Sensational Color Pro Kate Smith's Online Color Journal » Color Trends

Purple: Hue Gotta Love It

Kate Smith — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:33:38 +0000

I was recently interviewed by Joanne Richard for Sun Media (Canada’s largest newspaper publisher) and this article appears today in newspapers across Canada. Thanks for including me Joanne!

Below are excerpts that include what I said about purple.

According to the experts, expect grape things this fall. Red-based purples verging on raspberry are popular, says colour diva Kate Smith, but hues of violet, eggplant, aubergine and plum also look extremely sophisticated in fashion and

Color Trends Overview

Kate Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:18:36 +0000

I just posted an article that has a good overview of color trends that apply to any industry. Read the trends article on Sensational Color…

What Your Car Color Reveals About Your Psyche

Kate Smith — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:49:15 +0000

U.S. News reports that “People who own emerald green automobiles…have the most positive attitude about the course of their own lives. Dark blue and silver are other colors chosen by upbeat people.”

The article goes on to say that, “Red supposedly connotes an aggressive, high-speed personality, while yellow, theoretically, is for folks with sunny dispositions. But survey data show that people who drive red or yellow cars have below-average confidence. And black cars, supposedly a sign of power and elegance, are driven by the most downbeat drivers of all.”

Plum, the Color, Is Having Its Star Turn

Kate Smith — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:45:55 +0000

From today’s New York Times– MADISON AVENUE is making like Little Jack Horner, pulling out plum after plum for the presumed delectation of consumers.

Examples of how plum may become the new black for advertisers and media companies include a new Plum Card from American Express, coupon inserts in Sunday newspapers under the RedPlum name and plum-colored labels for products like Penta water.

There is also Plum TV, a channel available in resort communities; PlumChoice Online, a PC services company; and even books by Janet Evanovich featuring a character called Stephanie Plum. The titles include “Plum Lovin’ ” and “Plum Lucky” and, coming in January, according to Dori Weintraub of St. Martin’s Press, which publishes Ms. Evanovich, “Plum Spooky.”

Trend watchers suggest several reasons so many marketers seem to be going plum loco. One recurring thought is that the success of technology brands like Apple and BlackBerry is giving fruit a good name, hence the proliferation of plums as well as brands like Pinkberry and Red Mango, which are both frozen yogurts.

Plum and purple colors also “evoke royalty, sophistication,” said Tom Julian, president at the Tom Julian Group in New York, a brand consultancy.

Those shades can appeal to “the emotional side of one’s passions and interests,” he added, “the individual desire for zest and to be distinct.”

Mr. Julian traces the growing appeal of plum to fall 2005, when “the ‘luxe’ factor emerged in the designer market” and richer hues came into favor.

Continue reading on the NYTimes.com

With color it’s context, context, context!

Kate Smith — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:01:07 +0000

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone, Inc. and a fellow member of CMG, is quoted in Home Textiles Today as saying during her Las Vegas Market presentation, “In real estate it’s all about location, location. In color it’s context, context.”

See Leatrice’s descriptions of the Pantone 2008 home furnishings forecast…

Pantone identifies seven 2009 color palettes

Kate Smith — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:03:11 +0000

Fashion color authority Pantone has published its Pantone View Colour Planner for summer 2009, a forecasting tool titled “Independence.”The planner details seven palettes for use in apparel, cosmetics, interiors, industrial design and graphics:

Female-ism: medium pastels with a tinge of retro glamour.
Classic-ism: almost devoid of color except for one medium blue accent.
Independent-ism: tart, bold and gregarious colors.
Today-ism: deep, dark shades of reddish blues and brown.
Absurd-ism: combines disproportionate color hues and values.
Fetish-ism: “a carnal inspiration and desire for experimentation.”
Surreal-ism: “plays with scale, combination and expectation to create unexpected, and even strange, creations.”

Tod Shulman, vice president of the fashion, home and interiors division at Pantone, said, “For summer 2009, Pantone is forecasting a trend toward color palettes that reflect individuality and make people feel good about who they are.”

‘Green’ going blue

Kate Smith — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:04:46 +0000

‘Green’ has become synonymous with the environmental movement so naturally companies around the globe are using the term ‘green’ and the color green to communicate that their practices and products are environmentally friendly.

Overuse of this color however coupled with the fact that many companies that claim to be ‘green’ do not in fact follow environmentally sound practices (also known as ‘greenwashing’) has reduced the positive impact of this color.

Companies looking to differeniate thenselves are choosing to use blue to communicate their commitment to the environment and as Ann Mack of JWT put it so beautifully, “represent a much broader spirit of good citizenship”.

With growning concerns over having sufficient clean water and clean air to support the global population blue, a color associated with the the ocean and sky, is a natural choice.

Add to this the fact that blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable, and committed and it simply makes sense that forward thinking companies like Mercedes-Benz that want to distance thenselves from ‘greenwashing’ and be seen above the glut of green have chosen to incorporate blue into their ‘green’ marketing. For example Mercedes-Benz coine the term Bluetec for their clean diesel fuel technology.

VW also uses blue. BlueMotion badge is an environmental sub-brand, denoting the most efficient model in each VW car range. But it’s not just automakers but also the French government that are going blue rather than green.

Blue will not replace green as the color of nature but in 2008 the color will be seen with closer associations to the enviroment and global issues.

Blue will also be a color that is influencial in many other areas. Pantone named blue the color of the year for 2008 and as we ushered in the new year many hues of blue from sky to navy were already appearing in home and fashion stores everywhere.

Trendhunter Magazine

Kate Smith — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:25:38 +0000

TrendHunter.com is the world’s the world’s largest community dedicated to trend spotting & cool hunting.

Breakthrough ideas and strategic advantage hinge on the ability to anticipate trends and identify the next big thing. By tracking the evolution of cool, Trend Hunters generate ideas, stimulate creativity, and ultimately unlock cool.

Pantone’s “Color of the Year” for 2008

Kate Smith — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:54:31 +0000

UPDATE December 3, 2009: Pantone announces Mimosa as the 2009 Color of the Year. See more about this year’s color here and find even more on the sunny hue at Live In Full Color.

Pantone has selected its “Color of the Year” for 2008: Blue Iris Pantone 18-3943.

The company said the blue-purple blend combines “the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple,” and suggested this hue “satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.”

“Look for it artfully combined with deeper plums, red-browns, yellow-greens, grapes and grays,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. She said Blue Iris “best represents color direction in 2008 for fashion, cosmetics and home products.”

Eiseman added, “Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”

More on Pantone’s 2008 color of the year on Live In Full Color…

UPDATE for 2009:

Pantone releases Color of the Year 2009. See it here…

Julie also wrote about the Color of the Year — Mimosa — on Live In Full Color.

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Trendstop

Kate Smith — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:11:31 +0000

Trendstop.com is a fashion trend forecasting book available exclusively online.