Bags & Bows looks to the fashion and home furnishings/home décor industry for color cues and design trends. These areas are very reactive to their markets. Color selections come from a combination of elements: color reports, trade publications, information provided by vendors and just getting out there to shop. By actively LOOKING at what retailers, both large and small, are doing, we can put together a palette that will appeal to our customers.

Color Trends in the Fashion Industry

Twice a year, the fashion industry seizes the opportunity to introduce new fabrics, styles and colors at New York Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion shows in the world. This event is a big part of “setting the stage” for what the fashion trends are going to be for the season and a lot of people are watching.

When it comes to the designs, the fashion designers are clearly running the show, but how do they choose their colors? Some in the industry might say their color inspiration comes from “within,” but it could be argued that there are other influencing factors that assist them when choosing their color palettes.

One influential organization is the Color Association. The Color Association has been forecasting, researching, and archiving color since 1915 and plays an integral role in consulting with industry professionals who look to leverage color in products, brands and environments.

Each season, the Association issues color reports in elegant, fabric-swatched booklet form and is the only forecasting service that selects its colors through a committee panel of eight to twelve industry professionals. The combined expertise of its committee members assures a thoughtful and innovative forecast, season after season.

The fashion world also collaborates with PANTONE, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated. PANTONE is the world-renowned authority on color and for more than 45 years they have been inspiring design professionals with their products and services.

Each season, PANTONE publishes the PANTONE Fashion Color Report featuring the top 10 colors for women’s fashions along with designer sketches, quotes and headshots. The availability of the PANTONE Fashion Color Report coincides with the beginning of New York Fashion Week. The report is free and can be downloaded from PANTONE’s Web site at www.pantone.com.

Here are the top ten colors from the Fall 2009 Fashion Color Report.

American Beauty – A true red that speaks volumes. It will leave you feeling both Patriotic and proud.

Purple Heart – Creative, exciting, captivating…these are just a few words people will be saying when they see you wearing this color.

Honey Yellow – A warm, subdued color that has a calming affect. Spice it up with a pop of Purple Heart or Burnt Sienna.

Iron – They are calling it the “new black” because it is a color that can be the foundation for any wardrobe and mixes well with any other color.

Nomad – A combination of beige and light gray. Neutral but fresh.

Crème Brulee – Grayed down beige that adds softness to any wardrobe.

Majolica Blue – Feeling deep and mysterious? Then you’ll enjoy putting on this vibrant shade of teal blue that will keep people wondering.

Burnt Sienna – What says fall better than burnt sienna…and a cup of hot cider, of course? Dress it up with a shade of Nomad or Rapture Rose.

Rapture Rose – A melding of fuchsia and pink into a color that will not only rapture, but also capture your intended audience.

Warm Olive – A rich yellow-green that matches the changing leaves of autumn.

Color Trends in the Manufacturing World

For manufactured products and services, many businesses turn to the Color Marketing Group (CMG) located in Alexandria, Virginia for ideas. CMG is a leading international non-profit association of color design professionals that have been predicting color trends for more than 45 years. They forecast Color Directions® nineteen months or more in advance for manufactured products and services.

CMG’s major focus is to identify the direction of color and design trends and interpret that information into salable colors for manufactured products across all industries.

According to CMG, the top color choices are being influenced by both the concern for the economy and optimism for the future.

Here’s a look at what CMG has named the “hot” colors for 2009…

Purple – Whether it’s a grayed-out violet or a poppy plum, purple is a color that’s here to stay. It works as both an accent color and a neutral.

Blue – It’s easy being green, but it’s better to be blue…as in blue sky and ocean. These colors remind us of our natural surroundings and how we need to protect them to save Mother Earth.

Grayed-out Browns & Grays – These are classic colors that keep us grounded, but aren’t as “harsh” as black or deep brown.

White – It’s not just a color…it’s a mindset. White represents clarity. But consider texture too. Contrast a glossy, grainy, or reflective white surface with a smooth matte color surface for a crisp, refreshing look.

Bright Accents – “Orange, turquoise, and teal, Oh my.” Or how about some reds and yellows? Add any of these colors as an accent color and watch your product “pop.”

Mauve – Sounds like a flashback to the eighties, right? Wrong! Mauve is back better than ever as both an accent and a neutral color.

Yellow – Let’s get real. With this economy, we could all use a boost and what better way to do it then to add a bright shade of yellow. Just saying the color makes you want to smile.

Color is everywhere…make every color count!

Christine Landry-Briggs
Art Director & Trendspotter.