Miista website

There are times where you want to describe the mix of typefaces found in a project – just to find that the appropriate adjective is used by the brand to characterize itself: “the opposite thing”. That’s how Miista calls their “About us” section. It’s also what’s going on between Signal and Theinhardt Extended as used on Miista’s website.

Miista is a fashion brand based in London. It was founded by Galician-born designer Laura Villasenin in 2010 after completing her studies in London and gaining first professional experience in the industry. The name of the brand is derived from “blend, mixture” and points to the artistic influences from various fields that inspire the designer when working on a new collection. Miista started with shoes and bags made from leather, handcrafted by artisans in Spain. Meanwhile it extended the scope to all sorts of accessories and also clothing. The philosophy behind all products is craftsmanship, high quality, and sustainability: the label even offers a repair service. And that’s quite “the opposite thing“ of what happens elsewhere in the fashion industry. Besides the webshop, the site also has a blog called “Miista Internet”. In this editorial section, Miista features stories about and interviews with artists that inspire them.

The fonts used on the website are both sans serifs, but each with distinct features that contrast nicely. Designed by Emmanuel Besse and inspired by French road signage from the middle of the 20th century, Production Type’s Signal is quite condensed by default. It is used here exclusively in the Light style. Its counterpart is Theinhardt Extended in its Heavy and Heavy Italic variant. It was designed by François Rappo and can be found in the catalog of Optimo. The graphic design of the website not only opposes them in their respective styles but also through the sizes applied, ranging from tiny to x-large.