What is a monogram?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, monograms are defined as “a symbol which is usually formed from a persons initials, a brand mark or logo” (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d). It can be a combination of 2 – 3 letters, intertwined or overlapped to transform a message and conceal its meaning.
Its Origin and History
Monograms first originated as a cipher ( a distinguished code) within Greek and Roman history who used coins to symbolise rulers or towns. Monograms were also a symbol of a royal signature, a form of currency and a symbol of aristocracy.
The most historically known monogram is the Chi-Rho, a sacred christian symbol formed by “the conjunction of the first two Greek letters of ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, meaning Chris” ( Encyclopaedia Britannica). The monogram supposedly is said to have been the creation of St. Bernardine of Siena in the 15th century.
Royal families particularly use monograms to represent monarchies. Names of different monarchs indicate the connection and loyalty to the ruler as well as the public organisations within the kingdom. Several countries including Great Britain, Sweden and Germany have employed the use of royal monograms on currency and continue to liberate royal symbolism and authenticity.
Changing overtime
Since the 1800’s, typefaces and the invention of the printing press have both played a significant role in creating monograms. With this tool, monograms have become a “powerful and symbolic tool which act as a form of identification and also have a stylistic appeal” (Cresk D, 2012), particularly when identifying high luxurious brands. It has also become extremely popular today for individuals to personalise items with their own initials or symbols of clothing, bags, and identification items. Now with computer technology, creating a monogram is easier than ever and can be produced with many softwares, materials and formatting.
With further research and looking at many examples of monograms, I constructed different monograms of my initials (YK) as part of our final assessment. I like the simplicity and bold fonts I chose with the unique layouts. I wanted to create my monograms that make people think it could be used for high fashion labels and become a recognisable brand.
I started with quite simple layouts of my initials, however progressed into more elaborate designs. Still keeping that simplicity, I think the last 3 designs are contenders, conveying elegance and luxury.
Albrecht Dürer
The famous artist known as Albrecht Dürer, was a german engraver, painter and printmaker during the 1400’s. He was famously known for his notorious hand engraving skills which he used to create his monogram “AD”. His initials ( AD ) would soon become influential for other “European artist to emulate his monogram with their own initials” (Wisse, J 2002). Dürer monogram style become so popular, he was involved in on of “Europe’s earliest lawsuits in intellectual property and copyright, where he won a case against Italian engraver Marcantonio Raimond, who had engraved copies of Dürer’s work, including his famous monogram”. (Nigel Ip, 2017). The legal action Dürer took against Raimond was a testament of importance for the original creators of artistic pieces and the value of making ones symbol of authenticity.
Yves Saint Lauraent
Particularly in the fashion industry, monograms provide a key example of power, status and luxury. French luxury fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent was founded in 1961 by designer, Adolphe Mouron Cassandre. The monogram has mostly stayed the same since the beginning with the vertical initials Y, S and L. It is a simple, clean yet visually appealing format, incorporating a mix of “sans-serif and serif style and intertwining roman and italic forms at once” (Rosam E 2017). The YSL monogram sets itself apart from “the fashion clichés that are dominated by the modern serifs of Didots and Bodonis – Giorgio Armani, Vogue, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren; and the uppercase grotesques – Chanel, D&G, Louis Vuitton and so on” (Roberts PG 2017)
The letters intertwine within each other create a sense of rhythm and luxurious quality as well as the simple black and white colour pallet. YSL has become such a famously known monogram identifying its individuality and status. With time, YSL will only become more iconic and valuable.
Nevertheless, monograms throughout history have highlighted how it has changed overtime but still provide the same principles and meaning. Whether being used as a signature, or branding logo, monograms use a distinct choice in typefaces to express purpose and authenticity. Monograms continue to provide status and remain a powerful tool of visual communication.
References:
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). MONOGRAM meaning, Cambridge English Dictionary, url: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/monogram [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
Cresk.nl. (2012). A Brief and Selective History of Monograms cresk design. url: http://cresk.nl/a-brief-and-selective-history-of-monograms [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Monogram.url: https://www.britannica.com/topic/monogram-calligraphy [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
Nigel Ip, 2017, Dürer or not? On the hunt for a print’s true identity, Royal Museums Greenwich: url https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/behind-the-scenes/blog/durer-or-not, [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
Roberts PG 2017, ‘The Magic of the Iconic Yves Saint Laurent Logo’, Fashion Industry Broadcast, 2 February, url: https://fashionindustrybroadcast.com/2017/02/02/magic-iconic-yves-saint-laurent-logo/, [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
Rosam E 2017, ‘Yves Saint Laurent Logo 1963 (A.M Cassandre)’, Medium, 20 October, url: https://medium.com/fgd1-the-archive/yves-saint-laurent-logo-1963-a-m-cassandre-3cd069a83384, [Viewed, 3/4/2020]
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