Violet Verbena Named 2017 Color of the Year by PPG PAINTS Brand

The PPG PAINTS™ Brand Unveiled Its 2017 Color of the Year: Violet Verbena (PPG1169-5), a Grayed-off, Moody Purple with a Chameleon-like Presence.

 Violet Verbena named 2017 Color of the Year by PPG PAINTS brand (Photo: PPG PAINTS)

"Violet Verbena is at once as nostalgic as it is modern. It’s substantial in a world that can sometimes seem so temporary, luxurious in a harsh world that needs pampering, and introspective and private in an invasive world," said Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager, PPG. "Purple was unanimously selected as the 2017 Color of the Year by PPG’s global color experts for its distinctive qualities. We are seeing this shade of violet on the runway in fashion, and in textiles for the commercial and residential segments."

Schlotter cited a new era of consumer mindsets as part of the reason that the PPG Paints brand selected Violet Verbena as the hottest color for 2017. These new attitudes defy convention and blend ideations of gender, relationships, careers, workplaces and living spaces, she said.

“Consumers now embrace the middle ground between masculine and feminine, young and old, and work and leisure. Violet Verbena’s blending of gray and violet reflects that middle ground,” Schlotter said.

Violet Verbena serves as an ideal evolution of the bohemian, gypset (gypsy-jetset) consumer lifestyle that has been trending recently. As this type of consumer shifts in to new attitudes and experiences - they are becoming more mindful, more mystic, and more deeply involved in spiritual exploration and fascinated with cosmic exploration, she said. “Consumers are drawn to the galactic dark colors that combine deep purples, blues and grays to create an intriguing futuristic vibe,” Schlotter said.

PPG’s more than 20 color stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, collaborate to determine styles and color trends for homes as well as electronic devices and automobiles. The company’s unique position as a color leader in multiple industries enables it to observe and translate emerging global color trends for its customers’ applications – from consumer goods to automotive, from residential to commercial to industrial design.

The PPG Paints brand’s 2017 Color of the Year is a unique violet hue with a quality that allows it to adapt to surrounding environments and complement a variety of design aesthetics. When paired with dark neutrals, the color unveils gray undertones, but when paired with whites, it reads as a purer purple, according to Schlotter. Its design appeal is similarly nuanced, she said. “Violet Verbena blends perfectly with many different surroundings, like a chameleon. It looks polished yet playful in a child’s room, and it is calming enough to be used in hospitals or other spaces that require tranquility.

"The color is a modern choice for interiors and furnishings, yet it is elegant enough to be incorporated into traditional designs,” she continued. "Violet Verbena is colorful enough to make a statement, but it can also be considered neutral with its gray undertones."

Violet Verbena is the focal point of PPG’s four global color trend stories for 2017, which center on the theme of Pendulum: earth, water, fire and air. For the first time, the PPG Paints brand includes its Color of the Year in all of its trend themes, as the prevalence of this hue allows it to live in every story. 

The four themes are:

HOURGLASS: A classic palette with a contemporary spin, this theme represents the earth element, with consumers finding stability in what they know and gravitating toward designs rooted in historical relevance. The palette incorporates rich, royal hues such as PPG Paints brand colors Burgundy Wine (PPG1053-7), Old Mill Blue (PPG1171-6) and Castle Stone (PPG1128-7), blended with a healthy dose of neutrals such as Pearl (PPG1087-2) and Go To Gray (PPG1004-1), to pair beautifully with wood, marble and stone tile. The lavender hues of Violet Verbena add to the royal nature of these colors, while still blending effortlessly with greens, blues and neutrals.

ES/SENCE: This theme focuses on the element of water, purity and the premise that less is unequivocally more. In a time when many consumers are embracing minimalism, the colors in this palette evoke a sense of simplicity and relaxation. Watery blues, lush greens and soft blended tones provide a mellow, calming and refreshing mentality. Sea Mist (PPG1227-1), Ancestral (PPG1047-4), Almond Cream (1086-3) and Simply Elegant (PPG1155-3), a few of the colors in the palette, create a soft, calming ambiance and pair beautifully with soothing Violet Verbena.

