AUthenticity

08 November 2009

Pantone Color of the Year 2009

PANTONE Color Of The Year For 2009:
PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa

Mimosa Embodies Hopefulness and Reassurance in a Climate of Change

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 3, 2008 - Pantone, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow.

"The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."

Best illustrated by the abundant flowers of the Mimosa tree and the sparkle of the brilliantly hued cocktail, the 2009 color of the year represents the hopeful and radiant characteristics associated with the color yellow. Mimosa is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other color, has appeal for men and women, and translates to both fashion and interiors. Look for women's accessories, home furnishings, active sportswear and men's ties and shirts in this vibrant hue.

Pantone, Inc.

Pantone Color of the Year 2008

Pantone Selects Color of the Year for 2008:
PANTONE® 18-3943 BLUE IRIS

A Multifaceted Hue Reflecting the Complexity of the World that Surrounds Us

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 10, 2007 - Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, selected PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris, a beautifully balanced blue-purple, as the color of the year for 2008. Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.

"From a color forecasting perspective, we have chosen PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris as the color of the year, as it best represents color direction in 2008 for fashion, cosmetics and home products," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "As a reflection of the times, Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspect of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic. Look for it artfully combined with deeper plums, red-browns, yellow-greens, grapes and grays."

Pantone, Inc.

Pantone Color of the Year 2007

COLOR OF THE YEAR 2007: Chili Pepper

CARLSTADT, N.J. - January 16, 2007 - Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, selects PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper, a deep, spicy red, as the color of the year for 2007. This engaging, resonant hue strikes a high note for fashion and personal expression as its boldness is appealingly eye-catching, sophisticated and enticing. In a time when personality is reflected in everything from a cell phone to a Web page on a social networking site, Chili Pepper connotes an outgoing, confident, design-savvy attitude.

“Whether expressing danger, celebration, love or passion, red will not be ignored,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “In 2007, there is an awareness of the melding of diverse cultural influences, and Chili Pepper is a reflection of exotic tastes both on the tongue and to the eye. Nothing reflects the spirit of adventure more than the color red. At the same time, Chili Pepper speaks to a certain level of confidence and taste. Incorporating this color into your wardrobe and living space adds drama and excitement, as it stimulates the senses.”

“In 2007, we’re going to see people making greater strides toward expressing their individuality,” says Lisa Herbert, executive vice president of the fashion, home and interiors division at Pantone. “The color red makes a bold statement. We’re seeing shifts in people’s opinions on current events and major changes in the way they are expressing themselves through new technology. People are open to the possibilities of the future and Chili Pepper celebrates that.”

Pantone, Inc.

Color Trends for Children for Spring/Summer '08

The Spring/Summer 2008 season had some surprising color trends for kid's clothing. Black and white combinations were shown in strong, graphic sportswear separates and in delicate prints, breaking away from the traditional bright hues for children's apparel. Colors were more sophisticated and subdued, with various shades of blue being particularly popular. The important color trends we noted were:

Seascape: blues in pale sky to deep, inky navy
Apple pie: a tart apple green makes a fresh accent when paired with blues
Black and white combinations
A new take on pink: designers added a dollop of warm brown to the color and teamed it with dusty lilac and deep pinky cocoa, but clean tones of true pink were still popular as well
Lilac haze: lilac with a touch of brown or gray took the sharpness out of the hue
Navy: paired with white or mixed with lighter shades of blue
Silver metallic and sometimes gold, often paired with white
Pure sunshine: soft yellow teamed with pale gray looks sophisticated
White with splashes of silver or gold paired with strong colors such as fuschia or black
Light blue, cream, olive, and other neutral colors for boys apparel

Sources: Early Spring/Summer 2008 Trends, Children's Designer Clothing Trends for Spring -Summer '08 Season, Kid's Fashion

Style Trends for Children for Spring/Summer '08

Children's apparel took on a laid back style in Spring & Summer of 2008. This season's styles did not have obvious references to earlier eras, but presented modern, casual looks that were very simplistic and elegant. Some of the key trends we saw were:

For girls:

Light, gauzy shapes in all shades of blue
Country style--plaids and prints on loose A-lines
Embellishment--a little metallic woven into knits, cottons, and linens
Loose A-line and empire waist dresses in lightweight, floaty materials
Trench coats in various fabrics from lightweight denim to metallic linen, in mini to mid-knee lenghts
Flapper style dresses
One-button swing jackets and shrugs
U-shaped necklines
Grosgrain ribbon for bows at waists of dresses and laced through necklines
Puckers adding detail at the bodice
Tulle peaks from beneath hemlines
Sequins
Crocheted flowers, fabric rosettes

For boys:

Vintage motifs on distressed T-shirts
Red, white, and blue looks
Leander shapes in shorts and pants
Hawaiian inspired prints in clean shades of blue for swim trunks
Boxy jackets in ticking stripes
Bomber jackets
Military style

Sources: Early Spring/Summer 2008 Trends, Children's Designer Clothing Trends for Spring-Summer '08 Season

Style Trends for Children for Fall/Winter '08

In Fall/Winter 2008 we saw a move towards more modest, conservative trends for children's apparel. The season offered a large range of trends that were parent friendly and fun for kids. Some of the trends we saw were:

For girls:

Solid dresses in bold colors
Colorful tops and sweaters (esp. in rich, saturated hues)
Leggings
Dark denim
Layering--cardigans, vests, shrugs, etc.
Flat shoes and boots
Baby doll tops
Longer tops gathered and banded at the bottom
Tops with puffy sleeves
Embellished shirts
Cargo pants
Camouflage pants
Bermuda short, skimmer shorts and capris
Colored and embellished denim
Halter-style, dropped waist, and empire-style dresses
Pleated denim skirts, tiered ruffle skirts, and skorts
Minimalist looks
Florals and lace
Plaid

For boys:

Less baggy pants
Lots of pockets
Camouflage prints
Shirts influenced by sports icons and surfing
Layered-look polo shirts

Sources: Fall Fashion Trends Adapted for Children, The Color Me Happy Look for Winter 2008, Helium

Color Trends for Children for Fall/Winter 2008

Fall/Winter 2008 was all about hot color combinations. Saturated colors like fuchsia and jewel-tones were paired with dark hued basics for a big punch of color. Multi colored plaids and retro prints were also prevalent. Some of the most popular color combinations included fuchsia with black, lime green with navy, a turquoise with chocolate brown and plum with black. The most prevalent/important colors were:

Pinks and roses
Cream and taupe
Reds and chocolate
Plum and wine
Retro earthy tones
Golds and mustards
Grays

Sources: Fall 2008 Children's Wear Fashion Trends, The Color Me Happy Look for Winter 2008, Helium

Trends for Spring/Summer 2008

Spring/Summer 2008 presented a theme of simplicity--think oversized shirts with a patent belt to cinch in the waist, ¾ length coats, blazers and classic white trousers. We also saw lots of ethereal and romantic themes on the runway in various collections (i.e. John Galliano). Hippie style was also a hit in mainstream retail stores, inspired by collections like Dolce & Gabbana. Americana styles were modeled by Chanel's collection and inspired many mainstream trends. Here is our list of the important trends for Spring/Summer '08:

volume - Short full dirndl swishing skirts - Belted volume, fluid dhoti pants cropped or long
romance - Tiered ruffles , frills and roses on skirts, dresses, tops, blouses, necklines
Asymmetric draped dresses, tea dresses, maxi dresses
underwear effects - Transparent chiffons - layered sheers, see through construction dresses, jackets
eclectic patchwork - Multi coloured mixed materials in frocks, t-shirts and footwear, jarring to exquisite
jumpsuits - The all in one jumpsuit go anywhere outfit, cut for evening and day, deluxe or safari style
trousers - high waist flared jeans - Coloured skinny jeans, cropped narrow jodhpurs, wide trousers
military safari - Practical pockets, easy shirt stand summer dresses, military touches
blue denim - Frayed and faded with white shirts or whitework Victoriana prairie blouses
nautical tailoring - Blazers, trims, shoulders, tuxedo shawl collar white narrow/wide pantssuits.
Americana - Traditional stripes, spots and celestial stars. Navajo and Rockabilly looks
decoration - trims or braids - Folkloric embroidery, cutwork, laser cutting, bead embellished fringes
African safari
British punk
art deco
impressionist movement
modified military
deep V tops and jackets
baggy jackets
sleeveless jackets
collarless jackets
shrunken jackets
white suits
evening jumpsuits
translucent tops
wide notch collared blouses
boat-neck tops & dresses
one-shoulder dresses
shift dresses
belted dresses
shirt dresses
full mini-skirts
straight below-knee skirts
baggy capris
baggy pants

Sources: Spring/Summer 2008: Trend Report, Key Fashion Looks for Spring & Summer 2008, Spring - Summer 2008 Fashion Trends, Spring and Summer Fashion Trends of 2008

Trends for Fall/Winter 2008

This season, key trends include structured black suits, luscious purple gowns, oversized tweed coats, cartoon dresses, throwback cardigans, rocker booties and gigantic bags. We saw a lot of sculpted architectural shapes, as well as nipped in waistcoats, belted swing coats and edgy pencil skirts. The little black dress was also given an update with toughened sculpted versions, such as Balenciaga’s dramatic shoulder cut-out design. Some of the trends we saw were: