ACCORDING TO PANTONE FASHION IS GETTING A CASE OF THE BLUES FOR 2008

The New York Times had quite a lengthy article on the color blue. They spoke with the experts at the color service Pantone (we like them too) and discovered that the fashion world will be awash in blue for 2008.

Pantone pros chose blue iris as their favorite - No. 18-3943. According to Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, “Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”

Hmmm….I did not realize that Blue had such an illustrious character structure (and to think it’s only a color).

Alber Elbaz, Lanvin designer had this to say about blue: “We think we can read ‘How to Become a Millionaire’ or ‘Find a Gorgeous Husband in Three Weeks,’ but a book is a book is a book. We have to go with intuition.” He said forecasts are for the mass market, for retailers and manufacturers who want to be sure they have enough blue sweaters in stock next winter.

Margaret Walch, the director of the Color Association had a few words on the subject as well. “Because consumer tastes and values are under a variety of influences — economic, environmental, global — anointing one color isn’t all that meaningful.” Walch likes the color bamboo for 2008. “A yellowed green represents the stable green that is most on people’s minds. I feel it just has a power. You know, these are very insecure times.”

“JWT, the advertising and marketing company, just named blue as one of the top 10 trends for 2008, saying that ‘blue is the new green,’ particularly as it denotes ecological concerns,” said the Times article.

“I think green is being abused to death,” said Regis Pean, creative director of Studio Red, a branding and design division of the Rockwell Group. “Everybody wants to be green. For the educated consumer, the overuse of green in marketing is increasingly a turn-off.”

“Color drives the way you navigate through a store,” Mr. Pean said, pointing out that stores employ what’s called an r and K strategy, based on a mathematical equation. Either they flood an aisle with a block of color or they go for selective, standout placement.

So It looks like a blue year for us ahead!