Mason originally began life an as exploration of European architectural forms. A multitude of rich influences collide in the forms of Mason, including references to the gardens of the palace of Versailles, a Grecian temple portico, a gothic church window, and a christian cross. Mason has become one of our most widely used and recognisable including by such companies as the BBC and Walt Disney.
The naming of Mason has a somewhat controversial history. It was originally called Manson, named after the serial killer Charles Manson, but was subsequently changed by the distributors Emigre after complaints. The original name was chosen to express extreme opposite emotions – love and hate, beauty and ugliness. It sounds elegant and echoes words like mason, mansion and manse, but is actually related to a violent incident. It was an attempt to make the font contemporary rather than part of a ‘golden past’.
