GREEN WITH ENVY
First seen on Chanel’s runway models this past Spring, the green nail polish trend has spread throughout the fashion industry in an exciting array of shades. Chanel’s limited edition pale green Jade was an instant hit, selling out almost instantly. Originally priced at $25 a bottle, it is now selling on eBay for upwards of $100!
Darker shades of green are also popular, such as the deep emerald British Racing Green by Butter London and the moody, grayed-out, combat green Orbis Non Sufficit by Rescue Beauty Lounge. Ji Baek, owner of Rescue Beauty Lounges in New York City, describes Orbis as a smoky green that is more wearable and surprisingly neutral. “It’s edgy enough but more subtle than the past greens”, blending well with this Fall’s nudes, grays, and winter beige.
Looks like green is here to stay!
(images from W Magazine, Chanel, and Rescue Beauty Lounge)
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
Earlier this year, our CAUSEffect newsletter featured a story noting the cultural significance of the color yellow in India, and in particular, the saffron traditionally used in achieving that perfect spice-toned shade. For those of us who notice the nuances in colors, you’ll notice that the yellows in Bottega Veneta’s Tomas Maeir, Fendi, and Jason Wu’s collections are in these saffron and curry shades. One look at last week’s WWD, featuring the cover story “Just Add Curry”, shows just how influential different cultures are in the fashion world. (And who can forget that saffron Vera Wang dress Michelle Williams wore to the 2006 Oscars.)
(Images from Bottega Veneta and Marie Claire)
TURQUOISE: ITALY’S HOTTEST NEW COLOR?
If you’re in Italy this week, you might see an abundance of people wearing turquoise socks. No, it isn’t Milan’s next big thing. Rather, it’s a political statement. Recently, an Italian judge was caught on film wearing turquoise socks while a political rival (Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi) was having his private life secretly taped. This and other eccentricities aired on television, and as an act of solidarity, many of the Judge’s allies have been wearing turquoise socks.
(Image from Foreign Policy)
COLORING TIME
You might be able to tell what time it is just by looking at the hands if you have years of experience looking at a watch with no numbers, but can you see the numbers here? It took us awhile, but they’re in red (3, 6, 9, and 12) – exactly where they should be. Sonodesign also has this great Colour Clock (below) that you can imagine we admire!
People with a color deficiency might not be able to see any of the numbers. To understand more about color deficiencies (often referred to as “color blindness”), check out this website to take the Ishihara test.
(Images from sonodesign)
MAKE NEW, BUT KEEP THE OLD
Dutch artist Krijn de Koning, known for his art-as-architecture installations, recently unveiled his latest work: “The Museum of Gravity” in Belgium. His pieces are most often installed within the walls of an existing building, but this one puts an interesting spin on the idea. “The Museum of Gravity” is constructed within the remaining walls of the ruins of a Dutch Abbey. The new bright minimalist walls contrast with the old worn bricks, inviting visitors to tour the structure and see the ruins in a new light.
(Images from DesignBoom.com)
THE NEW CLASSICAL GREECE
Classical 2, Fashion House Hotel in Athens celebrates local creativity by allowing its 115 guestrooms to be individually decorated by Greek artists, fashion designers, stylists, and photographers. Each room is unique, and the interiors vary from youthful illustrations to avant-garde styling. We noticed that most of the designers employed color in wall painting or lighting to gain an immediate individualization of their rooms. As you might imagine, inviting many artists to contribute to the design of a hotel can make for an interesting concept that gives guests an exclusive look at the city’s creative culture. Athens’ fame as the originating city of the Olympics is not overlooked in the hotel’s design. Its Foodball Court Bar-Restaurant is dedicated to celebrating the human body and spirit as it is represented in sports – an allusion to a large part of Athens’ heritage.
(Image from Classical Hotels)
CMG’S COVETED COLOR WORKSHOPS
We’re happy to announce that our friends at the Color Marketing Group are opening up their annual CMG Color Workshops to the public! Held during their International Fall Conference in New Orleans November 13th through 17th, these Color Workshops are a great experience for those interested in developing forecasts with other like-minded color enthusiasts! Early registration is still available through October 13th, and you’ll save $175. Check out more on the conference and registration details at the CMG website.
EVIAN’S NEW STRIPES
Paul Smith, a U.K. designer famous for his iconic colorful stripes, is the third fashion designer to be chosen by Evian Water to design a special edition bottle for the holiday season. Here you can see the two previous designs by Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier – obviously not as colorful as Paul Smith’s spin on his traditional stripes, which caught our attention so quickly. You can buy the special edition bottles here, or you can request it at your favorite upscale restaurant or gourmet retailer beginning in November to brighten up your meal in an unexpected way!
FALL IN LOVE (WITH COLOR) IN PARIS
If you’re thinking of traveling to Paris on a budget but still want to live the chic life, then the new Color Design Hotel in Bastille may be the perfect place for you. The white minimalist environment is accented with a different hue for each floor. So depending on your favorite color, hopefully you can reserve a room on the floor of your choice!
(Image from Tablethotels.com)
SCENTWORLD EXPO 2009
In combination with the use of color and other visual stimuli, adding a scent to the brand image and to the marketing mix is an excellent, yet underused, opportunity to connect with the consumer on an emotional level. Deployed properly in a multisensory concept, Scent Marketing provides a level of stimulation that distinguishes a brand or product from the competition, that connects with the consumer and makes them come back. SCENTworld is the only annual conference worldwide on the subject and a “not-to-miss” event for any brand owner, marketer branding or advertising expert. For more information, please visit www.scentworldexpo.com.