Each season, Pantone Color Institute surveys New York Fashion Week’s designers to find the most inspirational colors of the season. “Not every designer thinks exactly the same way, but it’s interesting to come up with an order, or a trend,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute. “And for spring, it is really this whole idea of relaxation.” Eiseman views the top 10 as a palette, always asking if the colors can be worn in combination with one another. “Designers have been more thoughtful about the way they’re combining colors in a way they haven’t done before,” she pointed out. As for the staples of black and white? “There will be plenty of the two classics, no question — especially white for spring.”
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- PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar
Chosen by 21.6 percent of designers
The likes of designers such as Kenneth Cole, Y & Kei and Proenza Schouler included sand dollar in their collections for spring. “It’s always a surprise when we see one color so far ahead of the pack. Sand dollar for me is the most interesting, because it is a soft, neutral color. This reminds me of walking along a tropical beach somewhere,” said Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute. - PANTONE 19-3950 Deep Ultramarine
11.1 percent
“This is the return to a classic color — deep ultramarine is in the navy family but with a little extra vibrancy, which makes it more interesting than just your typical navy blue,” said Eiseman. She also noted that deep ultramarine, used by designers like Lela Rose and Reem Acra, contains a bit of an escape aspect, a Mediterranean kind of feeling. “It’s this sort of ‘stop the world and get away’ color, but it’s a dependable staple. It’s not off-the-wall.” - PANTONE 12-0722 French Vanilla
10.2 percent
French vanilla, favored by Peter Som and Luca Luca, continues the restful, warm theme for spring. “Yellow is coming back into the palettes — this shade is almost on the cusp between yellow and cream,” said Eiseman. “It gives us a touch of color, just an approach of sunlight.” Douglas Hannant also incorporated the color into his collection, drawing upon the shades of Tangier: Inspirations came from light, breezy fabrics and sun-drenched white stucco buildings. - PANTONE 13-0317 Lily Green
9.7 percent
Green’s presence in the top 10 has been felt for years. This time around, designers like Anna Sui blended the spring season’s choice, lily green, with number one-ranked sand dollar, in her designs. “Beginning in the late 1990s, some degree of green has happened in every single season,” said Eiseman. “Lily green in particular is soothing and contains an element of warmth. I think consumers will really be captured by this color.” - PANTONE 14-4112 Skyway
9.3 percent
Skyway is yet another variation on the color blue for spring. “The name is evocative, it’s a restful blue,” said Eiseman. “You can see the direction all the designers have gone to for their spring lines. The colors evoke more of a feeling of serenity.” Designers such as Peter Som and Carolina Herrera — whose “must-have” recommendation for spring 2006 happens to be an easy-to-wear sundress in sky blue — incorporated this shade into their collections. - PANTONE 13-4910 Blue Tint
8.8 percent
“This color is more of a tropical, light color that you might find in a body of water. It has that same relaxing, soothing feeling,” said Eiseman. “It’s an evolution of turquoise.” Eiseman pointed out the color’s advantage is that it can be worn against stronger variations of turquoise from seasons past. “Consumers don’t want to throw away clothing from before if they don’t have to, they want to still work with what they have. This is a concept that really resonates with consumers today.” - PANTONE 14-2307 Cameo Pink
8.3 percent
Versions of the color pink appear each spring, yet this particular version carries a hint of lavender, said Eiseman. “This isn’t your typical middle-value pink. The lavender cast gives it a little different flavor than the pinks we’ve seen in the last few seasons.” Dana Buchman incorporated this hue into her collection, which WWD reported Tuesday favors more flirtatious pieces, such as mini-ribbed corduroys, fluted printed skirts and a printed wrap sweater worn with pinstripe pants and a floral blouse. - PANTONE 16-1442 Melon
7.4 percent
“This is a departure from where we’ve been before,” said Eiseman. “It’s calmer, it’s not that knock-your-socks-off kind of orange.” Consumers are feeling a certain comfort level with orange, she noted, which communicates to designers that they have an understanding of the color. “Besides,” she said, “it’s an ideal accent color to use against sand dollar, skyway and deep ultramarine.” Designers who have taken on this shade of orange for spring include Luca Luca and Nanette Lepore. - PANTONE 18-1320 Clove
6.9 percent
It’s spring’s answer to last fall’s brown — glazed ginger. “Clove is no doubt that continuation of where we have been these last few seasons, where brown has been such a strong presence — one of the basic colors you have to have in your wardrobe,” Eiseman said. She also mentioned that clove is a great background for other top 10 colors, such as melon and cameo pink. “Instead of another dark gray or black, it’s a great option of brown, which has received much wider acceptance nowadays.” - PANTONE 16-3815 Viola
6.7 percent
The steady increase in incorporating shades of purple has not gone unnoticed by Pantone. “Purple resonates with consumers,” said Eiseman. “Designers have really been discovering the color. We may see it increasing further in popularity going forward, too.” This particular shade, seen in designs from Cynthia Steffe, utilizes a hint of red, but it is not so quiet that it disappears.
Source: pantone fashion color report spring 2006. PANTONE Colors displayed here may not match PANTONE®-identified solid color standards. Consult current PANTONE for fashion and home color system® publications for accurate color. PANTONE® and other Pantone Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone Inc. ©Pantone Inc., 2005.