Colour as the key to success
Pantone, the highest authority on colour, tells its story to WMIDO through the words of its Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman.
How does the Color of the Year come to be?The color of the year selection requires careful consideration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the fashion and entertainment industries – including films that are in production, the world of art, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, the availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.When do you start working on the colours trends?Led by me, we have of a team of global color experts that are involved in the trend forecasting process, which begins over 24 months prior. We start looking for clues early in the year before, but it is about four months prior to the announcement when we start our discussions and review the research that has been gathered by the Pantone team. Where and how should decisions about color palette occur in the design process?Color palettes should be one of the first considerations in making choices in product development. But a time frame has also be determined by the amount of lead time is necessary in creating a product. Some products take longer to produce than others, however, color should a prime consideration early on in the process as it is so critical to the success of a product. Which industry fields are more influenced by your choises/trends indications?Certainly fashion and cosmetics are heavily influenced, however, there is hardly an industry today that is not impacted by color. Products for home furnishings and/ or the ambiance created is heavily influenced by color and the most “everyday” products, such as housewares must stay on top of trends so they can be competitive and relevant in their markets. Even products such as headphones or other electronic and/or digital equipment is appearing in more color, so it behooves all industries to stay apprised of how to use color effectively. At Pantone, we are very conscious of the impact that color has and we use it very thoughtfully whenever we consult on color, no matter what the industry might be.
How does the Color of the Year come to be?The color of the year selection requires careful consideration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the fashion and entertainment industries – including films that are in production, the world of art, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, the availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.When do you start working on the colours trends?Led by me, we have of a team of global color experts that are involved in the trend forecasting process, which begins over 24 months prior. We start looking for clues early in the year before, but it is about four months prior to the announcement when we start our discussions and review the research that has been gathered by the Pantone team. Where and how should decisions about color palette occur in the design process?Color palettes should be one of the first considerations in making choices in product development. But a time frame has also be determined by the amount of lead time is necessary in creating a product. Some products take longer to produce than others, however, color should a prime consideration early on in the process as it is so critical to the success of a product. Which industry fields are more influenced by your choises/trends indications?Certainly fashion and cosmetics are heavily influenced, however, there is hardly an industry today that is not impacted by color. Products for home furnishings and/ or the ambiance created is heavily influenced by color and the most “everyday” products, such as housewares must stay on top of trends so they can be competitive and relevant in their markets. Even products such as headphones or other electronic and/or digital equipment is appearing in more color, so it behooves all industries to stay apprised of how to use color effectively. At Pantone, we are very conscious of the impact that color has and we use it very thoughtfully whenever we consult on color, no matter what the industry might be.
