Serif Contrasted Ilby 2 is a light, wide, very high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: fashion, magazines, headlines, branding, posters, elegant, editorial, refined, dramatic, luxury tone, editorial impact, display elegance, modern classic, hairline, vertical stress, didone-like, crisp, delicate.
A high-contrast serif with a distinctly modern, fashion-forward silhouette. Thick vertical stems pair with extremely fine hairlines, producing a crisp, shimmering texture in text. Serifs are sharp and minimally bracketed, with pointed terminals and occasional calligraphic flicks that add a subtle decorative edge. Counters are generally open and round, while stroke joins and curves are tightly controlled, giving the design a polished, print-oriented rhythm.
Best suited to display and larger text settings such as magazine headlines, fashion and beauty branding, high-end packaging, and poster typography. It can also work for short editorial subheads or pull quotes where the high-contrast texture and sharp details are allowed to remain clear.
The overall tone is luxe and poised, with a dramatic contrast that reads as sophisticated and slightly theatrical. It conveys a sense of couture editorial styling—cool, premium, and deliberate—while the occasional swashed details introduce a hint of personality and flair.
The design appears intended to deliver a contemporary high-contrast serif look with a premium editorial feel—prioritizing elegance, sharpness, and dramatic typographic presence, with selective ornamental touches for character in branding and headlines.
The capitals appear stately and relatively narrow compared to the generous internal whitespace, helping headlines feel airy despite the strong contrast. In the sample text, the fine horizontals and hairlines create a light, sparkling color, and the design’s sharp terminals and high contrast become a defining feature at display sizes.