IMPOWER: Centered on change powered by the fire element, this complex palette incorporates deep tones, light neutrals and everything in between. It celebrates the fact that consumers do not have to define themselves by any specific design personality, but can exist somewhere in between. Consumers drawn to this palette can pair furnishings and colors from various genres and disciplines in a decadent yet easy fusion. Bold colors of the PPG Paints brand such as Azure Tide (PPG1231-6), Cenote (PPG17-02), Red Licorice (PPG1186-7) and Crushed Pineapple (PPG1213-7) pair with muted neutral tones such as Willow Tree (PPG1112-6), Gray Violet (PPG1014-5), Silver Screen (PPG1014-3) and not-quite gray Violet Verbena.

BIOCENTRIC: This design story is representative of air and the idea that we are all connected, and the palette dazzles with space-inspired hues and saturated organics. PPG Paints brand colors Spinach Salad (PPG11-16), Blueberry Muffin (PPG1164-5) and Enchanting Eggplant (PPG13-07) give the palette an organic vibe, while Black Flame (PPG1043-7), Cavalry (PPG1041-7) and Witchcraft (PPG1037-7) offer blue-black mystery to the palette and pair beautifully with Violet Verbena. Incorporating these colors into the home gives the look of contemporary elegance and laid-back charm.

Violet Verbena and all the colors of the 2017 Pendulum color trend stories, along with 2,000 colors in PPG's palette for THE VOICE OF COLOR® system, are available at PPG Paints stores and independent retailers across the United States in the PPG Paints, PPG PORTER PAINTS® and PPG PITTSBURGH PAINTS® product lines.

To learn more about the PPG Paints brand or to find a store near you, visit www.ppgpaints.com. 

PPG's architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada is an industry leader in residential and commercial coatings, delivering the latest technologies and operational advancements through its strong portfolio of brands. It manufactures and sells interior and exterior paints, stains, caulks, repair products, adhesives and sealants for homeowners and professionals. Its distribution network includes more than 15,000 touchpoints through company-owned stores, independent dealer locations and all major home improvement centers across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit PPGAC.com.

At PPG, we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.3 billion in 2015. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.


All images courtesy of PPG PAINTS. 

PPG Paints and We protect and beautify the world are trademarks and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints, PPG Porter Paints and The Voice of Color are registered trademarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc.

Heimtextil Forecasts New Furnishing Trends with 'Well-being 4.0' the Overarching Theme

◊ WGSN Group Presents Trends for 2016/2017
◊ 'Theme Park' Moves to a New Location with a Large, Stand-alone Platform in Hall 6.0

'Well-being 4.0' is the key trend at the next Heimtextil trade fair (12 to 15 January 2016). In a discussion broadcasted live worldwide on 8 September 2015, managers of the trade fair revealed the new furnishing trends for 2016/2017. Lisa Douet of the WGSN Group sat on the podium at 25 Hours Hotel in Frankfurt. This Group from the US is spearheading the design of the 'Theme Park' this year. Anne Marie Commandeur from Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, Mayouri Sengchanh from Exalis/Carlin International and Felix Diener were other members of the Heimtextil trend forum at the conference. They were on hand to predict the interior design trends in textiles for the coming season.

New design themes will be defined by an integrated approach which restores a people-centred design focus with a stronger appeal to the senses. 'Well-being 4.0' is all about textile furnishing that exudes an aura of relaxation and calm. Everything will be geared towards offering a better life and greater well-being. At the same time, technology and science intertwined with textiles play a key role. The number 4.0 echoes 'industry 4.0' and stands for smart, digital and customised solutions. Or in a nutshell, the idea is to trigger positive feelings and responses to stimuli at the touch of a button.

