As a child, Francesca Bolognini dreamed of becoming an Olympic gymnast. She could play for hours with her ribbon wand, mesmerized by the exquisite fast-moving patterns created as its tail swirled and danced through the air.

This might also be why as a type designer, she fell in love with the decorative, flowing letterforms of copperplate calligraphy and their smooth stroke modulation, an effect which results from the use of pressure-sensitive nibs, similar to those used in traditional fountain pens.

Combining her memories of the three-dimensional spinning ribbons from her childhood and the distinctive look of the copperplate letterforms she admired is what inspired Francesca to design Volina.