87MM Ilsang: A Unique Font Design for 87MM Brand

Creating a Typeface that Reflects the Daily Value of 87MM

87MM Ilsang is a dedicated font designed by Sunghoon Kim for 87MM, a leading Korean fashion brand known for its sense of wit and cultural impact. To commemorate the brand's 10th anniversary, Kim designed a font that embodies the identity of 87MM. This font is available for free download, allowing anyone who appreciates 87MM to enjoy and use it.

The font comes in two variations: 87MM Ilsang Regular and 87MM Ilsang Oblique. With 2,782 Hangeul letters, 214 Latin alphabet letters, and 838 symbol letters, the font offers a wide range of characters for various design purposes. Its multi-glyph feature allows for creative and expressive typography.

When designing the font, Kim faced the challenge of incorporating the unique characteristics of Korean writing. In East Asia, there is no concept of italic or oblique fonts due to the cultural practice of writing with brushes in a vertical direction. Therefore, the font family was expanded to include general and inclined bodies, rather than different thicknesses. The oblique font in Korean is the first of its kind in Korea, showcasing the innovative approach taken by Kim.

The design of 87MM Ilsang is rooted in the numbers 8 and 7. The area of the letters was designed as a space of 8:7, and the size of the closed letters among the consonants of Hangeul was adjusted using this ratio. The angles of 8° and 7° were incorporated as morphological elements, such as stems and conclusions, to harmonize the characteristics of handwriting that appear when writing sideways.

By using 87MM Ilsang, the brand aims to evoke the importance of daily life and become a part of people's fashion journey. The font serves as a reminder that even in the repetition of ordinary days, there is always room to discover new meanings and find joy in the little things.

The project to create 87MM Ilsang took place in Seoul, South Korea, from March 2021 to January 2022. The font became available for free download in January 2022, allowing designers and enthusiasts to incorporate it into their creative projects.

87MM Ilsang has received recognition for its design excellence. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration, and Visual Communication Design category in 2022. This award recognizes well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements. The font's integration of industry best practices and competent technical characteristics contributes to a better world.