'We need to find ways of connecting what's natural with what's artificial,' comments Lisa Douet during the conference, underlining one of the core challenges.
'In addition to respecting technology, we have to ensure that natural materials and handcrafted products have a place on the design shelf of the future too.'

Both the new trend book, presented during the conference, and the 'Theme Park' at the fair offer diverse pioneering projects in this respect. The trend predictions are also examined in more detail on a newly designed website.

Background information and project presentations are already available on:
www.heimtextil-theme-park.com

Heimtexil Theme Park 'well-being 4.0' - Trends 2016/2017 - an Overview of the Themes

Protect: good for us

This trend predicts a clean aesthetic, or crisp, understated design. It goes hand in hand with a versatile range of wellness products and detox programmes. As a valuable and rare commodity, silence takes centre stage. It becomes an antidote to a world where we're constantly connected and increasingly feel the desire to switch off and do ourselves some good. The trend is all about protecting our physical, but above all our psychological needs.

Energise: digital dreams

People use technology to boost their feelings of well-being. The borders between being online and offline are becoming blurred. And the digital world is encroaching on our physical world. In this process, light is becoming a new way of creating intangible shapes and highlighting dynamic contours. The colour spectrum pulsates between strong and weak contrasts. At the same time, bright and virtually fluorescent colours vibrate in comparison with darker electric-blue shades. This high-energy trend livens up the aesthetic with intensive brilliance and gloss, kaleidoscopic patterns and humorous, athletic designs.

Nourish: sensory design

Urban and natural landscapes converge and spawn a new, sustainable world. The focus is on making areas green. The colour palette celebrates the beauty of greens, as well as dark browns and greys, in harmony with elements such as the soil and stone. Natural materials are coupled with pioneering design. Handcrafted products play a special part in the process by accentuating the beauty of the source.

Enrich: appealing to all the senses

The focus is placed on opulent and highly decorative elements which blend cultural references with the past and future. Ornamental ensembles and shimmering, classy materials are eye-catching. Superb, rich colours like plum and crimson abound with metallic gold, brass and bronze elements. A hint of the Orient is blended with iconic patterns which reinterpret classicism with splendour to perfection.

All images courtesy of Heimtextil - Source WGSN

Three Sections in One Volume

The new trend book comprises three sections. The first is a book portraying four trend themes based on materials, designs and colours. The second is a colour palette which looks at the range of the new on-trend colours and can be used as a tool to work with. Finally there's an editorial which illustrates the predominant 'well-being 4.0' trend. The editorial looks at the use of plants to appeal to the senses, places the spotlight on valuable minerals and therapeutic textiles and defines which colours constitute a feeling of well-being.

New Location for the 'Theme Park'

As the world's biggest trade fair for home and contract textiles, Heimtextil plays a special role as an indicator of trends and metric of first-class, well-designed textiles with innovative functionality. Which is why Messe Frankfurt got the Heimtextil trend underway back in 1991 and has consistently expanded it ever since. Every year a trend forum with an international line-up uncovers the most important trends. It gives product developers, creative teams, furnishing businesses and designers valuable advice and reliable trend forecasts. For Heimtextil 2016, the trade fair's managers are continuing the 'Theme Park' concept, developed the previous year for Heimtextil. This platform is moving for the first time to hall 6.0 where it has plenty of space and can stand alone as a showcase. Its concept development and implementation, the accompanying book and the new website are the responsibility of the WGSN Group from the US.

For further information on Heimtextil and the 'Theme Park' visit:
www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com
www.heimtextil-theme-park.com
www.heimtextil-blog.com
www.facebook.com/heimtextil
www.twitter.com/heimtextil
www.youtube.com/heimtextil
www.instagram.com/heimtextil
www.pinterest.com/heimtextil

For information from Messe Frankfurt on global textile fairs visit:
www.texpertise-network.com

About WGSN Group
WGSN is a global foresight business. Our experts provide deep insight and analysis of consumer, fashion and design trends. We inspire our clients to plan and trade their range with unparalleled confidence and accuracy. Together, we Create Tomorrow.

