative for Design by Fast Company. Forest’s work has been exhibited at MoMA, the ROM, and at numerous international biennials. He is a recipient of the Gold Design Lion at Cannes and the ADC Black Cube. Forest has taught graduate study in graphic design at Yale, RISD and CCA.
19.
Liu Zhao
Another Design: Founder & Creative Director Guangzhou, CN
Liu Zhao excels at integrating cross-media design to incorporate local language and culture extensively. His designs have been recognised with over 200 international awards, including: Tokyo TDC Prize; 3 D&AD Graphite Pencil Awards; ONE Show Design Bronze Award; NY ADC Bronze Award; GDC Award 3 Gold Awards; HKDA Global Design Awards Gold Award; Award360˚ Annual Design Award 2 Gold Awards, NY TDC Ascenders etc. ● He also serves as a judge for international design competitions, such as: the Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook 2021-2022 jury member, 2021 China International Poster Biennale, 2022 ONE SHOW Design category, New York TDC Ascenders; Top Awards Asia, One Show Asia; Award 360, KTK, Macau Design Award, 2024 D&AD branding category, etc.
20.
Scott Buschkuhl
Prophecy:
Creative Director, Design Educator
New York, NY, US
Scott Buschkuhl is a creative director and design educator with over 20 years of experience, shaping bold brand experiences at Prophecy while teaching at the School of Visual Arts. Previously, he founded Hinterland—a multidisciplinary branding studio, led art direction for The New York Times and LIFE, and worked as a senior designer with Abbott Miller and Woody Pirtle at Pentagram. ● He leads and develops teams to build brands for Fortune 100 companies like American Express, Freddie Mac, and Exelon, while also crafting fresh identities for startups and upstarts. Every project is driven by collaboration, open-mindedness, and meticulous craft. ● Since 2009, he has been teaching at the School of Visual Arts, sharing his passion for design and mentoring the next generation of creatives.
21.
Matteo Bologna
Mucca: Founder & Creative Director
New York, NY, US
Matteo is the founder and creative director of the branding studio Mucca, a singular leader whose multidisciplinary expertise helped establish one of the most respected companies in design. Through his focused but fun-loving approach, he has earned strong client partnerships across countless industries, including Sephora, Barnes & Noble, Target, WeWork, Whole Foods, the legendary Balthazar Restaurant, and many others. He is an associate faculty at the School of Visual Arts and Kean University, a former board member of AIGA NY, and president emeritus of the Type Directors Club.
22.
Diego Vainesman
40N47 Design: Founder New York, NY, US He runs his own design studio, 40N47 Design, Inc. Previously a Design Director at MJM Creative. As an educator, he has taught at the School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute, and Parsons School of Design, and conducts design and branding workshops across Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. A frequent competition judge, he also lectures and curates, notably the Iberoamerican Branding exhibition for Iberoamérica Diseña at Madrid Gráfica Abierta Expo. Diego was the first Latin president of the Type Directors Club (TDC), where he developed master classes for diverse audiences, and now serves as its liaison for Latin America. He published Logo: The Face of Branding via Kickstarter. He contributed as New York correspondent for tipoGráfica (1987–2007) and to the book Tipografía Latinoamericana. Clients include: American Express, Atlas Construction, Art Deco Society of New York, Behrman House, Blue Apple Books, Canon, Formica, Hotel Palacio del Inka, Hotel Paracas, Hotel Tambo del Inka, IBM, John Wiley & Sons, New York State Democratic Committee, Pfizer, Print Magazine, Saturn, Sixth.
SANS ThEME
“Sans Thème” (“No Theme”) offered a paradoxical opportunity to create a strong visual identity through intentional ambiguity. This project expemplifies how typography and imagery can anchor a concept defined by the absence of definition. A rounded, cloudlike sans serif typography system brings both softness and mystery, feeling unresolved yet complete—mirroring the name in both tone and spirit. The white-on-electric-blue palette evokes a surreal, atmospheric quality, like memories or clouds in motion. Animated and static forms of the typography dissolve and reassemble, reinforcing the event’s ephemeral nature. Typography extended beyond printed ephemera and digital.
SANS THEME ● Ephemera
Design: Mathilde Bonin-Leblanc, Félix Rainville ● Interactive Design: Maxwell Soar Art Direction: Mathilde Bonin-Leblanc ● Creative Direction: David Beauchemin, Maxime Jenniss ● Conception-Rédaction: Juliette Beauregard, Charge de Projets, Production: Julie Martin, Vincent Boivent ● Agency: LG2, Montréal
Principal Type: Angus Bold [modified] (Black Foundry / Elliot Amblard) At LG2, every big gathering comes with a theme, which inevitably leads to questions and a bit of stress about the dress code. This year, we went rogue: A party with no theme. No pressure, no dress code, but definitely not without fun. ● We created a visual identity inspired by the No Name brand, blending playful copywriting, bold type and minimal color. The whole look was infused with an ’80s post-punk vibe—a nod to breaking conventions and embracing individuality. ● To promote the evening, we created a deconstructed display mixing different papers and printing techniques installed with an offset effect to build suspense. Each composition could vary, making every piece unique. This offbeat atmosphere carried through the night with interactive and immersive projections. A camera transformed guests into raw, fragmented and distorted digital textures, reshaping the space in a unique way. ● A party that left no one without memories.
Judge’s Choice by Roanne Adams
Judge’s Choice by Ryan Waller
NUTS
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial enumerates over 58,000 names—an index of loss presented without narrative or qualification. Its power lies in this refusal to interpret. The typeface, Optima, is a sans-serif that mimics the gravitas of a serif through subtle stroke modulation. It performs neutrality while gesturing toward permanence; a modern form made to look ancient, chiseled. ● I thought of Optima while reading NUTS, a magazine that operates at the opposite end of the expressive spectrum. Where the memorial erases authorship, NUTS foregrounds it. Typeset in Implicit—Commercial Type’s sly dupe of Optima—the magazine stages a kind of typographic mischief. It resists coherence: loud and quiet, elegant and disposable, insistently contradictory. Still, both can be read as acts of reverence. The wall recedes, allowing names to speak for themselves. NUTS piles on, using excess as a mode of attention. Its disorder becomes a form of remembrance, marking the texture and plurality of lives lived.
NUTS ● Book
Design Direction: Julia Laura Scháfer ● Creative Direction, Editor: Richard Turley
NUTS is a lookbook of ideas that asks, Who are we underneath the clothes we wear? It shifts emphasis away from big names and industry teams, favoring the quieter side of image making and sourcing from far corners of rural and metropolitan places all over the world. NUTS is not about renown—no movers / shakers, up-andcomers, cultural figureheads, cozying up to downtown personalities, etc. It is at first glance (and at closer inspection) an incoherent slew forced onto pages using a limited toolkit.
Judge’s Choice by Han Gao
INNUMErAblE jUMpING hE
Jumping He’s works have always been inspiring when it comes to playing with the concept of “repetition” as a visual language in general. This work, a poster for Jumping He’s exhibition, takes that idea to another level. The consideration of materiality of the giant poster shows a great control of the visual language from the designer’s past experiments and experience.
INNUMERABLE JUMPING HE ● Installation, Poster
Design: Jumping He ● Principal Type: Innumerable Regular [Custom] (Jumping He)
Dimensions: (33.1 × 46.8 in. (84.1 x118.9 cm) ● Client: ZiWU Gallery Shanghai “Innumerable” refers both to the multitude of things and the concept of repetition. Repetition, in turn, generates difference, which drives innovation. Jumping He connects his personal experiences and observations of everyday objects with his visual art practice, reinterpreting the variations, novelty, evolution, and creativity that emerge from differences within repetition.
Judges’ Choice by Sulki and Min
MOTION & GrAphIC TypOGrAphy DESIGN ExhIbITION
The handwriting input method is a crucial yet often invisible feature of the Chinese digital writing system. We appreciate how it is used to create a prominent visual element in this series. The handwritten characters, usually generated by drawing on a screen with a finger, are informal and childlike, making a nice contrast with the “properly” rendered typographic characters. The animation is simple yet compelling in its demonstration of the process by which the characters are constructed. The typographic title changes while the handwriting is being made, providing multiple, sometimes nonsensical yet playful readings of the text: from “death” through “motion green now” to “motion graphic typography.” The composition and the details are appropriately generic, allowing the dynamic relationship between handwriting and typography to receive full attention.
Design Studio: THE END DESIGN, Guangzhou, Guangdong ● Principal Type: Founder Type LanTing Hei Pro Global (FounderType / Li Qi) ● IG: @daijiaan1995 ● URL: theenddesign.cn
Client: Shenzhen Graphic Design Association
The visual creativity comes from the “handwriting input method” of screen display terminals. Starting from typography, “handwriting input” and “screen display output” are used to express “Motion (Dynamic)” and “Graphic (Static)” correspondingly, showing the “pictographic beauty” of Chinese characters and the “simple fun” of contemporary screen display writing. To emphasize the authenticity, we invited Jiayu Ou (6 years old), a child who has just learned to write, to create the handwritten text.
REBEL PRINTS–THE POSTER REX MANIFESTO ● Book Design and Concept: Lars Harmsen and Markus Lange ● Final Design: Julia Kahl, Juliane Nöst
Text Edit: Tom Barbereau, Lena Buhl ● Publisher: Slanted Publishers, Karlsruhe ● Principal Type: Druk (Commercial Type / Berton Hasebe), Editorial New (Pangram Pangram / Mat Desjardins, Francesca Bolognini), Posterrex Regular (defharo / Fernando Haro), Reynaldo (Abstract Office / Benjamin Woodlock) ● Dimensions: 8.3 × 10.6 in. (21 × 27 cm) ● IG: @slanted_publishers, @posterrex URL: slanted.de, posterrex.com Poster Rex, know about the power of signs—their posters combine contemporary aesthetics with uncomfortable images from our turbulent times, often in a political and / or socio-critical context. ● Poster Rex represents pop culture and the enduring strength of creativity and human resilience, the rebellious spirit of Poster Rex provokes and awakens hope.
CHINA TDC 2024 ● Motion: Animated Poster, Brand Identity Design, Art, Creative Direction: Jiaan Dai ● Design Firm: THE END DESIGN ● Principal Type: Helvetica (Hass Type Foundry / Max Miedinger, Eduard Hoffman), Times New Roman (Monotype / Stanley Morison, Victor Lardent), Hanyi QiHei (Hanyi Fonts / Ying Lin, Guodong Zhan), Founder Type XinShu Song (FounderType) ● IG: @daijiaan1995 ● URL: theenddesign.cn
Client: Shenzhen Graphic Design Association In the motion design, the three letters “T,” “D,” and “C” are transformed into each other and appear alternately through the unified grid changes, which expresses the relationship between type design and graphic symbols. Changes in the reference lines within the grid system lead to changes in the graphic and textual arrangement of the letters, symbolizing the ever-widening boundaries of typography through continuous exploration, reaching out to infinite visual possibilities.
WORDS OF TYPE ● Digital: Website / Microsite Design, Art Direction: Grégory Taniguchi-Ambos ● Illustration: Yann Bastard, Jay Cover, James Graham, Chloe Kendall, Mar Malota, Raven Mo, Catherine Potvin ● Website Development: Goodthing Studio Digital Agency: Goodthing Studio ● Typographer: Min-Young Kim, Indra Kupferschmid, Mariko Takagi
Studio: Words of Type Studio, Nantes ● Principal Type: Knowledge [Custom] ( Carlos De Toro, Pauline Fourest, Éloïsa Pérez, María Ramos, Tânia Raposo, Tezzo Suzuki, Erik van Blokland, Mingoo Yoon)
URL: wiki.wordsoftype.com, goodthing.studio, taniguchi-ambos.com Words of Type brings together the terms used in typography and beyond, illustrated and explained into multiple languages. With concise descriptions—and whenever it is relevant, additional explanations for more context in each language and culture—the project’s goal is to make typography knowledge more accessible (in every meaning of that word) across the world by building bridges between people, even in a narrower field such as that of typography. More languages will come, and more words too!
