Industry: Design

Typography for the Hightower Font Family

Independent study to published typeface

Hightower is a Venetian-style typeface begun by Tobias Frere-Jones as independent study at RISD, drawing on research into Jenson. The roman was completed and an italic added in 1994 for the AIGA Journal. The family is named after former AIGA director Carolyn Hightower.

Set in Hightower

Insights

Characteristic Venetian features are retained: a rising lowercase e crossbar, oldstyle figures, and small capitals.
The italic is characterised as open and contemporary, distinguishing it from the roman's historically grounded revival approach.
The design originated as independent study at RISD before appearing in a professional publication context.