29th Sep. '06 · Category: Messages & Meanings ·
Authored by Kate Smith
The Seattle Times ran a long piece in their Thursday, September 28, 2006 issue titled “Forecasters on lookout for the next big color” that prominently featured Leatrice Eiseman.
The article talks about how colors are forecast and includes an audio clip of Lee sharing her thoughts on the Spring 2007 color trends and palette she developed for Pantone.
28th Sep. '06 · Category: Messages & Meanings ·
Authored by Kate Smith
I know that many of my readers are fans of my friend and favorite color guru Leatrice Eiseman, so I wanted to point you to an interview in VisualStore that you may have missed. Not the questions Lee typically answers.
See the interview
26th Sep. '06 · Category: Gourmet Color , Category: Home & Garden ·
Authored by Kate Smith
While I adore pumpkins in orange, my color lust has me seeking this harbinger of winter’s chill in many different hues.
Last week, I wrote about the partnership between Pantone, a color system that is used in a variety of industries but isn’t a household name to most consumers, and Fine Paints of Europe, a paint company known more widely to professionals than to consumers, as well.
It is my understanding that Fine Paints of Europe and other alliances with Pantone are focused on getting their brand in front of and recognized by the retail customer.
I have now had an opportunity to learn more about the new paint line, although haven’t yet sampled it. What I’m wondering is how many retail customers are going to be willing to pay over $100.00 for a gallon of paint? Granted, Fine Paints of Europe touts high quality and I do believe that their paint has a depth of color that is not easily achieved with most standard brands.
This is a tremendous advantage to someone like me that needs to put on three or four coats of standard paint before I feel satisfied with the depth of color. However, I know that most people think I’m crazy because they can’t immediately detect the difference between two coats and four coats of paint.
This week, the Washington Post did an article (excerpted below) that questioned the high cost of the new Pantone paint line.
“There’s nothing more expensive than cheap paint.”
So say the folks at Pantone, which is escalating the paint wars with the
introduction of its first retail paint line selling for what comes out
to an astonishing $133 a gallon……While most American paints sell for $19 to
$45 a gallon, Pantone’s Dutch-made 2.5-liter Euro gallon (a smaller can
than the American gallon) made by manufacturer Fine Paints of Europe
costs $85 to $95. A fan deck of 3,000 colors is $165.Pantone
touts the durability of its “filler-free” product, saying a proper
Pantone paint job could last 12 to 15 years. Lisa Herbert, executive
vice president of Pantone, says the paints are aimed at the high-end
homeowner. “They are for someone who really wants high quality. The
finish is very luxurious. It would take six coats of an American paint
to achieve the brilliance and saturation of Pantone paint.”
Is it worth it to you to spend more for the better quality paint or do you see paint as something temporary that you aren’t willing to pay top dollar for?
22nd Sep. '06 · Category: Home & Garden ·
Authored by Kate Smith
Since Crate and Barrel opened their doors in 1962, they have offered functional products that have sleek shapes, innovative forms, and up-to-date colors.
In order to develop a line that consistently meets the standards they have become known for, their buyers must be tuned into upcoming color and style trends and translate these trends into new products.
Traditionally, such thinking has been done behind-the-scenes and retailers, including Crate and Barrel, haven’t specifically revealed the trends behind the merchandise selected.
Recently, however, Crate and Barrel decided to take a different approach and added a section to their website that offers buyers insight into their key trends and shows the merchandise available in their retail stores and online that is associated with each.
Naturally, this isn’t a complete trend resource, since not all styles or color trends would be right for the store. But sharing the philosophy and trends behind their current product lines is a great way for Crate and Barrel to connect with their customers and assist them in finding perfect items for their homes.
19th Sep. '06 · Category: Fashion & Beauty ·
Authored by Kate Smith
Commenting on the plain-jane color names for the latest release of the Apple iPod nano yesterday got me thinking about how color names seem to follow certain trends in the same way color itself does.
