In looking at the direction for gray this year, the word that keeps coming to mind is “sfumato.” This is an Italian term derived from “fumo,” meaning “smoke.”
Sfumato is a term I have heard often in the last year because it is a word used to describe the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
The short definition of sfumato is the translucent layering of color to create the perceptions of volume and depth; the colors are blended so subtly that you cannot perceive the transition or the individual colors.
In describing many of the grays that I am seeing, it is difficult to truly say if the color would be considered gray or brown or green or some other hue. The colors have depth and are rich, smoky, and sexy.
These are the types of color that are complex and can hold your interest. You can’t immediately put a label on them.
See what is being said about gray in all of its variations:
“Gray, in all its sexy, smoky permutations, is a major tone for fall jeans.” -InStyle magazine “Top Denim Trends”
“Gray is the new neutral for 2006 and will be warming up, so much so, that it will be hard to tell the gray from the brown.” -Mannington
“The British designer Matthew Williamson…handled color well at a moment when fashion is becoming more somber. His palette of grays,mauves and pinks was gentle and efffective.” -Suzy Menkes for the International Herald Tribune
“First made glamorous in the ’40’s by Katherine Hepburn and her signature menswear-inspired look, Grey-Flannel turns up on fall’s most versatile pieces.” -Elle.com
“Gray- the color of the season is sophisticated and versatile for both daytime and evening.” -Harper’s Bazaar magazine (Aug 2006)
Photo from Calvin Klein.