WGSN is the World's Global Style Network, comprising of market-leading products including WGSN, WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors, WGSN INstock, WGSN StyleTrial, and WGSN Mindset bespoke consultancy services.

For more information, please visit www.wgsn.com

About Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world's leading trade fair organisers, generating around €554 million in sales and employing 2,130 people. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 29 subsidiaries and 57 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in more than 160 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2014, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 121 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.

Comprising an area of 592,127 square metres, Messe Frankfurt's exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres.The historic Festhalle, one of the most popular venues in Germany, plays host to events of all kinds. Messe Frankfurt is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent.

Further information on the company can be found at:
http://m-es.se/Fj86

INVISTA's Antron Color Trends Autumn/Winter 2014/2015

[New York], September 3, 2014 - INVISTA's Antron® carpet fibre has launched an interactive color palette tool that allows designers to create custom palettes using colors taken from its Autumn/Winter 2014/2015 Color Trend forecast created by Global Color Research.

Photo: TREND IV - Playful Spectrum, © and Courtesy of www.colortrend.eu

Antron® carpet fibre has a team of dedicated creatives from across the globe who collaborate on color and trends in order to bring you relevant forecasts.

Antron® has joined forces with leading color forecasters, Global Color Research to bring you four key color themes in commercial interiors for 2014/2015.

Global changes have taken place and economics have dipped and dived, revealing altered ways of living and working. This push and pull state has brought divided directions to the forefront as we adapt to a new state of play. But what's significant is that what has been before will never be the same again.

So what will be important? Which design fundamentals will be at the forefront? And more importantly what will the future user desire?

TREND I - Mysterious Illusions
A story of magic and mystery, conjures up an unlikely palette with a dreamlike appeal. This trend focuses on creating a veil from the outside world where turmoil resides, stepping back into the ethereal and secret haven. Erring on the dark side of the color spectrum, deep shades of black and shadowy grey create transitory and moody effects without being too sinister or macabre.

TREND II - Eccentric Icons
A blurring of eras merging past, present and future is prevalent, making way for a hybrid aesthetic. Classic features and shapes are equally as relevant in our pared down new century as modern technology. The result sees yesteryear ornamentation merge with modern design principles, giving birth to a new ageless aesthetic key for the luxury goods market.

TREND III - Magnified Cosmos

Grow your own wellbeing with the health-giving properties of plants, as we rediscover the simple and restorative side of nature. New Growth reminds us that nature is bigger tha ever and is an important factor in our lives going forward. This trend draws on the basics and explores the diversity of green creating a mood of energy and positivity.

TREND IV - Playful Spectrum
Having survived an era of self-imposed austerity a vivid palette of punchy tones drives an optimistic attitude to the future. Upbeat colors reveal a trend that is creative and innovative as 2014 spells the start to economic global recovery. However this isn't a return to mass produced design, past mistakes have been noted and new creative approaches to sustainability and materials bring elements of surprise and delight to our living environment.

SOURCE & CREDITS: www.antron.eu | www.colortrend.eu | www.globalcolor.co.uk

PANTONEVIEW Home + Interiors 2015

[New York], March 29, 2014 - Pantone has released Pantone View Home + Interiors 2015, a compendium of major color trends that will influence the home and interiors marketplace in 2015.

The report features nine key trend palettes, including Style-Setting, Abstractions, Botanicum, Zensations, Urban Jungle, Tinted Medley, Past Traces, Serendipity and Spontaneity, plus individual color and material direction.

"Consumer preferences, behaviors and lifestyles are constantly evolving spawning a desire for fresh color palettes in both home and interior design," commented Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

"While rigid color rules have been replaced by more creative guidelines, style and color coordination in the home remains a consistent goal. The PANTONE VIEW home + interiors 2015 forecast can validate some pre-conceived color choices, while also giving new color inspiration and direction."

Pantone View Home + Interiors 2015 contains visual inspiration, suggested color harmonies, individual tear-out palette cards for each of the nine forecasted palettes, swatches of the 72 forecasted colors, and images from the forecast for use in presentations and storyboards.

