COLOR REPORT

IN THE Mood

An inside view of the Top 10 hues for Fall 2014

BY ERINN MORGAN

PANTONE Fashion Color Report Fall 2014/Nanette Lepore

following on the heels of a particularly vibrant spring/summer season, fall ushers in its own allure on the color spectrum. With a slightly more subdued palette, fall still holds some notably strong and highly unique color pops.

“This is a season of untypical colors,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “They are more reflective of the imagination and ingenuity, which makes for an artful collection of colors and combinations not bound by the usual hues for fall.”

According to Pantone, design and color were inspired by everything from retro architecture and artisan crafts, to books and exotic landscapes. Mystery, adventure, and allure are all part of the color mix.

“There is a feminine mystique reflected throughout the palette, inspired by the increasing need for women everywhere to create an individual imprint,” says Eiseman.

Here, Pantone shares its Top 10 hues for women’s apparel and accessories for the Fall 2014 season, fresh from the Pantone Color Report Fall 2014.

SANGRIA: An exotic red that evokes a sense of glamorous adventure and faraway destinations.

Marcolin/Viva’s Swarovski style SK5085

AURORA RED: A more sophisticated hue that adds spark and verve.

Westgroupe’s Fysh style 3521

MAUVE MIST: Reminiscent of the deco era, this romantic purple color exudes a sense of femininity and empowerment.

Sama style Tweed

RADIANT ORCHID: This captivating color continues its reign over Spring/Summer 2014 right into fall. As a complementary color, it enchants the entire spectrum.

KLiiK style 523 from Westgroupe

CYPRESS: A majestic and powerful green with a towering presence.

Aspex style S3300

BRIGHT COBALT: The Fall 2014 season sings the blues—blue is one of the strongest hues of the season and this shade offers a subtle twist on the traditional cobalt blue.

Ogi style 8057

ROYAL BLUE: At once dignified and evocative, this color delivers more excitement and complexity than the average navy.

Ferragamo SF2693 by Marchon

ALUMINUM: A futuristic stainless steel shade that serves as a complex neutral.

Oliver Peoples style Jacey

COGNAC: A new take on the typical autumnal color brown, this cultured color vaults the hue into the glamour zone, even making it spot-on for evening wear.

Morel Lightec style 75521

MISTED YELLOW: A warm, sunny hue that hints at the promise of spring to come.

Modo Derek Lam style DL 247

USING COLOR TO BOOST SALES

How can you use color to convey a fresh look in store—and boot your business? Here, veteran retailers outside the optical market share a few simple, smart ideas.

BRING IN COLOR POPS

Colleen Sherin, Saks Fifth Avenue senior fashion director.

The use of color is very important for us at Saks Fifth Avenue. We know that our client loves color—it lifts her spirits and elicits an emotional response. We carefully edit our assortments each season to ensure that we are offering the best pop of color.

USE KEY COLORS IN VISUALS AND DISPLAYS

Nicole Fischelis, Macy’s Group vice president/fashion director, global forecasting.

Our Fall 2014 color story, “My Blues,” was established over a year ago with a presentation to our merchants and key industry partners. The presentation focused on each family of business and established blue as the “It” color of the season due to its strong multicultural and spiritual energy, as well as its symbolism for beauty of nature.

After the presentation, Macy’s Fashion Office created a special forecast magazine, produced for our internal merchants and marketing teams to draw inspiration for product and various marketing vehicles. As a result, this color story will be reflected throughout in-store visuals and displays, print, digital, and broadcast advertisements, as well as our major window displays across the country.

We strongly believe that our customer will be seduced by blue this fall.

TELL A COLOR STORY

Brooke Jaffe, Bloomindale’s fashion director for ready-to-wear.

Every customer wants to know what the color of the season is. We share this information in a variety of ways. A very important element in conveying the color of the season is a strong visual display in our stores.

This is accomplished with mannequins, styled to incorporate the newest hues—such as our 59th Street store windows displaying the must-have color palette in every category, from accessories to ready-to-wear, so you can’t miss our message!

Finally, making powerful color statements in our marketing—all in an effort to create a cohesive statement that lets our customers know what is new to buy for the season.

We are inspired by color so much that it can even determine the location of our photo shoots.

Enjoy the new palette, and make it work for you.