Digging on DIN

I go through fonts like Taylor Swift goes through boyfriends. My love affairs are usually obsessive and short. That said, I have been loving on DIN for quite some time now. This is quite the feat considering I usually reserve my affection exclusively for serif fonts. DIN's slightly industrial and severe look make it perfect for adding that little bit of edge to your design.

DIN has a long and storied history, which goes back to the lettering of the Prussian railways. DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardisation) and it has come a ways since its inception in the early twentieth century. In the mid 90s renowned Dutch designer, Albert-Jan Pool, reworked the classic in hopes of giving it more elegance and usability. FF DIN was born. The biggest changes can be seen in the fluidity of the curves and the use of rounded dots for the i and j. The new, more modern FF DIN has been rumored to be used in the corporate identities of Adidas, JetBlue Airways and American Eagle Outfitters.

Even with this new incarnation, i would have to say that DIN Condensed holds a special place in my heart. I just love everything about it. I adore the tail (a diagonal stroke or loop at the end of a letter) of the l and the counter (the negative space that is fully or partially enclosed by a letterform) of the O.

To read a short interview with Albert-Jan Pool go here.