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Pantone forecasts “calming” colours for SS16

By Danielle Wightman-Stone

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Fashion

London - Pantone, the global authority on colour, has said that for spring/summer 2016 designers are gravitating towards a “calming” colour palette, inspired by art and the beauty of natural resources.

The bi-annual colour report states that many designers have been inspired by the contrast of urban design and lush vegetation, leading to unexpected colour combinations and collections reminiscent of architecture, travel and nostalgia, as designers look to “awaken a sense of reflection,” followed by playful escapism.

The world of art is also a big influence for SS16, with designers referencing colours favoured by artists Matisse, Picasso, Frank Stella, Esther Stewart, and Sam Falls, who were known for bold colour usage as well as strong shapes and lines.

“The colour palettes of this season transport us to a happier, sunnier place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Yet with our culture still surrounded by so much uncertainty, we are continuing to yearn for balance by incorporating those softer shades that offer a sense of calm and relaxation.”

Another interesting thing about the SS16 colour hues are that they transcend cultural and gender norms. ”There are truly no perceivable distinctions in colour choices between the men’s and women’s collections," according to the report. “Both of which focus on a desire to breathe and reflect, then play.”

Pantone names top colours for spring/summer 2016

Topping the unisex palette is the soothing, calming nature of Rose Quartz, a “persuasive yet gentle tone,” which according to Pantone conveys compassion and a sense of composure and reminds us to reflect on our surrounds during the busy spring/summer months.

Rose Quartz was the most popular amongst New York Fashion Week designers survey in the report, with 22.55 percent using it in their SS16 collections, including Tosia, Houghton, M.Patmos and Charles Youssef. It is particularly popular as it pairs well with Peach Echo, Serenity and Lilac Gray.

Eiseman explains the pale pink’s popularity: “This really is a beautiful pink that will radiate well on the skin for women as well as men. Women can always be helped along by cosmetics, but guys have to rely on the colours they’re wearing to sometimes make them look a little healthier.”

Other soothing shades in the list includes: Peach Echo, a colour that emanates friendlier qualities and evokes warmth; Serenity, a “weightless and air” transcendent blue that comforts; Snorkel Blue, a maritime-inspired blue that has a happier, more energetic context; Buttercup, a warm yellow that transports its wearer to a happier, sunnier place; and Limpet Shell, a shade of aqua that suggests clarity and freshness that evokes a “mindful tranquility”.

These colours sit alongside a neutral Lilac Gray, with its subtle lilac undertones its adds a “distinctive edge” to the classic grey shade, and a transitional colour, Iced Coffee, which Pantone says will “take us through the seasons” with its soft, earthy quality that when combined with the rest of this season’s palette creates a “stable foundation”.

Rounding off the top ten are two bring colours, a warm “high energy” yellow-based red Fiesta, which encourages “free-spirited exploration," while Green Flash calls on its wearer to “explore, push the envelope and escape the mundane”.

Of the top ten SS16 colours, six are new to the Pantone Color System this year, including the top hue Rose Quartz. They are part of the additional 210 colours the authority added to meet the growing requirements of designers and colourists working in fashion, home and interiors in August.

Images: Pantone SS16 Colour Report

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