What's Out There: Pantone Colors for Fall 2016

As a Marketing and Communications major from back in my Master’s program days, as well as a psychology major in undergrad, I greatly enjoy the hoopla surrounding the dramatic revelation of THE colors for each season, and most important of all, Color of the Year. Partly I enjoy the marketing genius of it, and partly I’m fascinated by the sociology around the choosing of it, and the psychology of how we as consumers buy into the whole made up concept.

Back in the days of yore, before H&M and Forever 21, we used to actually have seasonal clothes that were designed as a Spring or Fall line in appropriate colors. Now we just have the-biggest-sale-ever—every darned weekend. There’s no excitement in that. No suspense, No anticipation. Where’s the romance in the “Neighbor’s Dog’s Birthday Sale: Biggest Ever!” There isn’t any. But if you can convince everyone that they MUST buy Sephora’s new line of cosmetics built around the “IT” color of the year, then you have something that you can roll out twice a year with some pizzazz, excitement and anticipation.

How big of a ‘something’? Well, check out this quote from a Pantone exec regarding Radiant Orchid, last year’s must-have color: “This year the symbolism is built around the purple family, known for its magical and innovative properties, Eiseman says. She adds that “wearing [Radiant Orchid] enhances the feeling of being creative—we’re all looking for a touch of uniqueness—and wearing it can imbue you with that.” Eiseman also points out that the color was chosen because the “radiant” aspect lends a “beautiful sheen” while the “orchid” makes it “exotic and intriguing.” Seriously? What if you called it “Sorta bright pinky-purple?” Do you still feel like you have an exotic sheen if you wear it?

Now, don’t get me wrong. Favorite colors or color combinations do make us happy or bring back memories. The intense blue of the summer sea offset against the stark white walls of a Greek village will make you smile in a dreamy way that baby poop greenish brown just can’t compete with. Still, I’ve yet to find what those Pantone execs actually do to choose these colors. My online research has turned up little more than smoke and mirrors and nonsense like, the color “has to resonate around the world, to express in color what is taking place in the global zeitgeist.” Nothing says smoke and mirrors like pulling ‘zeitgeist’ out of your…hat—your creative, exotic shiny Radiant Orchid hat, of course.

To be fair, I’m sure they do quite a bit of research to get ten different new colors every season. According to a press release, Pantone’s color experts search and consider hues being used all over the world, often in the fashion and entertainment industries. Once the search is over, Pantone hosts a secret two-day meeting, where these experts can suggest their favorite finds to be the winner. Somehow I have a picture in my head of a group of ‘experts’ playing gin rummy with the pantone deck. Winner chooses all. Then, after lunch they go sailing for the next day and a half.

pantone-2016This year, not one but TWO colors are the Color of the Year: pink and blue. Oh, I mean Rose Quartz and Serenity. Not enough excitement with one color I guess. Either that or no one had a coin to flip. Don’t get me wrong, they’re nice enough colors, but nothing to create an entire makeup line around. Oh, wait. They did do that. Here it is, complete with baby blue lipstick to get you noticed by the neighbors: www.sephora.com/sephora-pantone-universe

Lest you think that possibly you won’t find a color you like, let’s take a look at our coordinating color options. Start with the colors of the year, pink and blue. They are described as “joining easily with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades of yellow and pink. Add in silver or hot brights for more splash and sparkle.” Now really. Does this leave ANY color out? I guess they didn’t specifically say orange, but I’m pretty sure that falls under “all shades of yellow and pink” or the “hot brights.”

So don’t worry. If you’re not a fan of the “IT” color right now, you’ll surely like the next one as the color chosen is always “meant to be well-suited for both men and women, and is said to translate easily into various industries, such as interior design, beauty and fashion”—which doesn’t leave many colors by the wayside.

Happy sewing!

Leigh Wheeler
President

If you’d like to read less silly articles about color, designers and marketing, The Psychology of Color is quite interesting.  And Woman’s Wear Daily talks about what percentage of designers are using the various Pantone choices.

Comparing the two might make you notice that a human’s favorite color is blue, and designers use blue a lot.