FEBRUARY 2009 ARCHIVES
February 18, 2009
Excerpt from
PANTONE Fashion Color Report,
Volume 31, February 2009. Pantone, Inc.
PANTONE®fashionCOLORREPORTfall2009
A Study in Contrasts NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
The psychology of color and world events plays into deigner choices.
Subtle contrasts, like those found in a painter’s masterpiece, make up the diverse color palette for fall 2009. Designers play with a broad spectrum of unique color combinations this season, resulting in distinct, yet cohesive color palettes.
“The fall 2009 palette is more unique and thoughtful than the typical autumnal hues of years past,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Designers recognize the desire for fundamental basics that speak to current economic conditions, but also understand the need to incorporate vibrant color to grab the consumers’ eyes and entice them to buy.”
A natural choice during uncertain times, patriotic American Beauty, a wonderfully balanced, true red, speaks to the need for cohesiveness. Perfect for all skin tones, American Beauty is a feel-good color. Purple Heart connotes a sense of refinement and sensuality, adding an air of creativity and excitement to the top 10, especially when paired with American Beauty.
A warmer, more subdued Honey Yellow carries the 2009 color of the year, PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa, through to fall and winter with its golden tones. Pairing Honey Yellow with its color wheel opposite, Purple Heart, will surely add a surprising flair. Or, for a more typical fall combination, group Honey Yellow with Burnt Sienna and Iron.
Strong yet understated Iron serves as the “new black,” making traditional basics much more interesting. Neither gray nor brown, Iron is a grounding color that coordinates well with all colors in the palette. Crème Brûlée, a grayed-down beige, and Nomad, which bridges the gap between beige and light gray, also speak to the need for timeless neutrals. All three classics can stand alone or serve as anchors when paired with other colors.
Fall would not be complete without a seasonal favorite like Burnt Sienna, a deepened, earthy shade of orange, reminiscent of an autumn sunset. Pair this versatile hue with Nomad and Rapture Rose for a different twist.
Adding spark to the fall palette, Rapture Rose artfully captures the vibrancy of fuchsia and the softness of pink. Under scored by nurturing and feminine tones, the addition of Rapture Rose enlivens the more traditionally subdued fall hues. Look for it in cosmetics as well as clothing and accessories. Like the olive in a martini, Warm Olive, a rich yellow-green, adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to fall. When combined, this tangy, intriguing hue makes all other colors come alive. Look for it paired with Majolica Blue, a deep, mysterious teal blue with more vibrancy than the usual navy. Majolica Blue brings an exotic flair to the group, especially when paired with Burnt Sienna or Purple Heart.
Each season, Pantone surveys the designers of New York Fashion Week to identify the 10 most directional colors. Like a painter’s palette, fall 2009 offers choice and diversity, but the unique integration of colors is what makes it
so appealing.
COLOR ADVICE
“Don’t shy away from color. Color
is not only a great and budget-
conscious way to update your
wardrobe, it is a wonderful pick-me-
up. A couple of tips to keep in mind
when shopping for color:
• Color reads best in quality fabrics,
hues appear richer and more
vibrant in fine wools, cottons and
silks. I am a firm believer that if you
invest in a few good pieces now,
you will benefit for years to come.
• Be mindful when choosing color.
You can’t just admire the color of
a garment on a hanger or on your
friend, the color must be right for
you. Your skin-tone and hair color
both come into play. If you like a
color and you are unsure, my
advice —try it on!”
Tim Gunn
February 10, 2009
Woman's Day
Excerpt from Live Well
by Gretchen Roberts
How to find your perfect red
Wearing red boosts your mood instantly because it's energizing and commands attention. If you aren't bold enough to wear it but still want an emotional pick-me-up, try a subtler shade in the same color family, suggests Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of More Alive With Color.
Excerpt from
More Alive With Color
pp 129 & 130
by
Leatrice Eiseman
YOUR CREATIVE ENERGIES AND COLOR
In this chapter, you'll find out more about your color preferences. It's only natural for you to like some individual colors in your Colortime® palette much more than others. Luckily, if you realy dislike a color, it probably won't be in your Colortime®. Though every color family appears in each Colortime®, the intensities and values vary, and you're bound to have different emotional responses.
YOUR CREATIVE ENERGIES AND COLOR
That's why I always listen carefully to each client and try to determine his or her orientation to different colors before making recommendations. Unfortunately, I can't be with you personally, but I can share certain universal concepts to make some useful observations about your personal color choices.
Please remember that your likes and dislikes can change during different periods of your life. Your responses simply tell you where you are in your life right now. Your preferences may also indicate some of your secret desires. For example, red is considered the most ardent and passionate of all colors. You may not see yourself as ardent or passionate, but if red is your favorite color, maybe you have hidden traits just dying to be expressed (you little devil!)
Red
LIKE:
Just as red sits on top of the rainbow, you like to stay on top of things. You have a zest for life. Remember that red can speed up the pulse, increase the respiration rate, and raise blood pressure. It is associated with fire, heat, and blood, so it is impossible to ignore. And so are you (would like to be). You are high maintenance and high profile, a mover and a shaker.
The key words associated with red are winner, achiever, intense, impulsive, active, competitive, daring , aggressive. Red people are exciting, animated, optimistic, emotional and extroverted. Desire is the key word (see "ardent" and passionate" above), so you hunger for fullness of experience and living. Red is a force to be reckoned with and is always up for adventure. Your passion is infectious.
Now that you have all the good news, let's hear it for the bad news. Since you crave so much excitement in your life, routine can drive you nuts. Restlessness can make you fickle in your pursuit of new things to turn you on. It's hard for you to be objective, and you can be opinionated and overbearing. You have a tendency to listen to what others tell you and then do whatever you please. Patience is not one of your virtues. If you're unhappy about something watch out!
DISLKE:
Since red is primarily associated with a zest for life, excitement, and passion, disliking this hue could mean that these feelings are a bit much for you to handle at this point in your life. Perhaps you are bothered by the aggressiveness and intensity that red signifies. Or perhaps you really want more fulfillment but are afraid to get involved. People who are irritable, ill exhausted, or bothered by many problems often reject red and turn to the calmer colors for rest and relaxation. They are very self-protective.
TD Monthly is a newsletter to retailers
by Alison Marek
"Pop" Toys Out
"Although conventional wisdom states that neutral backgrounds are best for
display areas, conventional wisdom is not always wise," says Lee Eiseman,
leading color consultant, author and speaker for business, in her book
Color: Messages and Meanings. "Don't underestimate the impact of darker or
more vibrant color as background to make the merchandise 'pop'. And the
space doesn't have to be large to have a visual impact. Even the smallest
area will benefit from colorful backgrounds as they will always draw the
customer's eye."
Excerpt from
Earnshaw's
by Nicole Yee
Catch Them If You Can
Like their adult counterparts, celebrity kids serve as the touchstone for what's hip. Here's a look a t what some of the most fashionable tots will be wearing next spring.
Misha Lulu Tutto Piccolo
Anime represents the spontaneity and free spirit of kids," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "It's not about matching; it's about expression. " For Spring, Pantone reports anime as a leading trend that revels in clashing colors.
Eiseman reported that Pantone has named one of the spring color trends "honest," a family that includes soft, natural colors with some of the pink and red accents. "It's all about vegetable dyes, non-chemicals and recycling." she stressed.
February 3, 2009
Can Blue-Colored Light Prevent Suicide?
© 2008, The Yomiuri Shimbun.
An intriguing, anecdotal finding was recently reported by some news outlets that the implementation of blue-colored streetlights has reduced both crime and suicides:
Glasgow, Scotland, introduced blue street lighting to improve the city’s landscape in 2000. Afterward, the number of crimes in areas illuminated in blue noticeably decreased.
The Nara, Japan, prefectural police set up blue streetlights in the prefecture in 2005, and found the number of crimes decreased by about 9 percent in blue-illuminated neighborhoods. Many other areas nationwide have followed suit.
Keihin Electric Express Railway Co. changed the color of eight lights on the ends of platforms at Gumyoji Station in Yokohama, Japan, in February.
Since the railway company introduced the new blue lights, they’ve had no new suicide attempts.
This effect may be attributed to a few possible reasons (some of which are mentioned in the comments section of the article):
• The light color is new and unusual, causing people to act more cautiously in the area (as a person is unsure what to expect in the unusually-lit area).
• Blue is a light color almost universally associated with a police presence, suggesting it is an area of stricter law enforcement.
In fact, the article quotes from a professor at the end, noting it may just be an “unusualness effect:”
Prof. Tsuneo Suzuki at Keio University said: “There are a number of pieces of data to prove blue has a calming effect upon people. However, it’s an unusual color for lighting, so people may just feel like avoiding standing out by committing crimes or suicide under such unusual illumination. It’s a little risky to believe that the color of lighting can prevent anything.”
There is a lot of research into the psychology of color, but not as much has looked into the color of blue illumination itself (as opposed to the color of an object or wall). But some research looking into short wavelength light (blue) has demonstrated that it is a potentially effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder (a seasonal type of depression; see for instance, Glickman, et al., 2006), and helps to reduce the stress response in fish (it hasn’t been yet tested on humans).
If this finding is robust and the behavior change associated with it is still prevalent a few years from now (when everyone has become accustomed to the new light color), it would be an interesting finding. A simple, inexpensive change might be effective in helping reduce at least one method of suicide (and reduce crime to boot).
February 2, 2009
Blue Packaging
Lees recent reply to a blog about untrue urban legends that appeared on a blog -
"In a recent blog I read that blue should never be used for food products or
packaging or advertising that involved food. That is an outmoded concept
and here is part of my response to the well-meaning but misinformed person
who was using old, outdated information":
Thank you for spreading the word about color. One area of disagreement
though is that the comment about blue and food is no longer true, for
example, in packaging for a product that you would want to imply is very
cold and fresh out of the ocean, blue would be an excellent choice. Blue is
connected with frigid temperature (as in icy blues). There are also blue
potatoes now, blue corn chips, blue M&Ms as well as berry flavored yogurts
that appear to be blue in the container as the yogurt is tinged with the
flavor. I have done considerable research on color word associations and
have inserted them in many of my books, two of the most recent being
The Pantone Guide to Communicating and Color and Color Messages and Meanings.
