A new class of foundry: Studio DRAMA brings a fresh, brand-first perspective to custom type design

A lot’s been happening at Studio DRAMA lately. The London-based design studio – armed with the technical excellence of a type foundry – has been crafting custom typefaces for brands, letting them tell their stories through the power of typography. They did so for Glamour Brasil, Vogue Brasil, and now, for the largest animal welfare charity in the world, RSPCA. With every project, Studio DRAMA has been inching closer to a new phase in their creative journey – one where they function as ‘type directors,’ sculpting custom typefaces utilising both their experience in branding and their knowledge and expertise in type design. This has marked a decided shift in their business, as they position themselves as a new class of foundry, where the brand and its vision sit at the heart of each project. “We approach type design projects with a brand-centric perspective,” Co-founder William Richardson explains. To peel back the layers of their process, we spoke to Richardson and Co-founder Chris Nott about the making of the custom typeface for RSPCA, while they charted the exciting new direction that introduces them as the ‘creative’s partner in type.’ RB: Hi Chris and William! Have things been busy lately at Studio DRAMA? WR: Yes, things have indeed been busy at Studio DRAMA! We’ve felt a big shift in our business over the last 12 months, which has come from leaning into our positioning as the ‘creative’s partner in type.’ Award recognitions by D&AD, Tokyo TDC and BIA have been the cherry on top too!