Jonathan Hoefler (right) and Tobias Frere-Jones create unique fonts
that can be seen from the U.S. 2000 Census form to ESPN
Way Beyond the Basic ABCs
By SUSAN CASEY
You probably haven't heard of Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones (unless you're an art director, in which case you've got their number on speed dial). But if you've picked up Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times Magazine or the hip new business magazine Fast Company, if you've strolled through the Guggenheim or Whitney museum, if you've dutifully filled out the 2000 Census form or watched espn, you've seen a sampling of the 500 original typefaces they've designed.
From Hoefler Type Foundry, their studio in Manhattan's SoHo district, the duo (they're both 29 years old and began designing in their teens) create fonts that stand out with the clarity, elegance and durability of a well-cut diamond. Though no two designs are alike, a Hoefler typeface—very few right angles, very few straight lines—is always exquisitely legible without sacrificing high style, somehow managing to synthesize classical elements with the churning pop culture.
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Sample some of the most recent fonts developed by the dynamic duo of Hoefler and Frere-Jones. |
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Name: Jonathan Hoefler & Tobias Frere-Jones Age: Both 29 Why critics are taking note: The elegant fonts these typographers create—all related but each unique— fulfill the exacting requirements of specific projects |
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