Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today released the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Fall 2008. The report features the top 10 colors for women's fashion for fall '08, along with designer sketches, quotes and headshots.
According to the report, the fall '08 palette is best described as a season of change and is defined by rich, elegant hues that offer a vibrant selection. New York's fashion designers emphasize cooler blues, greens and purples in the top five tones used in their collections, followed by variations of warm red, orange and yellow.
"Fall is traditionally a time for subdued, quiet colors, but this season we are seeing a shift toward cool hues with bright, exciting undertones," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Conventional tones such as warm autumn hues, chocolate browns and steel grays are also among the fall color choices. Blue and purple tones have become staples, as illustrated by Blue Iris, one of the top 10 colors chosen by designers this season, and Pantone's Color of the Year for 2008."
The top 10 fall '08 colors for women are:
PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (Goe 59-1-4)
PANTONE 18-3531 Royal Lilac (Goe 46-1-7)
PANTONE 18-5624 Shady Glade (Goe 105-3-6)
PANTONE 18-4525 Caribbean Sea (Goe 93-1-5)
PANTONE 18-1550 Aurora Red (Goe 21-2-5)
PANTONE 18-1015 Shitake (Goe 155-1-4)
PANTONE 18-1435 Withered Rose (Goe 16-4-3)
PANTONE 19-3938 Twilight Blue (Goe 62-1-7)
PANTONE 16-1448 Burnt Orange (Goe 13-2-7)
PANTONE 14-1036 Ochre (Goe 142-1-1)
Blue Iris, a beautifully balanced blue with an undertone of purple, is a favorite among designers, as it combines the calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple. Dramatic Royal Lilac brings purple to the forefront of fashion and generates a bit of heat with its exciting red undertones.
Serene, sophisticated Caribbean Blue is another popular hue this fall, especially in jewelry and accessories, but it can also add a colorful intensity wherever it is used in the wardrobe. Twilight Blue, a twist on a classic navy, shows the transitional aspect of spring segueing into fall. Serving as a wonderful base color, Shady Glade delivers a natural elegance to the fall palette. Taking green in an interesting direction with its true green characteristics, this hue is a departure from greens of seasons past, which have had distinctively yellow undertones.
Reds are a steadfast favorite for fall and Aurora Red is no exception. Versatile and universally appealing, this true red adds a splash of energy to the palette. Soft, dusky Withered Rose, with its pinkish qualities and brown undertones, is a versatile hue that blends with every shade. Ochre, a beautifully mellow yellow with a hint of mustard, adds a touch of lightness and spice. Orange has had a long run, and now, more than ever, consumers are gravitating toward intense shades like Burnt Orange, bringing this once steady background color to the foreground. The complex yet modest Shitake is an intriguingly understated shade, especially when teamed with the robust colors of fall '08.
The colors featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report are culled from the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standard in the world. Each season, Pantone surveys the designers of New York Fashion Week to collect feedback on prominent collection colors, color inspiration and color philosophy. This information is used to create the PANTONE Fashion Color Report and serves as a reference tool throughout the year for fashion enthusiasts, reporters and retailers.