Principal Type: Century Schoolbook (ATF / Morris Fuller Benton) ● Client: Efthimis Fillipoum
Screenwriter Efthymis Filippou’s website transforms into a dynamic, living experience centered around the titles of his works, which take the spotlight as the core content. These words are displayed in Century Schoolbook font and positioned centrally with a clean, symmetrical aesthetic. As users hover over the titles, the letters expand and intermingle, forming an organic, flowing typographic composition. This animation mirrors the rhythm of a breathing, evolving organism, before gracefully returning to its original form. Complementing the visual experience, an audio playlist features readings of excerpts from his works. These recordings immerse visitors in the evocative atmosphere of his texts, offering a multidimensional and deeply engaging encounter with his creative world.
Design: Au Chon Hin, Yoby ● Art Direction: Au Chon Hin ● Animation: MEDIA ● Photography: Rex Chang Design Firm: Untitled Macao, Untitled Design Ltd, Macao ● Principal Type: ABC Diatype (Dinamo / Johannes Breyer, Fabian Harb, Elias Hanzer, Erkin Karamemet, Renan Rosatti, Andree Paat, Đ �c Cao), Adobe Song (Adobe Originals), FZ LanTing Hei Variable (FounderType / Fang Zheng, Li Qi) IG: @untitled_macao ● URL: untitledmacao.com ● Client: SGDA (Shenzhen Graphic Design Association) The design is inspired by The Renewal of Fonts, seamlessly blending it with a sense of exploration and adventure. Picture it as an enchanting journey where designers continuously explore and experiment within the realm of typography, creating diverse font forms. Each font resembles a unique island, revealing its own vibrant and creative ecosystem. The Chinese typography dynamically mirrors the evolutionary journey of letterforms, embodying boundless vitality.
Lett ering DeSign
30 Frames of Stolen Time ● 163
36 Days of Type, Nuo Opera Cultural Font ● 141
BiBiBiBi! Taiwan–Taiwan Tourist Train at Tokyo ● 156
Brand Lettering Antonieta ● 145
Brand New Logo ● 169
Burn Baby Burn: The Black Cat ● 157
Calligraphic Jewellery ● 142
Club Kokomo Spirits Packaging ● 160
Cordon Bleu ● 161
FENDI 2025 New Year Gift: Calligraphy Copybook Set ● 168
Haraka Baraka ● 138
Hello Handsome ● 166
Il Caso del Castello Chiuso ● 165
Khwabgah: Culture Kitchen ● 139 Letraço ● 148
Lettering Greeting Cards ● 151
Loco Mosquito Clothing Display ● 143
New York City FC Crest ● 136 No Estás Solo ● 162
Protest Signs Against Fascists ● 147
Revelations of Divine Love ● 155
Salash Delicatessen ● 158
Sans Rancoeur ● 164
Stanford University d.school Yearbook ● 134
Tastes Like Saturday Morning Cartoons ● 154
The Goldsmith Playing Cards ● 159
The Nauvoo & British Pageants Rebrand ● 162 THE ZIPPO: Hot Rod Collection ● 153
Best of Discipline
StanforD univerSity
D.SchooL yearbook
STANFORD UNIVERSITY D.SCHOOL YEARBOOK ● Book
Creative Direction, Typographer: Daniel Frumhoff ● Letterers: Ivo Brouwer, Erik Marinovich Design Firm: Daniel Frumhoff Design ● Principal Type: Laima (TypeTogether / Bogidar Mascareñas), Neue Haas Unica (Monotype / Toshi Omagari), Signifier (Klim Type Foundry / Kris Sowersby), Surround (TypeTogether / Bogidar Mascareñas), The Future (Klim Type Foundry / Kris Sowersby)
The Stanford d.school Yearbook is an annual publication that celebrates the school year’s activities and events. Overlapping joyful colors represent the intersections of educators, students, and community coming together to share ideas. Featuring bold typography, custom lettering and a vibrant color palette, the publication captures the school’s innovative methods. Each of the book’s three sections is color coded for easy navigation. 120 pages, 8 × 10.5, 4-color, perfect bound.
caLLigraphic jeweLLery
Tatiana Iakovleva’s calligraphic jewelry stood out as a deeply personal and poetic response to the generalized uniformity of the digital age. Untethered from legibility, her work radiates with the spirit of language—each piece breathing new life into the familiar rhythm of letterforms. What resonated most was her commitment to craftsmanship. In a time dominated by vectors and screens, her hand-wrought metal work feels almost radical. The interplay of form, material, and movement in her work is bold and sculptural, yet delicate. Her compositions evoke both calligraphic flow and natural growth, blurring the boundary between word and ornament. There’s something timeless in her approach: ancient scripts recast as contemporary adornment. Tatiana’s work challenges our expectations of both typography and jewelry—and for that reason, it felt like a vital and fresh contribution to this year’s competition.
CALLIGRAPHIC JEWELLERY ● Jewelry
Designer, Calligrapher, Jewelry Artist: Tatiana Iakovleva ● Studio: SONUM, Tallinn
Lettering: European, Old Slavonic calligraphy ● IG: @sonum.jewellery
URL: sonum.studio ● Client: SONUM
Calligraphic jewelry by Tatiana Iakovleva. SÕNUM means “Message” in Estonian. In my jewelry, I combine my love for nature, calligraphy and jewelry art in a unique and exclusive way. My brand’s main idea is to combine European and Old Slavonic calligraphy with jewelry art, bringing something new to both fields of art.
Judge’s Choice by Erik Marinovich
Loco moSquito
I selected the Loco Mosquito artwork for recognition because of its beautiful use of reverse hand painted glass signage and stellar lettering that elevates and enhances the products it’s advertising for. Buk demonstrates a masterful handling of the brush, impeccable layout, style, and color, and a true understanding of the project at hand.
