“CONSUMERS CRAVE COLOR FOR SPRING,” declares Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, and “designers are giving it to them by choosing optimism for the season.”
The top colors on the seasonal chart chosen by New York designers in the Pantone Fashion Color Report break into two main divisions: The first seven, which are vibrant and energetic, and the last three, which are more neutral. Overall, it is an exciting chart!
While the colors represent a definite optimism, it is still somewhat tempered by what Eiseman says is “the elephant still in the room – the recession.” Consumers are still relatively cautious about their purchases. They are mainly looking to spice up their wardrobes with a few carefully selected pieces, such as accessories, which are fresh and new and which will enliven their overall wardrobes.
The top colors for spring are nevertheless very exciting…and start off with a real surprise. In Number One spot is:
VIOLET
Can you believe it? Well, purple has been making its way through the color charts for a number of seasons, and it has now culminated in first place positioning with VIOLET. Still, it is an unexpected color choice — not a more conventional color like pale blue or dusty green or even softened red. No, none of them! It is VIOLET. Off-beat, but no less lovely.
Here, then, is the chart:
- 1. VIOLET: The violet that is making big news in fashion circles now has a touch of red in it and “provides a bit more excitement to what we’d typically think of as a cooler color,” says Eiseman. “A little bit of warmth to a cool color intrigues the consumer’s eye.”
2. AURORA: This is a bright yellow with a hint of green. According to Eiseman, its popularity has been spurred on by designers using the color in accessories and evening gowns. It has also been used in numerous variations in red carpet events. Designers like Adam Lippes have worked in an exciting way with pop colors, including Aurora.
YELLOW IS HAPPY, AND BRINGS A SMILE TO ALMOST EVERYONE’S FACE. CHOOSE IT JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO POSITIVE! HERE ARE SOME GREAT PIECES IN YELLOW:
- Wholesale Murano style jewelry in amber.
- 3. TURQUOISE: This is a color that has been bobbing up and down on the color charts for quite a while now, especially for accessories! Designer Peter Som sees
it as expressing “the need for a happy mood – a lifting color that offers a bit of escapism.” Eiseman thinks this color is strong because it is a version of blue that is associated with tropical, ocean-filled vacations, “It makes people think of someplace exotic,” she says.
- FUSION CORAL: A soft, pastel orange, this gentle color is an interesting
combination of a strong, energized orange and a pale, almost pink-y neutral. It can simultaneously give a bolt of excitement to a palette, while blending inconspicuously with a wide range of other colors. “It is a very popular color with cosmetic people,” Eiseman says. “It is flattering to most skin tones.”
- TOMATO PUREE: This is a real red with blue undertones. Senior vice
president and fashion director Ken Downing of Neiman Marcus says, “Red is the
message from the runway.” He sees “bright lipstick to deep Bordeaux as filling the
consumer’s passion for a super-saturated season.” Many designers are also
showing this red in their collections!
YOU CAN ADD SOME EXCITING – IF NOT THRILLING – RED TO YOUR COLOR CHOICES WITH THESE TERRIFIC JEWELRY PIECES:
- Sculptured magnolia and crystal necklace in red and rose and silver plate.
- 3-strand crystal and glass layered necklace set in vibrant red.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