Often a hot topic of discussion among product and color marketing experts, the name of a color can evoke strong emotions among buyers, so getting it “right” is important.
“You can have the same color and give it two different names,” says my friend and favorite color guru Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of More Alive With Color. “You can say tan or you can say cafe creme, and that’s the delicious and evocative color.”
For Spring 2007, designers seem to have agreed on tempting us with mouthwatering colors. The following colors were seen during New York Fashion week…does this list tantalize your tastebuds for fashion?
cream, apricot, soy, vanilla, truffle, champagne, caviar, cranberry, ginger, guava, lemon, lime, pear, pistachio, mint, meringue, latte, hazelnut, toffee, peppermint, malted chocolate, pungent saffron, mulberry, strawberry ice, golden apricot, grape mist, tarragon, peach, citron, watermelon, honeycomb, blood orange, blueberry, cantaloupe, butter oatmeal, sage, plum, chestnut, mocha, tangerine, pecan, raspberry
Photo on left: Ellen Tracy. Photo on right: Max Azria.
17th Sep. '06 · Category: Fashion & Beauty ·
Authored by Kate Smith
Perhaps Apple thinks that the iPod colors speak for themselves. What do you think?
Check out this colorful (or lack thereof) article on our website.
14th Sep. '06 · Category: Fashion & Beauty ·
Authored by Kate Smith
With the sun lower in the sky and crisp air hinting at cooler
weather, I decided to check out this season’s leather jackets. It is
always fun to see how the style and color trend boards translate into the products we see at retail.
One trend in leather goods that I find especially appealing is fine leather that shows off its authentic, low tech origins and imperfections. While the processes may be high tech, the drape, hand, and colors are natural.
Rich coffee, soft chocoloate brown, warm caramel, and toasty tan are the mouth-watering colors for this trend.
The Autumn/Winter forecast from Pittard’s leather described this
trend: “A new thinking mans luxury is evolving and has many layers.
Authenticity is the overriding factor. The dictionary definition of the
word is ‘Undisputed origin, genuine, reliable or trustworthy’. Artisan
features, typical leathery grains and colours will be important.”
Photo from Pittard’s World Class Leather.
12th Sep. '06 · Category: Fashion & Beauty ·
Authored by Kate Smith
In anticipation of New York Fashion Week, Pantone surveys the key designers showing their lines and collects feedback on prominent collection colors, color inspiration, color philosophy, and each designer’s signature shade.
The results are in, and Pantone shows the following color trends as being influential for Spring 2007:
PANTONE 16-3801 Opal Gray
PANTONE 19-2924 Hollyhock
PANTONE 13-0648 Green Sheen
PANTONE 12-1206 Silver Peony
PANTONE 15-0326 Tarragon
PANTONE 16-3929 Grapemist
PANTONE 16-1220 Café Crème
PANTONE 14-4318 Sky Blue
PANTONE 14-1041 Golden Apricot
PANTONE 16-1720 Strawberry Ice
You can download a PDF of the report from Pantone.com
11th Sep. '06 · Category: Home & Garden ·
Authored by Kate Smith
Designers everywhere recognize the name Pantone. Most consumers, however, aren’t familiar with the Pantone Color Matching System responsible for making sure that the color of just about everything purchased is manufactured to the designer’s specification.
That is beginning to change as Pantone forms strategic alliances that put their name and products in front of the customer rather than just behind the scenes in the hands of designers and manufacturers.
Another partnership was announced today:
Fine Paints of Europe & Pantone Form Color Alliance
Pantone’s wide ranging color palette is used internationally to access color trends, communicate color choices, and control consistency of color across every imaginable surface, texture, material, and finish.
For more than a decade, Fine Paints of Europe has offered accurate color matches to recognized international color standards. As a result of their proven capabilities and uncompromising commitment to color accuracy, Fine Paints of Europe has been licensed by Pantone, Inc.
This relationship between Pantone and Fine Paints of Europe enables designers, architects, and individual homeowners to specify and match Pantone’s color palettes in paint.
Photo from Fine Paints of Europe.
