We have a fabulous selection of international guests critics visiting us at TypeParis Summer26. We wanted to find out a little more about each of them, so have presented them with a series of questions which they have generously taken the time to answer. Discover Thomas Bouillet’ interview.

Biography Thomas Bouillet is a French designer with a classical yet contemporary approach to typography. A 2020 graduate of the Type & Media program at KABK in The Hague (NL), Thomas was previously educated in design at the ÉSAD in Amiens (FR), and L’École Estienne in Paris (FR). Thomas has interned with a number of foundries and type designers including PampaType, Chevalvert, and Xavier Dupré. After spending time as an intern with Commercial Type in 2018, he returned as a staff designer at the end of 2020. 


Interview

What drives you to create new typefaces?

Thomas Bouillet When I first began studying typography, my approach was what I would describe as more “personal”: I wanted to explore, discover forms that had never been made before, develop my own style, and I wasn’t really thinking about practical context or use.

Since joining Commercial Type in 2020, my motivations have shifted quite a bit. Today, I’m driven by the idea of understanding and anticipating designers’ needs in order to create typefaces that are widely usable and enduring. What motivates me now is less about self-expression and more about designing the right tools, conceived for a specific context, yet capable of existing beyond it.

What is your ratio of self-initiated typefaces vs. typeface for clients? Which do you tend to be more passionate about making?

Thomas Bouillet Because I work at a digital type foundry, I’ve had to adapt to the way the studio operates. We have the freedom to pursue our own projects, but clients also come to us with custom typeface commissions, which naturally take priority. As a result, the balance between the two tends to shift depending on the period.

What I find particularly interesting, though, is that custom work can sometimes lead to self-initiated projects. The transition often happens quite organically: we become intrigued by an initial idea that, through further development, refinement, and differentiation, can evolve into something more personal and eventually find its place in the catalogue.

Are you rather one of those who draw or redraw type classics (what is the definition of a type classic?), or those who seek to totally invent new forms? In both cases, explain why.

Thomas Bouillet For my self-initiated projects, I tend to work from historical sources and existing typefaces, whether recent or centuries old. Some of these projects take the form of revivals, while others are looser reinterpretations of existing designs. When digitizing a source, the possibilities are virtually endless and every decision opens up new directions, so it ultimately falls to the designer to define a clear vision of what the project can become.

In my own work, I enjoy identifying the characteristics that can give each project its particular voice: amplifying certain forms, altering proportions, adjusting the x-height, and so on. The goal is not simply to reproduce the original, but to bring something new to it.

What I find most compelling about this process is that it requires both an understanding of how a typeface was conceived by its original designer and a willingness to reinterpret it for the present. It is about finding ways to make these designs relevant again, more closely aligned with contemporary needs and contexts of use while remaining faithful to the spirit that made them distinctive in the first place.

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Do you think that it's more important for student to experiment and go off the usual roads of type design, or to learn by following the historical shapes of the type design world.

Thomas Bouillet I think it’s important to experiment while at school, to learn how to create new and distinctive forms and to push the boundaries of what is possible. But it seems just as important that education provides a solid historical foundation and a meaningful connection to the realities of practice.

Typography has a rich history, and it remains an applied discipline: one that serves a function, circulates in the world, and is ultimately meant to be used by others. Personally, I find it valuable to embrace that perspective from the outset: to think not only about designing for oneself or for the discipline itself, but also for a specific context and for the people who will eventually engage with and use the work.

What’s the balance between hands‑on craft (calligraphy, metal/wood type, engraving) and digital tools during type design education?

‌Thomas Bouillet In my view, both approaches should coexist within a design education. I studied at Amiens, Estienne, and TypeMedia, and I learned as much from traditional, hands-on techniques as I did from digital tools. I still practice engraving from time to time, but today I work primarily with software and rarely begin a project with drawings on paper.

In my own practice, calligraphy and engraving have been less about discovering forms than about understanding proportion. They taught me how to recognize and establish balance within a typeface system, and that knowledge continues to inform my work today. Even when designing entirely in a digital environment, those foundations remain invaluable.

“At the same time, typography should not be seen in isolation. What matters most is its relationship to the broader design process.”

– Thomas Bouillet

Should type design be taught as a specialized subject or integrated into the core curriculum?

Thomas Bouillet In my view, typography should be an essential part of any graphic design education. It remains one of the discipline’s fundamental tools, shaping how designers think about composition, balance, and visual communication.

Learning typography is much like learning to draw: it provides a deep understanding of a tool, allowing you to use it more consciously and, eventually, to move beyond its conventions. It also encourages a perspective that goes beyond aesthetics, considering how typefaces communicate, how they are structured, and the meanings they carry.

At the same time, typography should not be seen in isolation. What matters most is its relationship to the broader design process. Graphic designers benefit from typographic knowledge, just as type design students can gain valuable insights from graphic design and design theory.

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Should formal education be required to become a typeface designer, or is self‑learning sufficient?

‌Thomas Bouillet As in any field, there are self-taught practitioners, and typography is no exception. What I find particularly interesting is that when type designers come to the discipline from other backgrounds, they bring with them different perspectives and ways of thinking.

For example, designers who transition into type design often make significant contributions to contemporary typography because they approach it through the lens of use. Their experience with graphic design gives them a keen understanding of context, application, and the practical realities of how type functions in the world. That perspective can enrich the discipline and help to shape its ongoing evolution.

Do you remember when you decided to pursue your career in design? What made you choose this?

‌Thomas Bouillet I first became interested in lettering while studying visual communication in vocational highschool, without really knowing where it could lead. Looking back, that interest was probably rooted in my early experience with graffiti, which had already made me attentive to letterforms and drawing.

I later joined the Typography and Graphic Design program at Estienne, where I discovered the rigor of typography. At the time, I was more attracted to lettering than to the idea of designing complex typographic systems with their own rules and history.

It was during my graphic design studies in Amiens that things clicked. As I began creating my own typefaces for my graphic design projects, I realized that typography was not just a discipline in itself, but a practical tool embedded in real-world contexts. Amiens allowed me to connect graphic design and type design, and to understand how closely the two practices inform one another.

When you started, who were the teachers, mentors or professionals who had the most impact on you?

‌Thomas Bouillet Several people have played an important role in my development as a type designer. Today, it is clear to me that Franck Jalleau had a profound influence on the way I think about type design. As a Maître d’Art, he embodied a deep sense of craftsmanship and taught us both rigor and a strong, uncompromising vision of the discipline. His approach helped me develop a critical eye and the confidence to form my own opinions about type.

Patrick Paleta was equally important in helping me understand the relationship between typography and graphic design. He encouraged me to embrace my typographic interests, supported my graduation project, and played a key role in helping me access professional opportunities. Together with Barbara Denis, he helped create the conditions that allowed me to take my first steps in the field.

Christian Schwartz and Paul Barnes of Commercial Type have long been important references for me. I admired their ability to create typefaces that are both effective and enduring. Joining the foundry later on felt like a natural continuation of that admiration, and I remain grateful for the trust they placed in me by welcoming me into the team.

“In my own practice, calligraphy and engraving have been less about discovering forms than about understanding proportion.”

– Thomas Bouillet

Thank you very much ‌Thomas Bouillet!

– Interview by Manau Quellec

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