Industry: Design

SangBleu OG

A typeface born inside a magazine, now reissued in updated form

SangBleu OG is an updated release of Swiss Typefaces' original SangBleu family, first launched in 2007 alongside the Sang Bleu fashion and tattoo culture magazine. Designed by Ian Party, the family comprises three collections: SangBleu OG Serif, SangBleu OG Sans, and SangBleu OG Condensed, totalling 25 styles across three subfamilies. The serif and sans share roots in the Romain du Roi, while the condensed extends Adrian Frutiger's typographic diagram as an ultracondensed linéale.

Set in SangBleu OG Serif, SangBleu OG Sans, SangBleu OG Condensed

Insights

SangBleu OG Serif derives specific details from both the Bignon Commission's theoretical models and the types physically cut by Grandjean, distinguishing between the drawn ideal and the executed form.
SangBleu OG Sans was developed starting from the lightest weights, using the epigraphic skeleton to establish structure before adding stroke contrast in heavier cuts.
SangBleu OG Condensed was previously released under the name Courtesan and is offered in a single style only.
The crescent shapes in 'bdpq' and the spurred 'l' — described as a royal typographic attribute — are cited as deliberate formal anchors in the serif's design.