FASHION COLOR REPORT SPRING 2015

THE INFLUENCERS

Leading industry experts provide insights.

      Influencers: Michael Phillips Moskowitz

      Chief Curator and Editorial Director, eBay

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • The real challenge, in an era of ever-expanding color placement (from digital screens to physical products) is learning to account for the very different emotional and psychological responses that a single color can trigger. It changes dramatically from country to country. Red might symbolize 'luck' or 'good fortune' in China, but it telegraphs precisely the opposite message in Germany and Nigeria.

      That's why designing in and for digital encounters presents a host of challenges that many great creatives – who typically (and thankfully) design more by eye and by instinct, rather than by data-driven signals – are sometimes less prepared to address.

      Consider something as simple as a BUY button, on a commerce site. In Yellow, it might feel 'optimistic' and according to research 'youthful,' but it typically fails to convert into sales. In Red, that same BUY button can pulse with energy and urgency, but most people (based on testing) are far less inclined to click a Red button than a Blue one.

      You might, therefore say that this notion of seasonless color matters to me and too many of my colleagues in tech who are trying to solve behavioral challenges or emotional needs with chromatic reasoning. Not with rules, but with tools. One of these tools is eBay Today, which curates and editorializes the things people need and love from the marketplace – for all seasons and a multitude of colors.

      Influencers: Margarita Arriagada

      SEPHORA Chief Merchant

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • Like fashion, cosmetics will always have seasonal colors and trend looks. What remains constant at SEPHORA, regardless of season, is client demand for an expansive neutral palette. With the reemergence of natural makeup, clean and contoured complexion and the no-makeup look, there remains a strong need for a range of nude shades for eyes, cheeks and lip.

      Influencers: Nicole Fischelis

      Group Vice President/Fashion Director, Global Forecasting, Macy's

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • At Macy's, we create seasonal and monthly color palettes which are used company-wide. Each season, our "must-have" color story is reflected across every category of business – from fashion and accessories to home. In terms of a growing acceptance, the trend toward fashion colors rather than seasonless remains important to our customer. While she may own items in a seasonless palette, she reacts very positively to fashion colors. Color also creates an emotional reaction and stimulates the impulse to buy.

      Influencers: Ariel Foxman

      Editor, InStyle

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • We encourage our readers to play with color all year, especially hues that might seem hard to wear, like Winter Whites or a Buttery Marigold. In addition to our “Color Crash Course” feature in the magazine, which readers love, we actually produce a color report and app each season called, “What to Wear with Every Color.” The app showcases complementary color pairings, style advice and tips from designers themselves. The idea that you can only wear a certain color in summer or winter feels archaic; unexpected color combinations are stunning and can change the whole mood of a look. Seasonless color is about having fun with color all year long.

      Influencers: Michelle Geller

      Vice President of Merchandising, 11 Main

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • Color can be a powerful storyteller. Oftentimes, color is an integral part of a person’s selection process. At 11 Main, our goal is to inspire and empower shoppers to express their personal style and there’s no better way to do that than through color. The shops and boutiques at 11 Main represent Main Street. Therefore, the impact of the economy, climate change and the environment has a direct impact on our business and the way people shop. Blurred lines within seasons provide our shoppers and shop owners alike versatility and timelessness and with seasonless color, a shopper’s style is never compromised.

      Influencers: Kendra Scott

      CEO and Founder,
      Kendra Scott Jewelry

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • Color has always been at the heart of my brand. Even in the days of fall’s darker patterns or spring’s soft, feminine palette, we have never been afraid to push the boundaries and embrace vibrant neons, bold designs or pattern play, no matter the season. A significant portion of our business, however, is dedicated to metallic styles and neutral colors. The growing acceptance of seasonless color has allowed us to dive headfirst into the world of mixed metals and neutral stones that give our jewelry a fresh look. To me, seasonless neutrals with a dash of bold color make for the perfect style combination.

      Influencers: Lindsay Morris

      Manager of Creative Planning, Getty Images

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • In our technical, turned-on world, people are hungry for tactile, visceral, and experiential images – and color plays a huge role in that. It’s an exciting time where the desire for authenticity and sensory experience allows us to break any ‘rules’ we’ve had in the past about color and aesthetics. Seasonless color to us, means brands are free to tell richer, juicier stories and people are empowered to re-picture the world.

      Influencers: Wira Quesada

      Home Department Manager, Mood Fabrics

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • At Mood, our clients have an insatiable appetite for what's new and current in fashion, especially when it comes to color. Analogous color palettes and neutral tones are very popular amongst our clientele, because they look great and especially because they easily transition to changing seasons.

      Influencers: Lyn Paolo

      Costume Designer

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • For me it has been an encouraging trend. The ready availability of lighter tones has meant that my capacity to tell a story with color has widened; I am no longer confined by what is available. The narrower color palette of times gone by which was strictly dictated by season was often confining to me personally and professionally. The softer hues of light Greens and Periwinkles that I am seeing for fall this season are encouraging and I hope that this trend will continue for some time.

      Influencers: Valerie Steele

      Director of the Museum at FIT

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • As director of The Museum at FIT, I look at the history of fashion—including the history of color. As I look at the growing acceptance of “seasonless” color, I interpret it as being related to the globalization of fashion and probably also the issue of climate change.

      Influencers: Jauretsi Saizarbitoria

      Chief Curator for The Inside Source, eBay

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • The trend of seasonless color is an extension of a larger philosophy growing worldwide, which is the breaking of limitations as well as the practicality of wearing all your colors year round. When I worked at Jane Magazine in early 2000s, we had a column called “Do This Don’t,” which essentially was a fashion rule-breaking suggestion – for example, “wearing White after labor day.” It was popular and hit a nerve with our readers. I believe traditional dogmas are melting away and the consumer not only craves being “out of box,” but more importantly, prefers permission to be themselves, without fashion judgment.

      Influencers: Leatrice Eiseman

      Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute®

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • As a colorist, I have always found all hues to be seasonless. Nature is the best teacher – a glowing zinnia is a welcome addition to a garden in springtime and perfectly at home when residing on a pumpkin in the fall. An Icy Blue cools us in summer while equally breathtaking and bracing in a winter sky. It’s all a matter of context, and I feel that pertains to clothing as well – it’s all about how the color makes us feel, regardless of season.

      Influencers: Dallas Shaw

      Fashion Illustrator

      How has the growing acceptance of seasonless color impacted your business?

    • I’m an artist first, so I’ve always viewed color as seasonless. With my role as a tastemaker, the concept of seasonless color has impacted the business because people are open to trying new styles and stepping out of their comfort zone to find their personal style rather than following the rules.