Typophile

Le Monde redesign (26 January 2009)

Brian Jongseong Park

Le Monde went through what I think is the first major design overhaul since November 2005 (mentioned in this old thread) on Monday, 26 January.

There is an audio slideshow on the Le Monde homepage about the redesign, narrated in French. There is also an editorial about the redesign, also in French. However, neither goes into any real detail about the typographical aspect of the redesign. In fact, I am having trouble finding any in-depth information at all about this redesign.

I finally have this week's issues of Le Monde in my hands, and I can see that Rocky and Fenway by Matthew Carter are no longer, although Benton Sans has been retained. So what are the new typefaces for headlines and body text? Actually, they seem to be using the same serif typeface for both headlines and body text; I'm not even sure they are different cuts. I haven't been able to identify the typeface, but I'm sure someone here can tell me (or should I make a separate request at the Type ID forum?).

Has anyone else seen the redesign? What do you think of the new typeface?

Jan Erdmann

The headline serif could be TheAntiqua Light.

Brian Jongseong Park

Thanks Jan! Both the headline and body text are indeed TheAntiqua. I think it's the regular weight of TheAntiqua B used for both; the headline is of course tightly tracked and might be slightly condensed. I was pretty sure I'd seen the typeface before, but I started doubting when I couldn't come up with anything.

In headlines, TheAntiqua comes across as more friendly to me than the somewhat austere Rocky, perhaps too informal. I guess it's the lack of sharp corners. Maybe I'm just used to headlines employing display cuts with greater stroke contrast and fine details.

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