editorial

Playfair Display and Be Vietnam Pro font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
Stories worth reading slowly

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Be Vietnam Pro, while the headline uses Playfair Display. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Be Vietnam Pro's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Be Vietnam Pro ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HPlayfair Display

Playfair Display is a free serif typeface designed by Claus Eggers Sørensen, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 6 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Playfair Display →

BBe Vietnam Pro

Be Vietnam Pro is a free sans serif typeface designed by Lâm Bảo, Tony Le and ViệtAnh Nguyễn, added to Google Fonts in 2021. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics.

More pairings for Be Vietnam Pro →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Playfair+Display:wght@700&family=Be+Vietnam+Pro:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Be Vietnam Pro', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Playfair Display

A field guide to good ideas

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HPlayfair DisplayBOswaldeditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Oswald's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Make something people love

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HPlayfair DisplayBDM Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while DM Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

More pairings with Be Vietnam Pro

Make something people love

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HEB GaramondBBe Vietnam Proeditorial→

A classic contrast: EB Garamond's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Be Vietnam Pro's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Built for the long run

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HRoboto SlabBBe Vietnam Profriendly→

A classic contrast: Roboto Slab's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Be Vietnam Pro's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Where craft meets code

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HBe Vietnam ProBSource Serif 4moderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Be Vietnam Pro keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Source Serif 4's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Playfair Display and Be Vietnam Pro go well together?

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Be Vietnam Pro's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Be Vietnam Pro ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Playfair Display for headings at weight 700, and Be Vietnam Pro for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Playfair Display and Be Vietnam Pro free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.