Even if you don’t work in the design or fashion industries, you may still have heard of Pantone from the company’s highly publicized “Color of the Year”. Every year, Pantone chooses a color they believe will dominate runways and home furnishings stores. This year, Pantone chose Greenery, a bright and fresh green that - according to the Pantone website - “signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.”
So what does Pantone do, exactly, and why do they get to designate the color of the year? The company is the “world-renowned authority on color”. For more than 50 years, design professionals have counted on Pantone to help them choose colors for projects and then communicate those color choices to printers and manufacturers.
Twice a year, Pantone publishes the PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner, which forecasts color trends 24 months in advance. Pantone describes the publication as offering “seasonal inspiration, key color directives, suggested color harmonies plus material and product application across men’s, women’s, active, color cosmetics, interior, industrial and multi-media design.”
The Colour Planner may cost $800, but curious readers can find free, informative articles on Pantone’s blog. In March of this year, Pantone published a Fashion Color Report for the fall. The report is based on what Pantone’s trend forecasters observed at New York and London Fashion Weeks. For each Fashion Week, the trend forecasters choose 10 colors to complete a color palette.
(Image from Pantone website)
So how should you plan your clothing and accessories to be on trend for the fall 2017 season? In this blog post, we’ll focus exclusively on the color palette from New York Fashion Week.
Grenadine
Named after the common bar syrup that puts the color in a Tequila Sunrise, Grenadine looks like it could be the most universally-flattering red lipstick. Our Red Queen necklace best capture Pantone’s Grenadine and would be totally on trend for fall.
Measuring 17.5” in length, the Red Queen is made of vintage necklace findings, vintage acrylic beads, and Swarovski crystal. Imagine discovering the perfect lipstick to match this necklace. If you do happen to find it, send us tips!
Tawny Port
Tawny Port is the color of your favorite red wine, which you uncork on the first cool night. Time to put away the chilled rosé and chardonnay and rediscover your rich, velvety vinos. It’s the best combination of red, purple, and brown all rolled into one.
If you feel inspired by Tawny Port, you’ll definitely want to consider wearing Acornacopia, which incorporates tawny-colored beads. The stunning, meticulously-crafted necklace is made with vintage lucite, metal beads and findings, cherry jade, Kenyan Kazuri beads, and Swarovski crystal. The length is 19”.
Ballet Slipper
Pink is such an innocent and youthful color. This past year, pale pink earned a reputation among 20-somethings as “Millennial Pink”. It mimics the aesthetic of 1960s Los Angeles. Pantone has offered us a shade best known for its use in the classic ballet slipper, hence the name. This pink is just muted enough for fall wear and is a wonderful transitional color.
So how exactly can you wear this girlish pink without looking like a young girl yourself? Maintain your hard-earned womanly femininity by mixing pink with something bolder and more autumnal - like orange. We have the perfect solution: our Clawed necklace. Clawed is both feminine and unexpected; the final design for this 18” necklace was inspired by funky vintage Lucite beads, which have been paired with faux pearls and sterling silver.
Butterum
Imagine the most luxurious leather purse, soft and supple. You’ve probably dreamed about the color butterum, which is toasty and creamy at the same time. It’s the perfect color to prepare us for the cooler temperatures of late fall and winter, and it’s the most luxurious of the neutrals.
So how exactly can you dress for it? Who wouldn’t want some smooth butterum whispering sweet nothings in her ear? Our Maltesa earrings - made from Chessboard-inspired Swarovski components and vintage faux pearls - capture the spirit of this sumptuous color.
Navy Peony
Navy can be a very nautical, masculine color, but this navy seems softer and more feminine, like plush. It’s royal but not stuffy. It knows how to have fun and relax. That’s probably why our Royalty necklace captures the spirit of Navy Peony. Faceted chunks blue reticulated quartz are high end but not frou frou.
Neutral Gray
If you’ve been following trends in interior design, you’ve probably noticed that gray has become the new neutral, replacing colors like beige and white. Pantone’s Neutral Gray looks luxurious and soft, like a chinchilla that just wants to fall asleep in your arms.
Our Haze necklace captures that same spirit of luxury. Measuring a little longer than 17”, the necklace is made with Vintage necklace findings, rutilated quartz, smoky quartz, and Czech crystal.
Shaded Spruce
A welcome departure from the bright, neon colors of summer, jewel tones are ideal for fall, and Shaded Spruce is a riff on emerald green. You can almost smell the fragrant forest when you gaze at this color. It pairs beautifully with copper or gold!
Our Flutter-By Once and Flutter-By Twice necklaces feature beads that capture the beauty of Shaded Spruce. Even though butterflies don’t fly during the fall, you can still celebrate their beauty by wearing them on your neck.
Golden Lime
Lime on its own may be a summer color - think margaritas, key lime pie, and limeades - but this Pantone Golden Lime draws upon the muted hues of fall. The color looks like a leaf that’s just beginning to turn to an orange color. It’s the color of an open field with the fading evening autumnal light on the grass.
The Korean jade in our Poids de Jardin necklace captures this mood exactly. The necklace was inspired by a Vintage brooch and also features vintage bracelet findings, Czech crystal, and vintage lucite.
Marina
Blue is usually the color of a beachy palette or springtime sky, but Pantone decided to include its Marina color in this fall 2017 New York color palette. We should remember that even though the temperatures might be getting colder, it doesn’t mean we still won’t see blue sunny days. It’s also somewhat of a jewel tone, more bold than topaz and a touch lighter than sapphire.
Dangle Marina from your earlobes by wearing our Blue World earrings, which are made with Fantastic guitar picks, acrylic hoops, shell beads, and Swarovski crystal.
Autumn Maple
Not all fair-skinned ladies look great in orange, but Pantone’s Autumn Maple is perfect for those with cool-toned skin. If you like the color orange but never think it looks good on you, you may want to consider purchasing something in this color. Is it not the most perfect fall shade? It singlehandedly personifies the month of October.
What better way to capture the beauty of fall than with our Charlotte necklace, which is made from vintage brooch, African brass, and crystal.
Now that you’ve been introduced to all the colors that will be filling retail stores this fall, which is your favorite? Do you feel inspired to dress yourself with any of these swatches? Let us know in the comments below.
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