Style-Setting
As high fashion is often a forerunner to styling for home furnishings in line, design, texture and color, the taste-making palette called Style-Setting is all about poise, finesse and polish. The elegance of the purple family adds a dramatic interplay against classic mahogany, off-white, gray and taupe, along with subtly shimmering frosted almond and champagne beige.


PANTONE 14-1012 Champagne Beige
PANTONE 19-3325 Wood Violet
PANTONE 19-1420 Deep Mahogany
PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid
PANTONE 18-4005 Steel Gray
PANTONE 13-1012 Frosted Almond
PANTONE 17-1311 Desert Taupe
PANTONE 11-1001 White Alyssum


Abstractions
Abstractions unleashes the inner artist, similar to the formulation of abstract art where styling might seem randomly gathered, forming a mosaic of differing shapes and many of them geometric. Colors such as grape and apricot, dahlia red, stonewashed blue, hazel nut brown and vineyard green seem to come from equally disparate places, but when brought together create an artistic whole.


PANTONE 16-1518 Rosette
PANTONE 19-1555 Red Dahlia
PANTONE 19-4342 Seaport
PANTONE 19-4342 Crushed Grape
PANTONE 17-1143 Hazel
PANTONE 14-1120 Apricot Illusion
PANTONE 17-3917 Stonewash
PANTONE 18-0117 Vineyard Green


Botanicum
Botanicum is a palette lifted directly from the complexities of flora and foliage, forming intriguing groupings filled with succulent shadings of green, grape and café au lait, most often counter-balanced with dusty or smoky tones of blue and orchid. When used together, a sophisticated, yet inherently natural palette emerges.

PANTONE 16-0840 Antique Moss
PANTONE 16-4010 Dusty Blue
PANTONE 18-1710 Grape Nectar
PANTONE 17-1227 Café au Lait
PANTONE 17-3612 Orchid Mist
PANTONE 18-3410 Vintage Violet
PANTONE 15-2210 Orchid Smoke
PANTONE 17-0207 Rock Ridge

Zensations
The palette titled Zensations truly engages and heightens the senses as it displays a literal "enlightenment" by taking the thoughtful, meditative qualities of the blue and blue-green family to more visceral level by adding a compelling red, an atmospheric green as well as sparkling silver and gold.
PANTONE 15-0927 Pale Gold
PANTONE 14-5002 Silver
PANTONE 19-3810 Eclipse
PANTONE 19-3952 Surf the Web
PANTONE 17-4139 Azure Blue
PANTONE 19-4526 Blue Coral
PANTONE 19-2033 Anemone
PANTONE 17-6212 Sea Spray

Urban Jungle
An Urban Jungle transforms rustic chaos into something "civilized" and sylvan - speaking more of big city living than that of a wild terrain. Rather than consistently rough textured, contours are smoother and colors a combination of both typical and atypical jungle hues. Warm animal skin tones are set against the modernity of deep blue-greens, a vibrant greenish yellow, plus black and white.

PANTONE 18-4718 Hydro
PANTONE 14-0740 Bamboo
PANTONE 17-1340 Adobe
PANTONE 18-1447 Orange Rust
PANTONE 16-0940 Taffy
PANTONE 13-1009 Biscotti
PANTONE 19-4008 Meteorite
PANTONE 11-0601 Bright White

Tinted Medley
Tinted Medley is truly a harmonious composition of closely related, deliciously warm tones with peach and pink striking the main chord. Bellini, apricot wash, peach amber and macadamia are compatible blends, while powdered roses and yellows underscore and support the perfect pitch of an ethereal rosy-taupe.

