We’re always on the lookout for new fonts, and Bricolage Grotesque certainly caught our attention.

Mathieu Triay, the typeface's designer, describes it as a ‘variable font with French attitude and British Mannerisms’, and we can see why. Stylistically, the font lies at the intersection between playfulness and practicality. It may just be the ideal font for designers looking to add a dash of creativity to their work without compromising readability.

Mathieu drew inspiration for the design from an eclectic assortment of historical sources. Bricolage Grotesque aims to reflect what it feels like to travel across the world and rebuild your life in another country. To Mathieu, the font is a blend of the traditional and modern - traversing the emotional history of his family, from his grandfather’s journey across the Mediterranean to his own experiences as a Frenchman living in England.

Bricolage Grotesque began as a fork of Jérémy Landes’ Mayenne Sans, a single-weight font that was, until recently, open source. Mathieu then took inspiration from a mixture of historic French and British styles, including Roger Excoffon’s Antique Olive and Stephenson Blake’s iconic early 20th-century Grotesque series.

The result is an intelligent amalgamation of several stylistic influences. Bricolage Grotesque retains the large apertures, lively curves, and whimsicality of Mayenne Sans while embracing the bold, compressed wonkiness of the Grotesque font family. Elements from Antique Olive tie the typeface together, offering uniformity to what could otherwise be too untamed for everyday use.

In Mathieu’s own words, his style embraces ‘restrained quirkiness’. The font is expressive but never strays too far into novelty or over-indulgence. Bricolage Grotesque is simultaneously uniquely creative and perfectly suited to long sections of text - a rare thing, for sure, and one we’re certain will make it a favorite among designers looking for new ways to diversify their work. You can try the font out on your next project for free by visiting the Bricolage Grotesque website.