Monte Stella is a type rooted in time and place: Milan, 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
Dalton Maag Creative Director Riccardo De Franceschi drew inspiration for the face—named after the Italian city’s hill built from World War II debris and signifying renaissance—from Milan’s shop signage and print ephemera.
As Dalton Maag writes, “Monte Stella’s letters are constructed and modular, with the purposeful naivete and imperfect feel of vernacular lettering. Narrow proportions give an economical use of space, and a tight, vertical rhythm. Low contrast improves legibility at small sizes, enhancing versatility. The modularity is balanced by the angular curves of letters such as ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘m’, and ‘n’ pulling away from their stems, energizing the texture and grabbing the reader’s attention.”
The family includes a variable font, and each of Monte Stella’s six weights is accompanied by a “turbo italic” featuring a 20-degree incline. And then there’s the directional arrows and charming icons that complement the face: the snake from Milan’s shield, Milan’s sweet signature Panettone bread, the city’s cathedral, an Aperol spritz, and more.
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Images: Dalton Maag