Fashion is one of the most important visual phenomena of our time, and in fashion, color plays a major role. In this background article, we share the difference between primary and secondary colors, discuss color combinations and contrasts, and the influence of color in the fashion industry.

Content

1. Primary, secondary and tertiary colors
2. Depth and brightness of colors
3. Colour combinations and color contrast
4. Appearance, meaning and associations of color
5. Colour and Clothing
6. How fashion designers use color
7. Colour trends and trend colors
8. Colour in marketing and retail [for influencing buying behaviour]

Colour: the basics

1. Primary, secondary and tertiary colors

The primary colors are yellow, blue (cyan) and red (magenta). These are colors which can’t be created by mixing other colors. A combination of these primary colors can create a primary shade of black.

A secondary color is made by mixing of two of the three primary colors: creating orange from yellow and red, green from yellow and blue and purple from blue and red.

A tertiary color, also known as an intermediate color, is a color made by mixing primary and secondary colors together. Examples are blue-green, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green and red-purple.

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2. Depth and brightness of colors

The depth of color indicates how light or dark the color is. Adding white makes the color lighter, and adding black weakens the color and makes it darker.

While adding grey can change the brightness of a color. The more grey added to a color can dull the intensity of the shade. Adding white or black and mixing with grey creates numerous color shades and nuances.

3. Color combinations and color contrast

Colour can be essential when creating a contrast. Simply put, contrast is the difference between two colors. Some combinations make colors more vivid and intense, while other neutralise each other.

For instance, a color-to-color contrast between colors that are not mixed with black or white can make a striking impact.

Another example is a cool and warm contrast. Warm colors are yellow, orange and red, and cool colors are green, blue and purple. Turquoise and scarlet (which is orange-red) form the greatest cool-warm contrast. Within each color, there are also cooler and warmer tones.

Ton sur ton is French for tone on tone. Which describes wearing one color but combining different shades within that color. This combination offers the smallest of contrasts in color.

Whereas faux camaïeux is a false one-tone color combination. You combine colors with the same grey value: that are equally warm and bright but differ in the base color.

The strongest color contrast that exists is black and white.

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4. Appearance, meaning and associations of color

In addition to color contrasts (section 3), the appearance of color is important. Colour offers an emotional appeal. Colours can evoke different emotions and behaviours in people and can convey a message.

The meaning and effect of color are very personal, but there are similarities in the perception of color. For instance, we find black neat, red romantic and dark blue businesslike. Each color (shade) also has its own meaning and effect. The subjective meaning we attach to various colors is also known as color symbolism. Yellow, for instance, is associated with the sun, happiness, optimism and vitality. The color is cheerful and positive.

Many colors also have both positive and negative associations. With red, we think of love and passion, but the color is also associated with danger and aggression.

How a color is experienced often also depends on the context, as well as the color’s strength. In general, light colors weaken the effect of dark colors.

Colours can also have different meanings in different countries and cultures.

The influence of color in fashion

5. Color and Clothing

The appearance, or optical image, of clothing, is described by four optical characteristics:

• color
• decoration: such as embellishments or embroideries
• material: the fabric
• shape: the silhouette of a garment is defined by its pattern (the cut) and is described by words such as oversized or fitted

"In today's visual culture, color combined with the right materials, shapes and textures is the key to making a product successful," says Belgian trend forecaster and color expert Hilde Francq in her book 'Colour Sells'. "Colour can make a product look cheap or chic. Color can be natural or synthetic, masculine or feminine, reliable or frivolous, timeless or trendy."

Because, as you now know, color creates atmosphere and has a certain effect (see section 4).

Color is, therefore, often the first thing you notice about [the clothing of] others. Colour choices affect not only how you see others, and how they see you, but also how you see yourself. Wearing a color you love, can calm your nerves or lift your mood. Meaning you can literally boost your mood and/or self-confidence with color, as well as with the clothes themselves. This is often referred to as dopamine dressing.

So you could say that color is a powerful tool.

6. How fashion designers use color

Fashion designers can deploy and use color in countless ways, such as using color as a source of inspiration (read: the starting point) for their collections. They can also use color to make a statement or connect [with consumers], for example, in terms of diversity and/or inclusivity. In addition, they can also naturally apply color through embellishments and embroidery to compliment their designs (see also section 5).

Fashion designers choose and determine color schemes that have a desired artistic effect. They are usually familiar with the theory of color and often work with color charts and swatches. Fashion designers determine color schemes for each fashion collection, made up of various types of garments in different designs, colors and prints. When you see this collection on racks or mannequins, you usually see the color image, as it is called in the industry. The color image, together with the designs and prints, form the overall picture of the collection.

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Colour as a designer's trademark

Some colors in fashion have become big. Just as French artist Yves Klein was synonymous with a specific color blue (International Klein Blue), 'Valentino red', for example, has become a household name.

There are also iconic color combinations. For example, do you know the iconic Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian collection? The colorblock geometric Mondrian dress (1965) is the most famous garment inspired by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian's paintings and his love of straight, black lines and primary colors.

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Sometimes the use of color is even synonymous with a fashion designer's signature. Italian designer Giorgio Armani became known as the 'king of greige' for his abundant use of beige and grey shades in his designs, such as taupe, sand and concrete. While contemporary designer Dries van Noten from Belgium is considered a master of color.He is often praised for his unique, vibrant use of color and prints in his collections.

On the other hand, there are also designers known for their dark-colored fashion, including Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens, Olivier Theyskens, Ann Demeulemeester and Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons).

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7. Colour trends and trend colors

Fashion changes with time, and trend watchers such as the Dutch Lidewij Edelkoort and the Belgian Hilde Francq keep a close eye on changes in society and their influence on fashion and color. They translate these developments into trend forecasts, which are made about two years before clothes hit the shelves.

Color trends and trend colors are part of those forecasts. For instance, Lidewij Edelkoort announced the major (re)introduction of brown more than two years ago. She reported in June 2019 that brown would replace black as an it-color for the next 30 years. Now, brown can be found in almost every fashion collection, on the high street and in consumer’s wardrobes.

In addition, leading color experts/institutes such as Generally, Pantone and Coloro are also dedicated exclusively to color advice and predictions. For instance, the Pantone Color Institute annually names a color of the year and predicts the popular colors set to be used by designers at leading fashion weeks, including New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week. They also analyse fashion collections shown by designers and determine what the color palette will look like.

In short: Trend watchers and color institutes have a direct influence on fashion, but on the other hand, fashion also have a direct influence on color trends. Generally, trends are dictated by the catwalk, and brands and retailers look to designers for inspiration to translate for their fashion consumers. So, it works both ways.

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