Type foundry British Standard Type has developed a custom typeface for British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori that blends rounded and square shapes to reflect his dual heritage.
Ilori, who is known for his vibrant and playful designs, previously used a generic typeface across his different multidisciplinary projects but wanted something bespoke to embody his distinctive style.
The result of the collaboration with British Standard Type (BST) is a display typeface duo called Yinka Sans Ultra and Yinka Sans Shadow, which function as an extension of the designer's visual identity.
Yinka Sans Ultra and Yinka Sans are a typeface duo by British Standard Type
"I've always been drawn to the idea of creating my own typeface as a way to tell a story through design," Ilori told Dezeen. "I love how certain fonts have the ability to inject meaning and personality into text and with Yinka Sans, it's both unique and reflective of my work."
Ilori gathered together a broad range of references to guide the design, borrowing from musical culture, architectural motifs, Nigerian folk vernaculars and contemporary popular culture.
The typeface was created to reflect the visual language of Yinka Ilori
These inspirations, along with his dual British-Nigerian heritage, informed a solution that combines playful, rounded forms with structured squared-off elements.
"My core values were strongly applied when curating Yinka Sans Ultra and Yinka Sans Shadow, as it's through the brig...