Griffin McCabe / Projects / The World’s Best Typography
TDC / 2025—2026
The World’s Best Typography
TDC annual / Volumes 46 + 47 / Slanted Publishers
Publishing partnership, editorial contribution, positioning, and campaign art direction.
Client
Type Directors Club
When
Typography 46 / October 2025 Typography 47 / Forthcoming November 2026
My role
Publishing partnership Editing and positioning Campaign art direction
Collaborators
Slanted Publishers TDC editorial
Result
Volume 46 published Volume 47 announced as a preorder
Typography 46 Published October 2025
Typography 47 Forthcoming November 2026
01 /
The project
A new publishing partnership for TDC’s annual record of outstanding typography.
The World’s Best Typography collects the winning work from the Type Directors Club’s international competition. The annual needed a publishing path that would carry its history while reaching readers beyond the competition itself. I secured TDC’s first partnership with Slanted and helped shape the series’ positioning, editorial direction, and international distribution. Across volumes 46 and 47, I edited the books, wrote the introduction to 46 and the foreword to 47, and directed the annual’s campaign assets. Volume 46 was published in October 2025; Volume 47 is listed for release in November 2026.
Project
TDC’s annual publication of award-winning communication design, lettering, and typeface design.
Problem
Establish a publishing model and a clear position for the annual’s next volumes.
Role
Partnership development, editing, introduction and foreword, positioning, and campaign art direction.
Obstacles
Carry the annual’s established record into a new publisher relationship and a changing book format.
Outcome
Volume 46 published with Slanted; Volume 47 announced in a more compact format and remains a preorder.
Typography 46 / Book photography by Slanted Publishers
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The partnership
A book that serves as both a record and a reference.
The annual presents selected work from TDC’s competition, with juror commentary, insights from designers, and an index of typefaces and their designers. Slanted publishes and designs the books; TDC curates the winning selection. My work connected the publishing partnership to the editorial and campaign story across two volumes.
01 / PUBLISHING
Secured TDC’s first partnership with Slanted Publishers and helped shape the annual’s positioning and international distribution.
02 / EDITORIAL
Edited volumes 46 and 47; wrote the introduction to 46 and the foreword to 47.
03 / CAMPAIGN
Art directed the annual’s campaign assets, distinct from the books’ design by Slanted’s team.
03 /
Inside the books
A restrained gallery lets the books do the talking. Swipe through selected photographs of Volume 46 and preview spreads of Volume 47.
46 / Interior and binding
46 / Interior detail
46 / The printed volume
47 / Preview spread 01
47 / Preview spread 02
47 / Preview spread 03
47 / Preview spread 04
47 / Preview spread 05
47 / Preview spread 06
Book design and imagery: Slanted Publishers. Volume 47 images are publisher previews of a forthcoming book.
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Two volumes
46 / 2025
Yellow. Expansive. Physical.
Typography 46 / Book imagery by Slanted Publishers
Volume 46 collects winners from 33 countries in a 288-page, 21 × 28.5 cm book. Its Judges’ Choices, Young Ones winners, and typeface index extend the competition record into a reference readers can return to.
47 / 2026
Compact. Expanded. Forthcoming.
Typography 47 / Publisher preview by Slanted Publishers
Slanted lists Volume 47 as a November 2026 preorder. The format moves to 17 × 24 cm while growing to 384 pages, with a softcover and thread stitching. The publisher describes it as a more accessible edition with expanded content.
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Credits
GRIFFIN MCCABE
Publishing partnership, editor, positioning, introduction to Volume 46, foreword to Volume 47, and campaign art direction.
PUBLISHER + BOOK DESIGN
Slanted Publishers. Creative direction: Lars Harmsen and Marian Misiak; design: Pola Małaczewska and Slanted Publishers.
TDC EDITORIAL
Volume 46: Carol Wahler, Griffin McCabe, Joe Newton, Type Directors Club. Volume 47: Griffin McCabe, Joe Newton, Type Directors Club.
Griffin McCabe