Art deco, but contemporary please
Art Deco is a tricky thing. It’s all too easy to slip into gold frames, Gatsby-style kitsch and over-the-top nostalgia. Pilar takes a different approach. The typeface takes the formal rigour and geometry of European Art Deco, but strips away everything superfluous.
Pilar was originally created in 2012 for the headlines of the magazine Bol’shoy Gorod (Big City). This is no coincidence. Editorial contexts are brutally honest. Either a typeface carries the content – or it falls short. Pilar passed the test and was further developed.
The result is a geometric sans-serif font that appears stable but not rigid. Clearly structured, but not cold. Ideal for brands that wish to combine attitude, intellect and aesthetics. Particularly in branding, in editorial design or on websites that want to say more than just „we’re here too“.
This is exciting for sustainable and value-orientated brands. Pilar doesn't shout. It stands. And that is often the louder statement.
Four stylistic movements – one system, many voices
Now it's getting typographically nerdy. And that's a good thing.
Pilar features four stylistic sets, each with its own set of alphanumeric glyphs. This means that every letter exists in several variants. These are not mere gimmicks, but genuine design options.
The four sets are called:
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Regularly open
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Wide closed
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Narrow
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Game
The highlight: you can vary within a word or sentence without breaking the visual system. Headlines become dynamic. Logos look customised. Campaigns remain consistent, but not monotonous.
In brand design in particular, this is worth its weight in gold. A typeface that adapts without losing its identity saves time, avoids discussions – and, ultimately, conserves resources too. Sustainability sometimes simply starts with good decisions.
For us as a branding agency, this means fewer compromises between aesthetics and function. More room for manoeuvre for real concepts.
Who is behind it?
Behind Pilar is CSTM Fonts, founded in 2014 by Ilya Ruderman and Yury Ostromentsky. Neither of them comes from the „we make fonts too“ camp, but rather from a deep background in typography.
Both studied graphic design at the Moscow State University of Print Arts. Ilya Ruderman later completed the prestigious Master’s programme in Type & Media at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He has worked as a tutor, art director and type designer for international foundries and has contributed to, amongst others, Neutraface, Graphik and Lava.
Yury Ostromentsky was, for a long time, Art Director at BigCity Magazine. Pilar is based on his personal typeface, which was used there. In other words: real-world use, real-world requirements, real feedback.
Her work has received numerous awards, including at Granshan, Modern Cyrillic and the European Design Award. In short: this is no mere trend font. It’s the real deal.
Why we love Pilar
Because Pilar makes a statement without being loud.
Because she supports complex brand identities rather than dominating them.
And because she proves that good typography doesn’t need explaining – it simply works.
Pilar is particularly inspiring for sustainable, ethical and vegan businesses. She comes across as thoughtful, mature and clear-headed. No sensationalism. No eco-clichés. Just design with high standards.
Exactly our thing.
Why we love Pilar
Because Pilar makes a statement without being loud.
Because she supports complex brand identities rather than dominating them.
And because she proves that good typography doesn’t need explaining – it simply works.
Pilar is particularly inspiring for sustainable, ethical and vegan businesses. She comes across as thoughtful, mature and clear-headed. No sensationalism. No eco-clichés. Just design with high standards.
Exactly our thing.
Want to know if Pilar fits your brand?
Or are you looking for a typeface that truly supports your brand strategy, your corporate design and your communication?
Then let's talk about it. We don't think of typography in isolation, but as part of a meaningful overall system. For brands with attitude. And backbone.
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