NY Fashion Week: Designing the Color of Confidence

And there it is again in the BCBG fall collection paired with a more neutral background- and even on designer Lubov Azria herself.

 

[Lubov Azria, Designer BCBG]:           

"I'm seeing a lot more color this fall."

 

And that's no coincidence, according to the folks at the Pantone Color Institute, which creates colors used in all kinds of goods, including fashion.

 

Leatrice Eiseman is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

 

[Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute]:              

"From a business perspective you've got to have some vibrant color because what else is going to stop the consumer to get them to pay attention."

 

And that played out in Pantone's color report tied for Fashion week for Fall of 2012 which selects the top colors that designers are using - including color of the year Tangerine Tango - a blend of red and yellow designed to get consumers to buy.

 

[Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute]:

"The red aspect is very dynamic, gets your adrenaline going; that's what we need to stimulate the economy and the yellow undertone is very friendly and approachable. So you put those two together and out of it comes orange so it makes the perfect color of the year."

 

[Bobbi Rebell, Reporter, Reuters]:           

"It all starts here at Pantone's labs in New Jersey where chemists formulate the colors that eventually end up on the runway."

 

Pantone works closely with fashion designers as they choose which colors to use in their collections - often starting 2 years in advance.

 

Because they are standardized- they can easily communicate the colors to their factories around the world that have to replicate it exactly. 

 

Consumers are likely to embrace the new colors says Lauren Lumsden, editor, Daily Candy.

 

[Lauren Lumsden, Editor, Daily Candy]:

"I think that consumers are going to take the risks. They might not even see bold colors for instance as a huge risk. I think in general women just feel like a bright color just stands out."

 

And by the way it's not just women tapping into color. The deep red featured in Tommy Hilfiger's men's collection is actually Pantone's Rhubarb.