Olivia King
Designer · Type Designer · Head Of Design · Design Director
In their own words
I spent hours pouring over early book covers, advertising materials, original drawings, and notes from designers and typographers who have shaped Penguin’s visual identity.
The goal was to create a typeface that felt both rooted in history and ready for today, able to sit confidently on the cover of a classic novel or a contemporary bestseller.
Type designers have a unique chance to make inclusivity part of the default approach rather than an exception. It’s another design consideration – one that can inspire better solutions.
This project has been incredibly humbling and rewarding. Even now, it feels surreal to have contributed to a brand with such an important typographic and literary history.
Typography should not be a barrier. It should invite people in.
Accessibility should be the default, not the exception.
If the goal of Inclusive Sans was to make reading easier for as many people as possible, it doesn’t make sense to put a paywall in front of it.
A few years ago, I was working on branding projects in the disability and government sectors, where accessibility was always a big focus.
Comic Sans is one of the most accessible fonts out there, but it’s probably not the look you’d want for, say, a disability advocacy organisation working in policy and research.
The whole idea behind Inclusive Sans was to create something highly functional but also nice enough that it could fit in anywhere, so that accessibility isn’t an afterthought, but just the default.
Articles & interviews
- 15 typefaces designers love to use in 2026
Creative Boom’s 2026 roundup by Tom May highlights 15 typefaces that designers continue to use and admire, from timeless classics like Helvetica and Futura to newer, accessibility-driven fonts like Inclusive Sans. The article reflects ongoing trends toward functional, inclusive, and personality-rich type design, showing how both heritage and innovation coexist in contemporary typography.
- Review of the Year 2025: Top 25 Graphic Design
It’s Nice That’s annual ‘Review of the Year 2025: Top 25 Graphic Design’ highlights the most-read and influential design stories of the year. The roundup spans topics from the resurgence of Gothic aesthetics and humor in design culture to the global reach of K-pop visuals and food-related branding projects. It reflects a year of curiosity, experimentation, and cultural crossover in graphic design.
- Typeone’s tenth issue shows us the important type design of the 21st century so far
Studio Ground Floor designed the tenth issue of Typeone magazine, marking a milestone that reflects on 25 years of type design in the 21st century. The issue features contributions from leading type designers and uses their own typefaces throughout, showcasing the diversity and evolution of contemporary typography. The design continues the flexible editorial system established in 2020, balancing consistency with adaptability to each issue’s theme.
- "Inclusive Sans Typeface Adds Playfulness to Penguin's Brand"
The article profiles designer Olivia King’s creation of Penguin Inclusive Sans, a custom typeface commissioned by Penguin Books. Building on her earlier Inclusive Sans project, the new font blends accessibility with Penguin’s typographic heritage, drawing inspiration from archival materials and classic typefaces. The design aims to make reading more inclusive while maintaining the publisher’s playful and historic identity.
- Olivia King Expands Inclusive Sans for Greater Versatility and Accessibility
The Brand Identity interviews type designer Olivia King about Inclusive Sans 2.0, an expanded and refined version of her accessible typeface originally released in 2022. The update introduces ten styles, a variable font, and extended language support, reflecting King’s mission to make typography inclusive and barrier-free. The article explores her design process, accessibility research, and the open-source philosophy behind the project.
- "Inclusive Sans Advocates for Accessibility as Default in Design"
The article profiles Olivia King’s Inclusive Sans, a typeface designed to make accessibility a default consideration in typography. Developed with collaborator Jo Roca and informed by research from Sophie Bier, the project evolved into an open-source, variable font family now available on Google Fonts. The piece highlights the typeface’s real-world impact and King’s mission to merge legibility with contemporary design aesthetics.
- February 2025's Top New Typefaces from Leading Designers
Creative Boom’s February 2025 roundup by Tom May highlights seven new typefaces from leading foundries and designers. The selection spans accessible sans-serifs, historical revivals, and experimental modular designs, reflecting the diversity and innovation in contemporary type design. Each featured release demonstrates how typography continues to evolve in both form and function.
- The Edit: five projects including Mesh Scandinavia’s minimal identity for Kingsbury Run Capital
The Brand Identity’s 'The Edit' highlights five new design projects, including Mesh Scandinavia’s minimal rebrand for Kingsbury Run Capital. Other featured works include Eucalyptus’ Juniper identity with illustrations by Ilana Bodenstein, Warriors Studio’s energetic rebrand for Mungo’s Hi Fi, Daniel Britton’s industrial design for Centre 31, and Martin Maher’s elegant identity for jewellery brand bo•be. The roundup showcases diverse approaches to branding across finance, healthcare, music, logistics, and jewellery sectors.
- For The People's Olivia King on flexible identity systems, remote working and putting people first
The Brand Identity interviews Olivia King, Design Director at Australian studio For The People, about the agency’s evolution, flexible identity systems, and people-first culture. King discusses the studio’s approach to community branding, remote working challenges, and the importance of adaptability in design. The West Coast of Tasmania project is highlighted as a defining example of their open-source, community-driven identity work.