Compared to most other Garalde fonts Robert Strauch’s Fabiol is less rational. It has a very sensual touch and an almost “hand-made” look. However, it is not irregular or pretentious. To the contrary, all styles produce an extremely even tone in text setting.
A closer look at the letters reveals why: the generally low stroke contrast is varied very skillfully between and within the letters in an undogmatic way in order to avoid spots or gaps. In large sizes this looks a bit inconsistent and some shapes, though absolutely unobtrusive in small sizes, appear mannered or random. Combined with the right typeface for headlines, Fabiol is certainly an excellent choice for book typography. — Tim Ahrens
Fabiol was a TDC2 2005 Winner.