LOCO MOSQUITO CLOTHING DISPLAY ● Apparel Display
Sign-Painter, Graphic Design: Suchan Chaveewan ● Furniture Design: Made by LERT, Chiangmai, Thailand
Photography: Prin Junnum ● Design Studio: Sketchedbuk, Bangkok
This project is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between Loco Mosquito, LERT and Sketchedbuk. Based on the idea of replicating the aesthetics of the facade of colorful trucks of India, the aim was to create a vibrant clothing display with a handmade feel. By coming up with a set of signs to fit each part of the display, we strive to represent the essence of the brand (tattoo art & handcrafted products). Each sign contains individual design lettering and illustrations as sacred symbols.
Judge’s Choice by Jason Carne
SALASH DELICATESSEN ● Logotype / Monogram
Design, Design Direction: Natasha Alimova ● Creative Direction: Matt Grantham
Design Firm: Onfire Design, Auckland ● Principal Type: Geometric 706 / 212 Black Condensed (Bitstream / Wilhelm Pischner), Magalie (Mark van Leeuwen) ● IG: @onfiredesign URL: wereonfire.co.nz, salash.co.nz
Salash Delicatessen, a family-run Kumeu business, has crafted dry-cured meats for four generations, rooted in Northern Serbia. A rebrand readied the brand for national grocery shelves, highlighting its heritage. The new wordmark, inspired by Cyrillic script and meat hooks and butchery craft, features sharp serifs and a bold, flag-inspired palette. Oversized on packaging, it reflects the brand’s proud, Serbian spirit and deep passion for food and the joy it brings.
THE GOLDSMITH PLAYING CARDS ● Packaging
Creative Direction, Illustration, Lettering: Kevin Cantrell ● Design Studio: Kevin Cantrell Studio, Mantua, Utah ● Principal Type: Cottonhouse [Custom] (Cantrell Type / Kevin Cantrell and Andrei Robu), Misfits (Typeverything / Andrei Robu) ● Dimensions: 3.6 × 2.5 in. (9.1 × 6.4 cm) ● IG: @kevincantrellstudio, @cantrell.type ● URL: kevincantrell.com, cantrelltype.com ● Client: The Gentlemen Wake
The Goldsmith Playing Cards tells the lesser-known stories of Johannes Gutenberg and the invention that changed the world. From his failures as a goldsmith to his triumph with the printing press. Each card offers stories ranging from his financial partners to his endeavors creating pilgrim mirrors using typography, illustration and lettering. Additionally, different features of the printing press are showcased such as his punch and matrix system, dabbers, and more.
FENDI 2025 NEW YEAR GIFT: CALLIGRAPHY COPYBOOK SET ● Other
Design: Cai Junhui ● Art Direction: Xing Chen, Li Xiang ● Project Management: Wu Linxi
Photography: Wang Di ● Design Firm: United Design Lab (UDL), Beijing
We designed a set of Calligraphy Copybooks for FENDI on the 2025 New Year. 2025 is FENDI’s 100th anniversary, so we designed 100 calligraphy characters for this copybook. FENDI’s customers can realize the brand’s 100th anniversary and write 100 versions of FENDI’s Chinese name in calligraphy characters by themselves.
BRAND NEW LOGO ● Logotype / Monogram
Studio: Rob Clarke, London ● IG: @robclarketype, @brandnewbyucllc
Client: Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit, Under Consideration, Bloomington, Indiana
Established in 2006 by Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio, Brand New is an extensive resource updated daily with the latest and most note-worthy logo, identity, and branding projects. It was time to update the logo to something more captivating, “unique, ownable, and, ideally, more exciting” for the audience.
TYPE DESIGN
29LT Azahar Text + Display ● 200
29LT Idris Flat + Sharp ● 199
Adapter Georgian Text ● 222
Banger ● 176
Bibubator ● 183
Bizzarri ● 208
CHOSMOS ● 206
Davivienda ● 221
Edameh Font ● 202
Euchre ● 189
Evert ● 194
Flux, a Low Poly Paradimensional Font ● 193
Gauche ● 207
Gofteh Font ● 203
Lofi Forest ● 197
Mahal ● 178
Marjoree ● 190
Milling ● 195
NaataK ● 175
November Mongolian ● 205
November Tibetan ● 223
Playwrite ● 217
Ploquine ● 215
Pristine ● 182
Raketa ● 219
Ramboia ● 181
Rapida Hebrew + Arabic ● 214
Rosalie ● 186
Roses. In Full Bloom: A Type with Spikes ● 211
174—193 workS
Saboneta ● 212
194—223
Seasummer ● 185
Sharp Roman ● 218
Shekanj ● 204
Talheen ● 196
The Economist ● 198
The Roses ● 211
Zed Icons ● 220
TD c71
T YPE D ESIGN jur Y j ur Y Pr ESIDENT
01. Sahar Afshar
Dogray Type Foundry: Type Designer & Founding Partner
London, UK
Sahar Afshar is an independent type designer and researcher based in London. She holds a PhD in Printing History from Birmingham City University, and is part of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Printing History and Culture in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She divides her time between her practice as a type designer with over a decade of experience in working on various retail and custom fonts, and her research—investigating the technological, cultural, and political dimensions of typography and printing, and how these facets converge through various historical contexts. She is the Lead Instructor for Type West Online, helping students expand their creative potential to make their own typefaces.
S TaTE m ENT
The Type Directors Club Competition is a testament to the vitality of typography—not as a static discipline, but as a living conversation between form, function, and cultural moment. This year’s submissions in the Type Design category confronted us with bold experiments, meticulous refinements, and everything in between, each piece speaking in its own distinct voice. ● First, to the judges: your careful attention and spirited debates over the submissions we received this year are a reminder that type design is not just about shapes on a page, but about intention, context, and the unseen labor behind every curve. Thank you for engaging so deeply, you have my deepest gratitude for dedicating your time and expertise to what can only be described as a meticulous evaluation of each entry. ● To the organizers of the competition, and in particular to Carol Wahler and Griffin McCabe, who put so much work into making sure everything was always in place from the day the previous competition ended to the moment the Annual book for TDC 71 is published: Thank you so much for all your hard work behind the scenes. You are the quiet architects of this event, the ones who turn the gears while the rest of us admire the clockwork. ● Finally, to the winners: recognition in this competition is never given lightly. The work submitted to the compeition was debated, admired, and sometimes fiercely defended—because it mattered. That your pieces emerged on top from such a rigorous process is the highest compliment we can offer. Congratulations.
