There’s plenty to work with in Arsenal’s graphic history. Its gothic lettering and historic Victoria Concordia Crescit crest belong to a visual archive that generations of supporters know intimately, often without needing to think about it.
For designer David Rudnick, those familiar forms became the starting point for Rocastle, a bespoke typeface developed with the club over several years and named after one of its most cherished players.
Designed to sit alongside Arsenal’s existing heritage marks, Rocastle brings that archive into a contemporary typographic system intended for long-term use. The gothic wordmark and old crest provide particular reference points, giving the project a recognisable connection to the club’s past. It’s an appealing brief: taking lettering already loaded with meaning and working out how it can speak across a much broader range of settings.
The most telling detail runs through the letterforms themselves. In the typeface’s hero weight, a continuous line represents the bond between Arsenal supporters in London and around the world. It also carries a more specific geographical story, tracing the movement across the capital that connects the club to David Rocastle.
Arsenal began in Woolwich before making north London its home. Rocastle’s own journey took him from south London to Highbury, following a route across the city that echoes those made by generations of players and supporters. Bringing that shared history into the construction of the letters gives the design an unusually personal foundation. A detail that might initially read as a graphic flourish becomes a way of telling the club’s story whenever the type is used.
Naming it after Rocky adds another layer. Remembered for his talent, character and understanding of what it meant to play for Arsenal, Rocastle remains a reference point within the club. His words, “Remember who you are, what you are and who you represent”, are still shared with young Academy players. They also offer a useful way to understand the thinking behind the project: every new application carries a responsibility to the identity it comes from.
Alongside the typeface comes The Capital, a standalone “A” that complements Arsenal’s existing crest. Together, the two additions give the club more scope to express itself across fashion, music, art and design. There’s a practical appeal to developing a letterform that can hold its own in those spaces, while retaining a clear relationship with the wider identity.
The project was unveiled at London’s Design Museum during Arsenal by Design, a free exhibition held on 10–11 October. Bringing together material from the club’s visual archive with the development of Rocastle, it placed the new work within a longer design history. Rudnick also joined Arsenal’s Creative Studio Lead Johnnie Campbell to discuss its inspiration and development.
That context makes Rocastle especially satisfying. The source material is specific, the dedication is meaningful, and the ambition extends well beyond a launch weekend. Arsenal has given a much-loved part of its history a place in its everyday visual language. For a typeface named after Rocky, that feels like a fitting ambition.