Meet Formerly Known, the type foundry from renowned Los Angeles-based design studio Hype Type

At Hype Type Studio, one thing led to another. As the portfolio of the LA-based design studio grew – including work for Sonos, NASA and Nike – Founder Paul Hutchison and Design Director Ross Burwell amassed a family of typefaces which they’d developed for client projects. “Our workflow led to a circular design process – we’d conceptualise and design some letterforms for a studio project, expand on that initial letter set to make a typeface, and then, if relevant, have that typeface available for future projects,” says Burwell. When they decided to share these typefaces with the design community, starting a type foundry seemed like the natural next step. And so, Formerly Known was born. “Each typeface within our catalogue was developed to fill a hole in our studio design work, and that unique perspective fuels the direction for everything we produce as a foundry,” notes Hutchison. Launched with a family of six typefaces, Formerly Known extends the creative playground that Hype Type Studio offers to the duo, allowing them to explore new techniques and experimental approaches, without losing focus of each typeface’s usability. “It’s not just about crafting visually appealing characters; it’s about practicality and functionality,” shares Burwell. “We prioritise creating typefaces that seamlessly integrate into our design projects, ensuring they meet the real-world demands of our studio work.” As a result, Formerly Known’s six launch typefaces are as practical as they are playful.