The Colour of the Year is one moment in time that provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Colour Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands
the goan I network
Suddenly, the world looks purple. But what’s in a colour one may wonder. Actually there’s a lot. Colours speak for themselves -- some are bold and loud, others sombre and silent. Seasons have their own colours of expression, be it in fashion or in festivals. This year it’s purple - be it clothes, spectacles, shoes or accessories. All seem to have embraced various shades of purple - violet and lavender being among the favourites.
Team at Pantone Colour Institute creates the Pantone fashion colour trend report, which is a colour overview highlighting the top colours fashion designers showing at New York Fashion Week will be featuring in their collections for the upcoming season. Out of the top 12 colour palette for the spring 2018, three are purple - Spring Crocus, Ultra Violet and Pink Lavender. Spring Crocus is witty and expressive, flamboyant and tantalising fuchsia shade. Ultra Violet is a distinctive and complex purple shade that fascinates and intrigues. Pink Lavender is a soft and romantic violet rose that charms with its soothing sense of quiescence. Following the announcement, different shades of the colour purple started flashing across industries.
Presented as an example of God-given beauty, it not only reminds us of Alice Walker’s novel ‘The Colour Purple’ but of musical icons like Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix who brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of Western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality.
Even celebrities have chosen to wear purple outfits and sarees. The recent example is that of actress Shilpa Shetty who wore a lilac purple saree designed by Falguni and Shane Peacock for the TV dance show ‘Super Dancer 2’ with actor Sonakshi Sinha.
There are some men who are intimidated by colours that are not black, white, grey, and brown. It is easy to arrange a black suit than a suit of bright or bold colour. One of this year’s top trends in men’s fashion is purple suits. The colour purple itself can be unapproachable in some men’s perspective but when arranged properly, a purple suit can be very sleek, stylish, bold, and unique. There can be many creative ways in arranging and styling a purple suit or tuxedo. One can take inspiration from celebrities like Chris Hemsworth Burgundy, Darren Chris, Steve Martin, Thomas Rhett, Nick Canon, Chris Tucker, Robert Downey Jr, Bradley Cooper, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Buble, Jay Ellis, Terry Crews, Matthew MacConaughey, James Foxx, Daniel Radcliffe, John Dallas have worn purple suits and tuxedos for red carpet events and award ceremonies.
The other accessories that match with the outfits also see a purple trend. Shoes, handbags, makeup products like nail paints, lipsticks and hair colours are in purple avatar too. Hair colours define the moods and currently the colours in trend range from flaming reds to galaxy purples to greys and even silvers. Taking purple a step further, Mac Cosmetics India has launched the shades of lipstick in different colours, ranging in every shade from lilac to fuchsia.
As following the purple trend, Nike launched a pair of PlayStation-themed shoes in collaboration with basketball player Paul George called the PG2. One of the trending and most loved shades of the pair of shoes was purple - Nike Barkley Posit max eggplant synthetic basketball shoes court purple colour costing Rs 42,000 plus.
Ray ban is known for its range of Aviator and Wayfarer sunglasses, have shades available in various colours and hues. One of such trending sunglass is Lilac Flash Gradient.
In the political climate, purple is periodically identified as a symbol of bipartisanship and a signifier of uncertain affiliation in the case of swing states. It is even found in the cosmos, the wellness movement and was a favourite colour of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
From runways to red carpets, mobile phones to automobiles, tresses to interiors, macaroons to beverages, accessories to cosmetics and packaging to flowers, purple is a kind of creative inspiration and artistic expression that has started ruling the year.
Taking the trend ahead, Samsung has launched its first flagship Smartphone of the year, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in Lilac Purple, a colour that is timeless. The handset was launched globally at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and was unveiled in India on March 6, 2018. The phone comes in interesting colour choices besides Lilac Purple. Sophisticated and advanced with refined finishes, Galaxy S9 is the device that emanates originality, class and is in vogue.
Brands in the CPG, luxury, and beauty world as well as artists and personalities have started adding a bit of purple to be in sync with the trend. We have now started seeing a wide portfolio of flowers that include Verbena, Smoky Lavender and Purple roses. Ultra Violet emboldens every other colour, adding a bit of intricacy and mystery. Besides food, cars, cosmetics, clothes and housewares, the use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places rejuvenates and establishes a connection.
