Fashion Forward: A new Palette at Last!

Welcome April, and warmer weather!  Fashion forward sticks to its name and continues on through the seasons, heading into Fall 2011.  And where better to turn to first than Pantone, the paterfamilias of color trends?  Here's their color palette for the autumn season: (all images copyrighted to Pantone and Mountain Glass)

Note Honeysuckle is still clinging to its title of Color of the Year.  I'm a huge fan of pairing it with the Bamboo and Emberglow (what a name!), it's a nice transition from summer to fall.  It takes the brighter, flashier corals and yellows of summer and tones them down for the fall.  The Phlox color is a gorgeous purple, and pair that with gold accents.  Cedar and Deep teal will look great paired with the neutral hues, and Quarry with Orchid Blush is an icy slide into Winter.  The only color I think is missing is a warm red, and many of the fashion designers agree. 

Pantone has a fabulous set-up with links to interviews with fashion designers and their trend/color selection for the fall, and Rebecca Taylor believes Bordellos and Burnt Siennas will be go-to colors this season as well.  The complementary color of red is green, and since the bordellos are not true reds, go with a not-true blue like the Dark Teal. 

If you're a glass artist, here are some colors that correspond to the trends:

"Bordello" from Messy Color.  It's a striking red, and can be a super fussy color, but the red is so rich and deep and darker than plain red.  It's one of my favorite colors, and I normally don't work with warm colors very much.  But this, paired with gold accents, will be gorgeous.  It makes you want to fill your glass with red wine, nestle into a fuzzy blanket, and sit by the fire. 

"The Great Bluedini" by Messy Color (I love that company!".  I can't think of a better color for the Dark Teal tone.  It's thick and can pucker if you hold it too long in the flame, but I love the slight transparency to it.  Put it over one of the more neutral colors, like the silver gray, for a spectacular effect. 

"Rubino" by Moretti.  It's a popular transparent color of gold and ruby tones, and looks wonderful in Fall and Winter pieces. 

It's basically the big shift from bright, light, and fun colors of Spring and Summer to deeper, richer, warmer colors of Fall and Winter.  I don't know if it's the same for those who live in places without seasons, but the colors reflect the shift from longer days to longer nights, from blooming trees to stark branches.  I'm excited for the change, I was getting tired of the pastels.  On to something with a bit more bite, and a totally new color palette. 

Next week will cover the fashion trends, and how to design jewelry with them in mind.