COLOR ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES
Fashion forecasts 2006-07
"Pretty" and "soft" describe many of the forecasted shades in our fashion forecasts for Spring/Summer 2006. On our women's card, romantic florals like Wisteria and Daffodil, along with sophisticated neutrals like Marble Pink and Cement Gray anchor the palette. A distinctly feminine sensibility is also projected on the association's youth forecast, where a story called "Lillys" (named after designer Lilly Pulitzer) highlights many Floridian Deco pastels. Even on the men's card, dreamy color names like Om, Airy, Illusion and Shadow reflect the ethereal lightness of lavenders, blue-grays and Peach.
As we move into the Fall/Winter 2006-07 season, the palette dramatically changes into one of deep saturation. Some of these intense shades are reminiscent of the lush, earthy tones of the 70s, like Moody Blue, Grass and Poncho from the youth card's "Haute Hippie" story. Gem tones also feature prominently, with reds like Bordeaux and Brandy leading the women's forecast, accented by shots of Turquoise, Platinum and Coral.
The men's colors are especially deep and rich, with Storm, Fir, Cigar and Warm Cider evoking the English countryside in winter. These palettes strongly suggest a sense of luxury and tradition, but are kept looking fresh and contemporary through eclectic and bold color combinations.
A Colorful Career Path
Christine Chow, currently director of membership at the Color Association of the United States, graduated with a degree in visual arts from Brown University. She began a career in graphic design at Spoon Creative in Singapore, before moving to New York City and becoming project manager at And Partners. Two years ago, she sought an opportunity where she could be exposed to more diversity in design, and landed at the Color Association. As director of membership, she consults with clients from a wide variety of creative fields, including Godiva, Hunter Douglas and Lacoste. Chow says that her broad training in color, composition and brand positioning has proven invaluable in identifying and applying trends across a range of industries. She notes, "The 'lifestyle' movement means that, more than ever, consumers are looking to buy into a company and its story, rather than just buying a product. My graphics background has made me more attuned to the visual and conceptual elements tied to a brand that, for example, a fashion or product designer may not consider. Thus, I am able advise association clients on details from trims to patterns to catalogs, whether it is a clothing or cookware company. We guide designers and manufacturers in using both color and design to create a consistent feel and compelling narrative across their collections."
<< Prev | Next >>
