STYLE
REVIVE & DEFY
PASTELS COLLIDE WITH BOLDS THIS SPRING by Thea Wood, AICI FLC
P
antone® released its Spring 2014 Fashion Color Report with a modern twist – pairing pastels with brights. Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of Pantone Color Institute®, spearheads the effort, talking with designers worldwide about six months in advance and looking at Pantone’s forecasts. “Expect the unexpected, as that is the tendency for spring – much more opportunity for creativity and unique combinations,” urges Eiseman, who also authored the book More Alive With Color. The islands are a heavy influence in both men’s and women’s print and color choices. Lubov Azria, Chief Creative Officer of BCBG Max Azria Group, tells this inspirational story: “One of the references that we came across is this amazing picture of a face tattoo on an old Samoan chief.” Prada’s Spring 2014 ready-to-wear takes the adventure to the extreme with large, bold prints supported by muted sands or strong neutrals. The colorful scale combinations are arresting yet balanced, like a Matisse painting. Image consultants will hail the variety of colors available for clients, as pastels and bolds can stand alone or be mixed for unconventional pairings. American designer and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano mixes vibrant reds like Cayenne with sheer Sand or Shell fabrics. Japanese-born designer Tadashi Shoji embraces the nostalgic Violet Tulip, pairing it with his favorite signature color, white. The Association of Image Consultants International | 9