FEATURE | COLOR REPORT

In Bloom

A look at the colors heating up Spring/Summer 2014

BY ALICIA HOGLUND

Sketch from the Spring/Summer 2014 Emerson by Jackie Fraser collection. Courtesy of Pantone

fOR A MAJORITY OF THE U.S., THE WINTER SEASON HAS BEEN, WELL, BRUTAL. After months of freezing temperatures and a string of snowstorms, consumers are more than ready to put away their parkas and galoshes and slip into something a little more comfortable. And what better way to escape the doldrums of winter than with a fresh wardrobe full of color?

As it’s done for more than 20 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has released the Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2014. Full of exciting hues and unexpected combinations, the report highlights the hottest color trends for the spring and summer seasons. EB recently spoke with Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, about inspiration behind the season’s must-have shades.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

With help from her team of experts, Eiseman surveys designers and studies global color trends to create the palette. “From that we get a sense of a general mood, theme, or rationale behind their color choices, and an overview of where colors are going,” says Eiseman. “What’s interesting to us is to see the similarities of designers who don’t work together but are on the same track.”

As seen in past palettes, this spring it’s all about striking the right balance with color.

“This year, consumers are looking for a state of equilibrium, a sense of stability,” says Eiseman. “And yet, they crave a new look and versatility. They hunger for color, but want something to anchor it to.”

This need for balance and desire for unbridled experimentation has resulted in a jaw-droppingly gorgeous combination of dewy pastels juxtaposed with vivid, eye-catching brights.

FINDING EQUILIBRIUM

From clear skies to blooming flowers, this year’s palette travels the globe, mixing powdery pastels and saturated, bold hues to create a colorful equilibrium full of mystery and relaxation.

* PERFECT BACKDROPS. As it is in nature, the palette is anchored by this year’s pastels, beginning with PLACID BLUE, a soft blue. Like the sky, this picture-perfect hue emotes calm and tranquility. A perfect shade to sink your toes into, SAND, a warm, toasted tan, evokes the feeling of carefree summer days spent shoreside.

Moving inland, HEMLOCK’S milky, mint green is a nod to the first buds of spring, while VIOLET TULIP, a powdery, wispy, blue-toned purple, blooms with romance and vintage charm. And PALOMA, a balanced gray, holds court as the classic neutral.

* FRONT AND CENTER. To even out the beautiful pastels, the other half of the palette is packed with amazingly bold color. CAYENNE, a fiery coral, and optimistic CELOSIA ORANGE add a much-needed spark of excitement. And FREESIA, a honeyed yellow, shines like the sun to brighten any wardrobe.

DAZZLING BLUE, a strong, seductive deep blue, adds depth and luxury to the season. And rounding out the palette is the Pantone Color of the Year, RADIANT ORCHID. A captivating mix of fuchsia, purple, and pink, Radiant Orchid oozes with confidence and charm.

Why Radiant Orchid? “After talking to consumers and traveling the world, you pick up on lots of cues,” says Eiseman. “You start to see that certain colors are ascending. For Radiant Orchid, we saw purple growing in popularity over the last few years. There’s a certain feel and glamour that is attached to it,” says Eiseman.

Cole Haan style CH620 by ClearVision Optical

Alexander McQueen style AMQ4183 by Safilo

eyeOs style Oliver by Reptile Sun

Dolbany style Arliss by Best Image Optical

Vivid Eyewear’s style 4026

Chace by SPY

Vogue sun style VO2845S by Luxottica

Fysh style 3509 by WestGroupe

Catherine Deneuve style CD 360 by Viva Group International

Salvatore Ferragamo style SF2671 by Marchon

PERFECT PAIRS

The rules of color pairings are constantly evolving, and this year’s palette is further evidence that when it comes to color combinations, almost anything goes. The Spring 2014 color palette provides a wealth of harmonious marriages, one better than the next: pastel and vibrant, bold on bold, and everything in between.

* OPPOSITES ATTRACT. When it comes to pairing colors together, opposites really do attract—red and green, blue and orange, or yellow with purple. Like a beautiful sunset, try mixing fiery celosia orange with cool placid blue or calming violet tulip.

* MONOCHROMATIC. Far from boring, a monochromatic approach can open the door to exciting and intriguing combinations. Dazzling blue and its subdued cousin, placid blue, come together to provide just the right amount of calm and excitement.

LOOK THIS WAY

Far left, a sketch by Juicy Couture (courtesy of Pantone); immediate left, OGI style 7151

Recently, Pantone declared Radiant Orchid (Pantone 18-3224) as the 2014 Color of the Year. An intriguing, enigmatic purple, says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Radiant Orchid, “encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.”

Not only is the shade an attention-getter, its rosy undertones radiate on the skin, producing a healthy glow for the wearer.

Notes Pantone, “Radiant enlivens the skin, making all who wear it feel more healthy and energetic. Blending both cool and warm undertones, purple is an appealing hue for distinctive combinations and flattering to many hair, eye, and skin tones.”

More than just a great frame color, the Color of the Year also makes for a great marketing tool. “From a professional standpoint, you have to see it as something that will attract consumers, draw their eye, and grab their attention,” explains Eiseman. “Even if they don’t buy the frame, it’s the color that brought them [into the store]. It helps to attract attention and lends a freshness that gives people a reason to pause and think about what they want and what they’ll choose.”

* NEW NEUTRALS. These days, the definition of neutral expands beyond the usual gray and tan. “Designers are showing us that there are new ways to put colors together and create new neutrals,” says Eiseman. “For example, we have what we call ‘adaptable neutrals,’ such as placid blue, which, like the sky, is a background for everything in nature. We’re trying to show consumers that [blue] can match anything in their wardrobe and to try new combinations. There’s no reason why someone couldn’t wear blue frames with any other colors.”

Though they want to change things up, consumers may be hesitant—or not know how—to mix color. So it’s up to ECPs to show them the way. “There is an innate human behavior to want to freshen things up,” says Eiseman. “Eyewear in a popular color makes you feel like you have a whole new outfit. But [consumers] have to be encouraged; they have to see how it’s being done to see how they can do it. That’s how you embrace it and move forward.”

DESIGNER’S DISH

Fashion’s hottest designers talk inspiration behind their Spring/Summer 2014 looks.

REBECCA MINKOFF
INSPIRATION: The collection is grounded by classic chalk white, reminiscent of South American white-washed villas. Warm, rich terra-cotta reminds us of artisan tile work.

SIGNATURE COLOR: Vibrant sun and tangerine. Both are rich, happy, vibrant tones that are fully represented in terrace-inspired floral prints.

TRACY REESE
INSPIRATION: Tribal cultures from Africa to the Caribbean and South America.

SIGNATURE COLOR: Many different shades of blue, from indigo to lapis and cyan to sea and ocean blues.

BCBGMAXAZRIA
INSPIRATION: Contemporary art inspired the choice of vivid colors, while more muted tones glean inspiration from watercolors.

SIGNATURE COLOR: Shades of pink, ranging from pale blush to fuchsia.

NICOLE MILLER
INSPIRATION: The idea of social unrest in a garden party.

SIGNATURE COLOR: Pool—it is the recurring color that ties all of the season’s prints together.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO
INSPIRATION: A recent trip to Mexico’s Isla Mujeres: the “Island of Women.”

SIGNATURE COLOR: It’s all about mixing prints and colors/textures together.

LELA ROSE
INSPIRATION: Saturated, rich tones that excite the eye are no exception. In addition to the rich tones, I have added in softer tones like dusted pink and ice blue, which help give balance to the bolder tones.

SIGNATURE COLOR: Ice blue splashes throughout the collection in a new and fresh way.

Designer sketches from Pamella Roland (l) and Ella Moss (r). Courtesy of Pantone