02.
Maha Akl
Independent Type Designer, Cairo, EG Maha Akl is a Cairo-based designer specializing in Arabic type design and illustration.
03.
Francesca Bolognini
Pangram Pangram Foundry: Type Designer, US Italian type designer at Pangram Pangram Foundry, Francesca values visual balance and craftsmanship. Known for her work blending Arabic and Latin scripts.
04.
Rutherford Craze Mass-Driver: Founder, NL Combines historical typeface traditions with modern digital technology, creating functional designs.
05.
Omaima Dajani
Independent Type Designer, NL Omaima Dajani specializes in Arabic script design, bridging Arabic calligraphy with modern type design.
06.
Sirin Gunkloy
Independent Type Designer, TH Sirin Gunkloy is a Bangkok-based designer, who specializes in Thai and Latin typography with a focus on linguistics and paleography.
07.
Gor Jihanian
Independent Type Designer, AM Gor Jihanian is a type designer from Armenia, researching Armenian typefaces, focusing on tradition and technology.
08.
Noheul Lee
Independent type designer, Geneva, CH Noheul Lee, a KABK Type and Media graduate, is a Hangeul & Latin type designer and partner at ‘lo-ol type’. Known for her award-winning designs in Hangul and Latin scripts.
09.
TienMin Liao
Founder of Typeji New York, NY, US
Based in New York, TienMin designs Latin typefaces and custom lettering in Kanji/Hanzi scripts, specializing in East Asian market localization.
10.
Aadarsh Rajan
Aadarsh Rajan Drawing Office (ARDO): Founder, SG
Aadarsh Rajan specializes in Tamil and Latin letters, blending research with artistic practice.
11.
Lipi Raval
Independent Type Designer, UK
Lipi Raval is an Indian type designer based in the UK, focusing on Indic scripts like Devanagari and Gujarati.
12.
Aleksandra Samuļenkova
Independent type designer, NL
Aleksandra Samuļenkova is a Latvian-born type designer based in the Netherlands. Known for her typeface Pilot and award-winning Cyrillic and Greek extensions.
13.
Tezzo Suzuki
Independent Type and Graphic Designer Tokyo, JP
Tezzo Suzuki, Japanese graphic designer, graduated from KABK and lectures at Tama Art University.v
Judges’ Choice by Tezzo Suzuki and Lipi Raval
SEaSummEr
Tezzo Suzuki
As an Japanese person, I don’t often have the opportunity to see the Latin alphabet full of handwritten quirks. I was first fascinated by Seasummer’s character shapes, which are different from those in American or French graphic novels I’ve ever seen, or from the handwritten notes of my professors in the Netherlands. The mysterious B and charming J are immediately noticeable. ● The unique attempt at the variable fonts is of course ambitious. But what particularly fascinated me was the dynamism that the “calm” itself has. The characters look as if they might move, dance and get disorganized at any moment, but at the same time the lines are always stable and consistent when displayed at a small size. I thought that this job would require a considerable sense of balance and patient work.
Lipi Raval
Seasummer is more than just a really well-crafted handwriting font—it goes beyond simply borrowing letterforms from handwriting by leaning into the unpredictability, warmth, and personality behind them. ● The letters exhibit spontaneity and careful consideration, evoking emotion in a way that’s rare in digital type. All of this drew me in—but learning about its collaborative origins made me love it even more!
SEASUMMER
Type Foundry: Future Fonts and Céline Hurka ● Typeface Design and Art Direction: Stefaniia Bodnia and Céline Hurka, Karlsruhe, Germany and The Hague ● Creative Direction: Céline Hurka ● Graphic Design: Stefaniia Bodnia, Céline Hurka, Calvin Kudufia, Moritz Schottmüller ● Client: Adrian Pourviseh and Avant Verlag ● IG: @celinehurka, @stefabodnia, @adrianpourviseh ● URL: celine-hurka.com, stefaniiabodnia.xyz
Seasummer is a variable handwriting font with one axis, designed by Céline Hurka and Stefaniia Bodnia. Inspired by Adrian Pourviseh’s diary entries during his Sea-Watch E.V. mission the variable axis reflects his emotional journey and tells a story of the horrors of European Border politics. The typeface was developed for his graphic novel Das Schimmern der See (Avant Verlag), supporting Latin and Cyrillic, with 5 alternates per letter, ligatures, and symbols. Available on Future Fonts.
PRIORITIZE THE S E ASONAL LIFE CYCLE OF THE PLANTS OVER DECORATION
These sometimes forgotten plants, used by our grandmothers in the past, hide many secrets and virtues. Rediscover sage, lemon balm, fennel, ginger and basil.
roSalIE
I was thrilled to be part of the 2025 Type Design jury at the TDC Awards. However, I underestimated the sheer volume of exceptional work I would encounter. With over 250 entries, most of which were of high quality, it was clear that many designs could have won for a variety of reasons—whether due to their innovative concepts, flawless execution, historical analysis, or elaborate details. ● Among these entries, Rosalie stood out. I have been following My-Lan Thuong’s work for a long time and have always found her designs to possess a rare beauty, balance, and innovation that is incredibly difficult to achieve. She is a naturally talented and committed type designer, and Rosalie is a continuation of her outstanding work. It was an immediate “coup de cœur,” and I am confident that many designers will be delighted to see her work recognized as a winner—a genuinely inspirational piece of work.
ROSALIE
Type Foundry: Sharp Type Co., Woodacre, California
● Type Design: My-Lan Thuong, Nantes, France
IG: @sharp_type ● URL: sharptype.co
This typeface is a contemporary display serif, born from a medieval mural in Guérande, France. It is a study in polarities; it is both sharp and round, calligraphic and constructed, historic and futuristic, narrow and wide. With its unusual proportions and exuberant swashes, high contrast, and innovative shapes, it contains a unique mix of simultaneously complimentary and contradictory forms. The typeface’s development tracks the creative evolution of the designer’s type design practice through many years of development. After 6 years in the making, it is now available as a duo of complementary Roman and Italic styles, both including OmniLatin language support.
