We recently connected with Nikolas Wrobel and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nikolas thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Creating lettershapes, typefaces and fonts — creating something modular that others can use for their own vision, was actually something that was always deep inside of me, since the very beginning of my career as a Designer. But this topic was so huge, it was something very holy, sacred and it took me a long time until I developed not only the expertise, and actual body of work, it was finally the developed confidence over more than a decade of design, that would allow to build a real foundry, and a truly dedicated world for my perspective on type.

Nikolas, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started very early on as a designer. Even as a child, I was painting the walls of my mom’s house with crayons. This obsession, that was something truly intrinsic, never let go of me. It conveyed me my whole life, from childhood to teenage years until becoming an adult. I always wanted to be around art, design and the creative culture, music, literally everyhting related to that. But it was always the visual matter, that I found most magical and intruiging, and this is also where I could see things flow automatically, especially the more practical things got. I woke up with Design in my head, and went to bed with Design in my head. Like a beautiful illness. I wanted to Design everything around me. What followed was a relative classical way, a specialized College for Design and later on University. Before, during and after, I was doing all kinds of freelance jobs, especially around the club and music culture. Later on all gravitated to a business perspective and I ended up beeing a UX Design Director. The Money and status was fantastic, yet I missed something deep down inside of me. The true love for a graphic Design approach towards lettershapes. I took all my free capacaties and crafted my very first font, called “Cosi Times” – a font celebrating my love towards Typography. For this, I led the process turn into a joyful exertion: reimagining beautiful, warm, gentle & serene memories full of sanity – and bringing them to life in form of a modern, sleek and clear shaped Typeface. I put this font on my portfolio page with a buy button and submitted it to all relevant blogs at this time (2017). I was so blessed that it became an overnight HIT. All my dreams, all this hard work, finally flourished in the direction I was always dreaming of: creating somehting that I unconditionally love, is reflecting my soul, dreams and aspirations — AND is helping others to express their Vision. From this foundation, I build what is today the Nikolas Type Foundry, with thousands of wonderful clients all around the globe, including big players like Nike, Walt Disney, HBO, the Louvre Museum, Hermès Paris…. and almost endlessly more.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

It’s basically to resist and turn down a lot of things that bring you instant gratification, and play things for the long run. It’s basically to say no to a lot of external things and say yes to your gut and true vision. Often, you need to work years to create a typeface and you pour all your love and dedication into it. And along the way is nothing but a very long journey with a lot of uncertainties — no one is hyping you up along the way… so you have to believe in yourself and vision, no matter what. You need to become resilient towards all doubts, fears and external challenges that happen during this journey of creating a font that take years. This only works if you really love what you do and really believe into yourself.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

To unconditionally stay true to yourself. To uncompromisingly follow your vision and never cut down anything that is important for you — no matter what it takes. Say no to any shortcuts. Say no to any cheap trick, easy answers, say no and resist to noise and smoke. Focus on the true essence and bring it to life, no matter what. As a designer we have the mission to share our love towards what matters to us with the world, and transform it to a better, and more true place, that is not only looking better, but is also more pristine and aspirational on the inside.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nikolastype.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikolastype/