FASHION COLOR REPORT FALL 2015

THE INFLUENCERS

Leading industry experts provide insights.

      Influencers: Kara Ross

      Kara Ross New York

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • In the fine jewelry world, color depends entirely on what nature creates. We can choose stones that are classically one primary color such as a blue topaz, sapphires and diamonds, or a chaos of colors such as azurite malachite, tourmaline and opal. I am a quintessential “gem nerd” and really let the stones speak to me; I look at the shape of the stone and enjoy designing something wholly unique based on the stone and can’t be controlled by a specific color palette.

      Influencers: Wira Quesada

      Home Department Manager, Mood Fabrics

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • At Mood, color plays a very crucial part of the business. Color classics such as primary colors and neutrals are great for the business because they are very popular among our clientele and having these in demand colors in stock help the business thrive. When selecting fabrics with patterns, the possibilities in color blends are endless. Color chaos concepts are important because they help us select fabrics with blends of colors that stand out from the rest of our competitors. These colors are also great for us to have because they can help any designer set the “mood” of their projects, whether it be designing a fashion collection for a season, designing an interior space or costume designs.

      Influencers: Ken Downing

      Fashion Director, Neiman Marcus

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Every fashion conversation begins with color! Color excites, ignites and stimulates the senses, creating endless possibilities for a woman to reinvent her wardrobe. Color defines the mood and attitude of each season, giving the customer immediate style credit in her closet. No woman needs to be told how to wear Black, she figured that out decades ago!

      Influencers: Brooke Jaffe

      Ready-To-Wear Fashion Director, Bloomingdales

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Color is the foundation of this season's trends for Bloomingdale's ready-to-wear. Our customer loves color and responds to it well, whether it's the new shade of the season or unexpected color combinations. I anticipate Green to be a very important color for Fall 2015 with shades ranging from Forest to Olive, into lighter notes of Mint. Multiple shades in one color family feels very modern – it's about range of color. Of course Marsala will set the tone for beautiful Reds and Deep Wine colors to be used often. I also expect to see Spice and Mustard accents. The season will feel rich in color.

      Influencers: Leatrice Eiseman

      Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute®

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • For purposes of color consulting, we have always dedicated ourselves to finding the colors with the most appropriate messaging to fit the project. There are specific color combinations that say “classic,” while other mixes are completely unexpected and bring an element of surprise. Some may refer to those combinations as “chaotic,” yet in the proper context they might be absolutely on target for expressing a more free-wheeling and creative mood. In dealing with color, it is always about context and there is room for both “classic” and “chaotic."

      Influencers: Walter Chefitz

      Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Viawear

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Color classics are evident in our choice of straps and bands. Black and Browns provide security and comfort.

      But, when it comes to our semi-precious gemstones, color chaos is the rule. A hidden RGB-LED light behind the stone produces any one of 256 colors. The customer makes order out of this chaos by assigning certain colors to certain callers and provocative colors to draw immediate attention to provocative situations.

      Influencers: Dallas Shaw

      Fashion Illustrator

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • I'm an artist, so when traveling and researching product for a project I naturally gravitate toward all things colorful. It's where I find inspiration – in the four color sunsets and the colorful stacks of straw baskets. When it comes to my own business and marketing, I tend to stick to the color classics, designing first in Black and White and adding just a few special colors here and there to draw in the viewer. I have an advantage as an artist to add a trending color anytime it’s needed.

      Influencers: Pat McGrath

      Global Creative Design Director, Procter & Gamble Beauty

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • The color classics always come into play, whether it's developing new products, creating runway looks or determining the mood of makeup in editorials and advertisements. Color chaos can be effective and necessary when designing an eccentric aesthetic but ultimately, the Classic Red lipstick, for instance, or the timeless Taupe shadow will never go out of style.

      Influencers: Jackie Nasser

      Fashion Director, Rue La La

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Season in and season out, we have our classics like White, Cream, Navy and Black. They’re the foundation of the Rue La La business – and our shoppers' wardrobes. In addition to these classics, we encourage experimentation. Our Color Lab and Color Crush boutiques introduce the Rue shopper to more daring palettes and empower them to wear unexpected pairings like last season’s Lipstick Red and Bold Cobalt. Without the classics, a wardrobe can’t be built. But without a little color chaos, a wardrobe can’t come to life.

      IInfluencers: Nicole Fischelis

      Group Vice President and Fashion Director, Macy’s

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • The combination of classic and chaos is essential today for most brands in sportswear, ready-to-wear, activewear, kids of course, and the world of accessories. Unexpected color combinations as seen on runways, as well as the artistic influences in prints and crafted details, continue to emphasize this mood. In fact, differentiation being essential – color classics and chaos are a part of it! Ultimately, it creates a positive emotion for the customer and impulse to buy!

      Influencers: Kendra Scott

      CEO and Founder, Kendra Scott Jewelry

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • I like to think that the Kendra Scott brand is a blend of color classics and color chaos. We celebrate women of all ages, sizes and styles. Whether she’s a classic beauty who swoons over mother-of-pearl and soft iridescent drusy or she’s a bold trendsetter who is drawn to gunmetal styles and bright color mixes, the Kendra Scott brand has something to suit your every mood and style. We strive to keep that widespread appeal while presenting a unified story of each line’s inspiration. What makes us distinctive as a brand is that we tailor our collections not to a certain demographic but to what I like to call a psychographic. Kendra Scott Jewelry is designed for the woman who isn’t afraid to turn heads when she walks into a room, the woman with a beautiful confidence and multi-faceted style. She is strong, dynamic and unique, and she deserves jewelry that reflects her own radiant personality. We provide her with a spectrum of colors that allows her to express her own individual style.

      Influencers: Kim Brown

      Director of Merchandising, 11 Main

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Color, whether classic or chaotic, can be a powerful yet simple conveyor of emotion. At 11 Main, we draw inspiration from the diversity of Main Streets across America, where a shop can use color to define its unique point-of-view. Color can be an invitation for a shopper to step inside for a closer look – an excuse to connect with the shop owner or a reminder for a return visit to see what's next. Color inspires our community and helps us celebrate individual shops and boutiques, which connects shops and shoppers on a broader scale.

      Influencers: Jauretsi Saizarbitoria

      Chief Curator for The Inside Source, eBay

      How do the concepts of color classics and/or color chaos impact your business?

    • Each and every one of us interprets life through colors, similar to the way we hear music or see a photo. Different color selections certainly evoke different emotions. On a spiritual level, it is said our chakras each inhabit a color itself, thus probably explaining our connection to colors on a deeper level. This has been infinitely studied for branding purposes since advertising began. In my particular line of business, selecting the color of a web layout, site design, or even product collage palette, can be the first subconscious reaction a reader receives. To learn and discover the psychological effects of each color would be putting yourself one step ahead of the competitor but, more importantly, can be a direct vein of communication to your reader, thereby relating the integrity of your message.