Judge’s Choice by Francesca Bolognini
⚫ Rosalie
Rosalie
⚫ Rosalie Húng
☑ Swashes
⚫ Rosalie Style: Italic
Aromatique
Húng Quế, Cải Bẹ Xanh,
Ngò,
Kinh Giới,Tía Tô
PRIORITIZE THE
S E ASONAL LIFE CYCLE OF THE PLANTS OVER DECORATION
These sometimes forgotten plants, used by our grandmothers in the past, hide many secrets and virtues. Rediscover sage, lemon balm, fennel, ginger and basil.
Rosalie
Rosalie
Rosalie
Type Foundry: TPTQ Arabic, The Netherlands ● Type Design: Amir Mahdi Moslehi
URL: tptq-arabic.com
This is a contemporary Arabic display typeface that explores the straightforward characteristics of the Nastaʿlīq style, translating them into a modern typographic language. The concept behind the typeface was to examine the potential of adapting Nastaʿlīq letterforms to a horizontal, Naskh-based baseline, rather than their traditional cascading arrangement where letters stack on top of one another. ● The name meaning “wrinkle,” reflects this approach. This horizontal reinterpretation creates a unique texture below word combinations, resembling the wrinkles in textiles. ● This typeface blends diverse calligraphic styles to enhance cultural engagement and introduces a fresh perspective into the repertoire of Arabic type design. It is ideal for books and editorial design. Its multicultural calligraphic expression, with evident influences from Nastaʿlīq letterforms, makes it an inclusive typographic tool for display purposes. It supports Persian, Arabic, and Urdu characters, including numerous ligatures inspired by Nastaʿlīq forms, presented in a simplified construction.
SHEKANJ
NOVEMBER MONGOLIAN
Type Foundry: Typotheque, The Hague ● Type Design: Tengis Type ● Engineering: Liang Hai IG: @typotheque, @tengis_type ● URL: typotheque.com
November is a highly accessible and legible typeface family for effective signage and information systems, handling even long texts with ease. Extremely functional at smaller sizes, with distinctive orthogonal end strokes that support the rhythm of the words.
CHOSMOS
Type Foundry: Typozon.xyz ● Type Design and Creative Direction: Cristian Vargas
Type Production: Fátima Lázaro, Paris ● Studio: Typozon, New York ● IG: @typozon.xyz, @typozon
URL: typozon.xyz, typozon.com
Chosmos is a display type family born from chaos yet shaped with intent. Bold, chunky, and unapologetically dynamic organic shapes, it draws inspiration from explosive energy and the fluid aftermath of motion. With curvy counterforms that soften its weighty presence, Chosmos balances impact with rhythm, making it as commanding as it is expressive. Designed for headlines, branding, packaging, and statements that demand attention, it thrives in spaces where personality meets precision. ● Chosmos is composed of three styles: Backslant, Regular, and Slant. Each style adds movement, dimension, and contrast—expanding possibilities for dynamic layouts. Whether creating tension with opposing angles or emphasizing flow in longer lines, Chosmos adapts to bold typographic expressions while maintaining its signature weight and rhythm. When used with negative tracking, it unlocks striking and unconventional layout possibilities.
GAUCHE
Type Foundry: Studio Céline Hurka, The Hague
Type Design, Creative Direction, Graphic Design: Jan Egbers, Céline Hurka IG: @celinehurka, @janegbers ● URLs: celine-hurka.com, janegbers.info
Like a gawky teenager at family dinner, Gauche breaks all the rules—not because it wants to, but because it can’t help it. Its arcs are too shallow, its caps too wide, and its italic slants at a dangerous 28 degrees while shifting its baseline to accommodate steep ascenders. First discovered in a Nikkor Annual, reviving this typeface was a long-term wish. It features an (un)matching baseline-shifted italic, “fancy” numerals and punctuation—available via Céline Hurka’s platform.
Young ones 2025
Third-Place Winner
3000 troubled threads
3000 TROUBLED THREADS ● Communication Design, Experimental Design: Tan Xin ● Professor: Tao Lin ● School: Class Tao, Shanghai Dimensions: 7.9 × 11 × 11.8 in. (20 × 28 × 30 cm)
3000 Troubled Threads is a poetic exploration of overthinking through a tactile, typographic language. Letterlike strands of hair collected after showers were assembled into a typeface that types out 3,000 questions to the world. The project references the ancient Chinese metaphor “three thousand troubled threads” for emotional weight, turning personal anxiety into layered, overlapping typography that visualizes the chaos of thought.
Judge’s Choice by Alice
Tosey
moment mal modular candles
Moment Mal is a poignant and considered entry from concept through to the execution. I believe it is a great example of simple, effective design with a thoughtful twist. The application of the design and the craft of motion elements made this a truly beautiful piece of work executed to an incredibly high standard.
MOMENT MAL – MODULAR CANDLES ● Communication Design, Packaging Design: Raffaele Dalla Casa, Franz Fromman ● Professor: Matthias Spaetgens School: University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria ● Principal Type: Studio Feixen Sans Mono, Studio Feixen Sans Regular (Studio Feixen) ● Dimensions: Various Moment Mal addresses the subjective perception of time in today’s fast-paced world through a modular candle system. Each component makes time tangible—encouraging users to engage in more mindful, intentional routines. Designed to slow us down, the candles become tools for ritual, attention, and presence—fostering both productivity and joy in equal measure.
What struck me immediately, once I became familiar with the project, was the depth of research and the complexity of the design process—driven by sheer curiosity, the best fuel for creativity. Abhijit Menon framed the design within a clear goal and undertook extensive historical research into both Western and Indic writing traditions, exploring the visual vocabulary that would define the Gul typeface. I admire his courage—not only to push creative boundaries but also, when needed, to step back and retrace his path. This spiral, cone-shaped creative process allowed him to return to the same point in the design, each time reaching a higher level. Gul’s stylistic set spans body-text and display. In display use—perfectly balanced between legibility and abstraction—the reader is free to either follow a letter-recognition mode (letters to be read) or to immerse themselves in the abstract forms (letters to be experienced or felt).
