The consumer continues to drift between the real and unreal – their fantasies and reality. In terms of color, for the spring/summer 2013 season we are focusing on the continual interest in all things past but offered in a new, contemporary way. The 90s washed-out brights, the web with its unexpected and unconventional colors and textures, nature and all it has to offer and our perception, always changing and morphing, are all the major drivers of color change for the upcoming spring/summer 2013 season.
The color pink is back in all channels and inspires new aesthetics in the high end fashion product creation. In the past few seasons, we have seen pink slowly creep back into designers’ collections and make a statement. The controversial color went out of style as the shade easily labeled as too cute, young and un-intelligent. It is now back and womenswear designers are now claiming back and offering it in an array of colors. For the spring/summer 2013 season we are forecasting both expected, bright and young shades alongside dustier, more subdued colors. The consumer craves youth and all it has to offer and is striving to retain a piece of their and others’ young days by gravitating towards colors such as pink.
Green is another color that has been falling in and out of the consumer’s favor. The forest shades have long been associated with nature and the consumer’s need to reconnect to all things natural and real. However, in the couple season preceding spring/summer 2013 we saw signs of decline in consumer’s interest in green. For the upcoming spring season we are once again gravitating towards green but this time, in more fun youthful shades or duller, barely-there dusty colors. Yellow continues to bring a sense of excitement and playfulness, this time the attention is on cooler and brighter shades.
Sulfur yellow is a must-have shade for the spring/summer season. The acid-inspired yellows of past seasons are transforming into cooler, more out-of-this-world hues that feel superficial and abstract. The mustard shades, as seen during the past summer forecast, are now taking on a brighter, less vintage-inspired cast.
The tropics continue to inspire strong shades of orange, pink and red. For the summer 2013 season, the focus is on rich tomato-inspired reds and deep Crimson pinks. Orange is still important but we are more interested in less-athletic and more sophisticated orange shades.
The neutral shades of summer are proving to be as important as the loud and vibrant brights. These new neutral shades continue to take on pink, green, yellow and blue overtone and are offered in an array of cool and warm shades. Natural colorants have a strong influence in the resulting terracotta and eggshell-inspired colors.
Bleached brights are the focus of the spring/summer 2013 seasonal color palette. We are deeply inspired by the easy, familiarity and opportunity for experimentation that these colors offer. Washed-out pinks and purples are mixed with stronger shades of teal and neutral greys to create a fresh, sophisticated summer story.
The shades of mint and teal seen in the past few seasons are all softening and getting lighter for the spring/summer 2013 season. Seafoam is currently proving to be a commercially profitable color for the spring 2012 season and we are seeing it evolve into a lighter, more washed-out color as it reaches the 2013 summer season. Salmon and peach shades are also going to take on a new bleached look.
Deep, rich and sensual shades of blue will continue to inspire the consumer and will resonate with the ever-growing need to reconnect to nature and their spirituality. Bright ultramarine shades are key for the spring/summer 2013 season as well as pure Klein hues and more unconventional hybrid of purple and blue. Highly dramatic photography inspires new ways to look at and think go blue and the possibilities it offers.
The color of wood and all things natural – brown, is as important as ever. As the consumer demands more quality-driven product these true, natural shades are more important than ever. For the 2013 summer season we are forecasting a more subdued and not-in-your-face brown shades. Brown resonates with the consumer’s need to feel closer to nature and to feel part of it.
*Specified color swatches are sourced according to the PANTONE Fashion + Home color guide – All Rights Reserved.