Typography Specimen
Type Design · Spanish Heritage · Graphic Design
Inspired by the intricate deshilado embroidery from the small religious, historic town of Guadalupe in Cáceres, Spain, this typography exploration transforms a centuries-old fabric-pulling technique into a modern typeface.
This typeface celebrates the traditional deshilado stitch pattern. In Spain, local women continue to keep these traditions alive in their village within their communities, selling handmade fabrics from their homes, each piece telling a unique story through pattern.
This typeface celebrates the traditional stitch pattern deshilado
Design & Structure
Deshilado technique example, Museum Textile of Oaxaca, Mexico.
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The alphabet was created from five distinct motifs, referencing the deshilado technique alongside other regional embroidery styles. Its structure is built upon the clean geometry of Helvetica Neue, providing a modern foundation for the traditional patterns.
To analyze the construction of the typeface, each letter in the specimen is color-coded to group shared design features:
Blue: Bowls
Orange: Stems and legs
Yellow: Curved stems and apertures
Green: Individual decorative elements
This systematic approach bridges the gap between traditional craft and contemporary graphic design, resulting in a specimen that is both a functional typeface and a cultural tribute to Spain.