GUL ● Type Design, Type Family
Design: Abhijit Menon ● Professors: Frederik Berlaen, Patrick Doan, Hugues Gentile, Hélène Marian, Sébastien Morlighem, Parimal Parmar School: École Supérieure d’Art et de Design, Amiens, France ● Principal Type: Gul (Abhijit Menon) Gul is a richly ornamented, multiscript type system blending Devanagari and Latin. Named after the Farsi word for “flower,” its form language is influenced by organic floral motifs and geometric rigor. The design space reflects the editorial hierarchy of newspapers—Masthead, Display, Text—while offering distinct styles: Roman, Italic, Condensed, Serifed Text, Sans Caption, and a high-contrast Display. Gul bridges tradition and experimentation in both structure and ornament.
Judge’s Choice by Monika Marek-Lucka gul
SYNAESTHETIC ● Communication Design, Book
Design: Gianna Ricci ● Professor: Viktoria Kirjuchina ● School: Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
Synaesthetic translates how sequence-space synesthetes perceive time—nonlinearly, spatially, and intuitively— into a visual form. Rejecting rigid grid systems, the book embraces rhythm, hierarchy, and movement guided by meaning. Animated AR visualizations deepen the sensory experience, proposing a human-centered alternative to conventional time-based graphics. This design research offers a new lens through which to visualize abstract structures and rethink how we understand time.
SOFTNESS HAS NO PLACE HERE ● Communication Design, Book Design: Jaiwon Lee ● Instructor: River Jukes-Hudson ● School: ArtCenter College of Design
Dimensions: 7.5 × 10.5 in. (19.1 × 26.7 cm)
Softness Has No Place Here examines the psychological and cultural impact of South Korea’s 18-month mandatory military service. Using a custom typeface inspired by digitized camouflage patterns, the book visualizes the fractured internal experience of enlisted men. It investigates how service reinforces gender norms and toxic masculinity, providing a bold typographic and visual narrative that critiques patriarchal structures and militarized identity in Korean society.
TDC Board Members ● 275
Membership ● 276
General Index ● 278
Typefaces ● 282
Type Foundries ● 283
Judges ● 284
Clients ● 285
Join The TDC ● 286
Fedrigoni Papers ● 287
Imprint ● 288
Advisory Board 2025
● Steering Committee
Presidents Christopher Sergio Macmillan Publishers
John Kudos
KUDOS Design Collaboratory
● Advisory Board Members
Sahar Afshar, Dogray Type, London
Parasto Backman, Studio Parasto Backman
Jolene Delisle, The Working Assembly
Min Lew, Base Design
Eric Liu, The Type
Elaine Lopez, Parsons School of Design
Lloyd Osborne, Osborne Shiwan
Juan Carlos Pagan, Sunday Afternoon
Shabnam Shiwan, Osborne Shiwan
Trisha Tan, Chase Travel, J.P. Morgan Chase
David John Walker, Yale University
Zipeng Zhu, Dazzle
● Program Manager
Griffin McCabe
Executive Director
Joe Newton
Executive Director Emeritus
Carol Wahler
● TDC Presidents
Frank Powers, 1946, 1947
Milton Zudeck, 1948
Alfred Dickman, 1949
Joseph Weiler, 1950
James Secrest, 1951, 1952, 1953
Gustave Saelens, 1954, 1955
Arthur Lee, 1956, 1957
Martin Connell, 1958
James Secrest, 1959, 1960
Frank Powers, 1961, 1962
Milton Zudeck, 1963, 1964
Gene Ettenberg, 1965, 1966
Edward Gottschall, 1967, 1968
Saadyah Maximon, 1969
Louis Lepis, 1970, 1971
Gerard O’Neill, 1972, 1973
Zoltan Kiss, 1974, 1975
Roy Zucca, 1976, 1977
William Streever, 1978, 1979
Bonnie Hazelton, 1980, 1981
Jack George Tauss, 1982, 1983
Klaus F. Schmidt, 1984, 1985
John Luke, 1986, 1987
Jack Odette, 1988, 1989
Ed Benguiat, 1990, 1991
Allan Haley, 1992, 1993
B. Martin Pedersen, 1994, 1995
TDC COMMUNITY
Mara Kurtz, 1996, 1997
Mark Solsburg, 1998, 1999
Daniel Pelavin, 2000, 2001
James Montalbano, 2002, 2003
Gary Munch, 2004, 2005
Alex W. White, 2006, 2007
Charles Nix, 2008, 2009
Diego Vainesman, 2010, 2011
Graham Clifford, 2012, 2013
Matteo Bologna, 2014, 2015
Doug Clouse, 2016, 2017
Paul Carlos, 2018, 2019
Elizabeth Carey Smith, 2020
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TDC Medal Recipients
Hermann Zapf, 1967
R. Hunter Middleton, 1968
Frank Powers, 1971
Dr. Robert Leslie, 1972
Edward Rondthaler, 1975
Arnold Bank, 1979
Georg Trump, 1982
Paul Standard, 1983
Herb Lubalin, 1984 (posthumously)
Paul Rand, 1984
Aaron Burns, 1985
Bradbury Thompson, 1986
Adrian Frutiger, 1987
Freeman Craw, 1988
Ed Benguiat, 1989
Gene Federico, 1991
Lou Dorfsman, 1995
Matthew Carter, 1997
Rolling Stone magazine, 1997
Colin Brignall, 2000
Günter Gerhard Lange, 2000
Martin Solomon, 2003
Paula Scher, 2006
Mike Parker, 2011
Erik Spiekermann, 2011
Gerrit Noordzij, 2013
David Berlow, 2014
Louise Fili, 2015
Émigré, 2016
Gerard Unger, 2017
Fiona Ross, 2018
Wim Crouwel, 2019
Rubén Fontana, 2020
Akira Kobayashi, 2022
Jan Middendorp, 2023
Margaret Calvert, 2024
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Special Citations to TDC Members
Edward Gottschall, 1955
Freeman Craw, 1968
James Secrest, 1974
Olaf Leu 1984, 1990
William Streever, 1984
Klaus F. Schmidt, 1985
John Luke, 1987
Jack Odette, 1989
● Young Ones TDC
1st Place Award
Doga Bircan, School of Visual Arts, New York
2nd Place Award
Gonçalo Salgado
ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering, Barcelona
For more than 75 years, the TDC community has evolved, expanded, and re-imagined how type connects people to ideas, and cultures to each other.
