Order Type Foundry’s Sita draws on British type heritage while reaching toward universality

When Type Designer Edouard Berard began working on the bones of the Sita superfamily by Order Type Foundry, he dug into his longstanding fascination with British typographic heritage, especially his particular interest in typefaces such as Johnston and the Ionic genre, “which are well-regarded in the UK but less so elsewhere in Europe,” he tells us. “There is a distinctive British character in those forms that I find compelling. Initially, I considered drawing either a British-inspired Ionic serif or a humanist sans. However, as I explored the possibilities, I was intrigued by the idea of doing both. Later on, I decided to concentrate on the Scotch Roman model to give the typeface more structure.” This interest had been brewing since the time Edouard was studying in Scotland, which left an impression on the research he undertook during his master’s at ÉCAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne. His research took off when he began studying the work of Scottish punch cutter Alexander Wilson, which subsequently led him to the works of William Miller and the Miller & Richard Foundry. “Their transitional faces became a key reference point,” says Edouard. “Although Sita is not a strict revival, many details pay homage to these historical sources – the Scotch Roman-inspired contrast, the calligraphic warmth in certain letterforms, and some of the quirky shapes found in early British grotesques. The historical influence is evident, but it has been interpreted in a contemporary manner.” As Edouard points out, while Sita’s roots are pinned in historical references, it’s not a faithful revival. At every step of the construction process, the design was threaded with a sense of contemporaneity. This process involved refining specific letterforms, adjusting gestures, and fine-tuning proportions to improve legibility. “I refined Sita through conversations with peers, considering whether some shape felt right for the style and direction. The result is a typeface with a contemporary feel that still carries the warmth of its origins,” says Edouard.