Fall 2009 - A Look Ahead At Color

I am two and a half weeks away from flying to Chicago to attend the Fall 2009 Preview meeting for the Carlisle and Per Se Collection. I am excited to see a new collection that I am sure will be better than ever. I have been reading up on what we can expect to see this Fall. I thought I would share some of what I have learned. I'll start with the colors we can expect to see.


Leatrice Eiseman who is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute has been quoted saying, “The fall 2009 palette is more unique and thoughtful than the typical autumnal hues of years past. Designers recognize the desire for fundamental basics that speak to current economic conditions, but also understand the need to incorporate vibrant color to grab the consumers’ eyes and entice them to buy.”

Pantone creates a fashion color report which includes a top ten list of colors for the season. It starts with a strong, natural, “bricky” red called American Beauty that goes with all skin tones. Purple Heart is more adventurous, but a faithful complement to American Beauty. Adding spark to the fall palette is a soft pink/fuchsia called Rapture Rose, designed to enliven the more traditional fall hues. Iron is the strong gray tone that adds complexity and depth, the “new black". The warmth of Honey Yellow is both subdued but colorful. Crème Brulee (Creme Brulee) is a cool, creamy beige tinged with gray. Earthy tones include a Burnt Siena orange and the rich yellowish green called, Warm Olive. Nomad is the ultimate neutral bridge between stronger colors, while anchoring the cool end of the spectrum is a deep Majolica Blue.

Helena Krodel, a spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center, says "what these trends mean for jewelry is a proliferation of large gemstones in earth tones or rich deep colors. The stones will be combined with chain-links or charms in precious metals, making for oversized statement necklaces."

The Pantone report is fun to look at because it includes designers' sketchs that were the inspirations for the colors of the season. Here's a link if you want to look at the report yourself.
http://cli.gs/AMWDyT