By becoming a TDC member, you become part of a legacy that has included some of the most influential and iconic designers of their time. You’ll also join TDC members around the world in defining the future of type, with benefits that include discounted access to salons, industry conferences, workshops, and more.
Since 1888, Fedrigoni has explored the meaning and possibilities of luxury. Shaped by future aesthetics, Colour Dimensions and The Compass offer a strategic resource for industries seeking new ways to create.
TYPE DIRECTORS CLUB
THE ONE CLUB FOR CREATIVITY
450 W. 31st St, 6th Floor, New York NY 10001
Tel: 212 979 1900
Fax: 212 979 5006 tdc@oneclub.org
●
Slanted Publishers UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Nördliche Uferstraße 4–6 76189 Karlsruhe Germany
T +49 (0) 721 85148268 info@slanted.de slanted.de @slanted_publishers
Yash Egami (Chief Operating Officer, The One Club for Creativity)
Griffin (Griff) McCabe (Program Manager, Type Directors Club)
Joe Newton (Executive Director, Type Directors Club)
Carol Wahler (Executive Director Emeritus, Type Directors Club)
Trainee: Kaira Agarwal
●
DESIGN
Slanted Publishers
Creative Direction: Lars Harmsen, Marian Misiak
Design: Lars Harmsen, Pola Małaczewska, Marian Misiak
Final Design: Julia Kahl
Publishing Direction: Lars Harmsen, Julia Kahl
Production Management: Julia Kahl
Printer: Stober Medien
Fonts: Heneczek Pro, rADIUs, Extract Semislab from threedotstype.com
IMPrINT
● TDC
The Type Directors Club (TDC), based in New York City, is an international organization dedicated to typography, type design, and letterform education. Since 1946, the TDC has brought together a global community of type and design professionals, promoting excellence through its competitions, exhibitions, talks, and publications. It supports emerging talent and celebrates typographic innovation across disciplines.
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Lars Harmsen, juggling roles like head of design at Munich-based agency Melville Brand Design and steering the ship at Slanted Publishers. He’s been dishing out typographic wisdom since 2011 at Dortmund University and even took his show to the American University of Sharjah. Ever the multitasker, he runs the 100for10 book series and pilots Poster Rex’s silkscreen extravaganzas. He’s practically an artistic library with a mountain of design, typography, and photography books under his belt. And as the clock keeps ticking, he’s left wondering: What’s the grand purpose of this circus, anyway?
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Pola Małaczewska—research freak and a communication designer. Besides digging through the archives, she works as an independent designer—crafting brands, books and cultural projects. Collaborates with Threedotstype.
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Marian Misiak, a jet-lagproof typographer, type designer, author of books and type specimens. He is the founder of Threedotstype, a platform that distributes fonts with stories—worth noting that all the typefaces in this publication come from this foundry. A frequent collaborator with Slanted Publishers and other culturally driven creatives.
●
SLANTED PUBLISHERS
Slanted Publishers is an independent design, publishing and media house founded in 2014 by Lars Harmsen and Julia Kahl. They publish the award-winning print magazine Slanted biannually featuring global design and culture. Since 2004, the daily blog highlights international design and showcases inspiring video interviews. Slanted Publishers initiates and creates publications, focusing on contemporary design and visual culture, working closely with editors and authors to produce outstanding publications with meaningful content and high quality. Slanted was born from great passion and has made a name for itself across the globe. Its design is vibrant and inspiring—its philosophy open-minded, tolerant, and curious.
● DISCLAIMER
The publisher assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of all information. Publisher and editor assume that material that was made available for publishing, is free of third party rights. Reproduction and storage require the permission of the publisher. Photos and texts are welcome, but there is no liability. Signed contributions do not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher or the editor.
●
The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at dnb.de
● FEDRIGONI PAPER
Cover: Constellation E49 Country, 350 g/sm
Inside:
Arena HD, 140 g/sm
Young Ones: Tatami Ivory, 135 g/sm
Appendix: Sirio Limone 115 g/sm
The 46th Annual of Type Directors Club
FOR THE PAST SEVENTY YEARS, the Type Directors Club has encouraged the design community to achieve excellence in typography through annual competitions. Typography 46 is the TDC’s newest annual volume devoted exclusively to typography; the book presents the finest design work in three disciplines: Communication Design, Lettering and Type Design. Additionally, there is a section that includes the student winners of Young Ones TDC.
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In one book you can see works from thirty-three countries and regions, which include: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
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This edition also includes a special index listing the principal typefaces used and the names of their designers. The Judges’ Choices section features the winning entries that have been singled out as each judge’s personal favorite; these pieces are accompanied not only by the judges’ comments but also by designer statements. These components—along with this year’s Jury Presidents: Min Lew, David Jon Walker, and Sahar Afshar—exemplify the enormous vitality of the typography profession.
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THE WORLD’S BEST TYPOGRAPHY
THE TYPE DIRECTORS CLUB IN NEW YORK has a 72-year history of keeping the highest standards with our judging process. It emphasizes transparency and prohibits lobbying and coercion, so each judge’s individual opinions carry a weight equal to that of the other judges. Although most of the judging is done online now, it was historically in-person. It used what’s been affectionately called ”the cup and token ( ● ) system.“ Every entry, whether a physical piece like a poster, book, or type specimen, or a digital work represented in print or on screen, was paired with a small cup beside it where the judges’ tokens were deposited. Throughout this book, you’ll see a dot motif that symbolically echoes this element of TDC history and our long history of fair judging.
