As a true collaboration, Hatton pays tribute to the historic district, Hatton Garden – London’s jewellery quarter considered the heart of the UK’s diamond trade and the former home of British design studio Two Times Elliott, who originally helped craft the serif. Intrigued by the locale’s distinct character and typographic nuances found in street signage, shop fronts, and landmarks, Hatton inhabits a unique identity, manifesting as a variable, pearlescent powerhouse – both refined and robust.

Continuing its collaborative nature, Hatton’s latest and greatest update comes at the hands of type design extraordinaire Morgane Vantorre, who’s taken the humanist typeface to new heights. Revealing the distinctive intricacies behind this captivating update, Morgane shares the process behind the update across this interview, revealing the scope, scale and sincerity underpinning its unique Roman design alongside the welcome introduction of true thoroughbred italics.

Join us as we unveil the allure of Hatton’s latest incarnation and learn from Morgane herself what makes this typeface a truly timeless gem.

Hey Morgane, how’re you doing?

MORGANE: Hello Harry, I'm very well. I've just returned from Sicily where I spent an excellent week's vacation ;)

So, let’s talk about the latest update of Hatton! How long has the process taken you so far?

MORGANE: Of course! In the long run, the process was a bit long. In all, about a year of development. But that's because I was working on the project in parallel with other projects. So, I wouldn't know how long it actually took. I think the process was a natural one, with no particular hiccups.

What general improvements have you made, and what’s the biggest change?

MORGANE: First, I corrected and adjusted the roman. The base was already pretty well established, but I modified the x-height, corrected a few widths and above all redrew the black cut design, which originally seemed too wide and not bold enough. I really tried to refine the character as much as possible, while preserving its DNA and highlighting its characteristics (e.g. the g, or the lower-case a). What's also new is that the family now has an italic, which I designed from scratch.

What part of the process was easiest?

MORGANE:The easiest part was undoubtedly correcting and fine-tuning Romain's master thin. The base was there, the weights more or less well managed originally, and I really enjoyed “enhancing” the image of each glyph.

What was the hardest part?

MORGANE: The most complicated part was undoubtedly the drawing of the italics, as it was my very first. I'd drawn a few italic letters, but never an entire font. A little challenge that I really enjoyed! The design of an italic is very pleasant to achieve.

Do you have a favourite glyph of Hatton’s, and did it change over the course of updating the typeface?

MORGANE: I think I really like the lowercase “g” with its big belly. It has a mischievous side that I really like! I've tried to accentuate that while giving it a little more roundness and voluptuousness. It's a bit different from the original version, but I think it fits in better with the rest of the glyph set.

What typeface of Pangram’s do you think pairs best with the updated Hatton?

MORGANE:In my opinion, it could be matched with a character of the opposite style, why not a lineal such as the Mori, or the Pangram Sans?

Finally, what question did you wish we asked you about Hatton, and what is the answer?

MORGANE: Do you consider this update to be the final version?

I don't think so! I think I could go further and come up with glyphs more in line with its original theme and references, i.e. jewelry. I'd started to imagine swashed capitals, or symbols in the shape of diamonds or other precious stones... Why not! The basis is there, now we could go even further :)

PP Hatton is available to try for free

Commercial licenses are also available, starting at $30.