PANTONE 14-1506 Rose Smoke
PANTONE 12-0619 Dusty Yellow
PANTONE 13-1114 Bellini
PANTONE 14-1230 Apricot Wash
PANTONE 15-1506 Etherea
PANTONE 14-1316 Dusty Pink
PANTONE 15-1423 Peach Amber
PANTONE 12-0709 Macadamia

Past Traces
Past Traces honors history in the home, holding on to some vestige of the past is deeply satisfying and reassuring. The look ranges from gently worn to contemporized adaptations - still many of the colors with names like pastel parchment, cameo green, faded denim and dusty cedar, capture a vintage feel.

PANTONE 11-0603 Pastel Parchment
PANTONE 15-1516 Peach Beige
PANTONE 14-6312 Cameo Green
PANTONE 17-4021 Faded Denim
PANTONE 16-1406 Atmosphere
PANTONE 15-4712 Marine Blue
PANTONE 18-1630 Dusty Cedar
PANTONE 18-0328 Cedar Green

Serendipity
The literal meaning of Serendipity is "a pleasant surprise" or "a happy accident." In the parlance of styling, it is the coming together of unlikely designs and unexpected colors. An outgoing orange engages cool eggshell blue, while bright chartreuse is enhanced by a yellow gold and hot pink embraces a lofty scarlet - all under the watchful gaze of a tiger's eye taupe.

PANTONE 16-1363 Puffin's Bill
PANTONE 19-1559 Scarlet Sage
PANTONE 17-2036 Magenta
PANTONE 17-3020 Spring Crocus
PANTONE 14-4809 Eggshell Blue
PANTONE 17-1038 Tiger's Eye
PANTONE 14-0445 Bright Chartreuse
PANTONE 15-1050 Golden Glow

Spontaneity
Irrepressible fun is what the Spontaneity palette delivers. Just as the name implies, it is the stuff that spur-of-the-moment, impulse buying is all about, with whimsical design and unique color mixtures a large part of the attraction. Happy hues of Sunkist coral, marigold and delicious cantaloupe are complemented by the exuberance of Kelly Green and floral accents of hyacinth, violet quartz, winsome orchid or misty jade.


PANTONE 14-3206 Winsome Orchid
PANTONE 17-1736 Sunkist Coral
PANTONE 13-6008 Misty Jade
PANTONE 15-1239 Cantaloupe
PANTONE 14-1050 Marigold
PANTONE 17-3619 Hyacinth
PANTONE 18-1720 Violet Quartz
PANTONE 16-6138 Kelly


Pantone
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world's color authority for almost 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com

Pantone Color of the Year for 2014: PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid

Expressive, Exotic Radiant Orchid Blooms with Confidence and Warmth

[CARLSTADT, N.J.], December 10, 2013 - Pantone LLC, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid, a captivating, magical, enigmatic purple, as the color of the year for 2014.

"While the 2013 color of the year, PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity, Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today's society."

"An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm."



Radiant Orchid for Interiors
Spruce up interior spaces by incorporating this eye-catching hue in paint, accent pieces and accessories. As adaptable as it is beautiful, Radiant Orchid complements olive and deeper hunter greens, and offers a gorgeous combination when paired with turquoise, teal and even light yellows.

Likewise, the vibrant color is sure to liven up neutrals including gray, beige and taupe. Uplifting and bold without being overpowering, Radiant Orchid re-energizes almost any color palette and provides a unifying element for diverse spaces.



Radiant Orchid for Fashion
Radiant Orchid's rosy undertones radiate on the skin, producing a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. A dazzling attention-getter, Radiant Orchid permeated the runways during the spring 2014 fashion shows and is already making its way onto the red carpet. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2014 (read more), including Emerson by Jackie Fraser-Swan, Juicy Couture and Yoana Baraschi, are incorporating Radiant Orchid into their spring collections and variations of this hue will carry into men's and women's clothing and accessories throughout next year.

This multifaceted hue is seductive when combined with red and pairs well with its sister shades of lavender, purple and pink, which provides an assortment of lipstick and blush options. Radiant Orchid's exuberance also acts as a brilliant finishing touch to nails.

Cross-Referencing to Other PANTONE Libraries
PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid can also be cross-referenced to all other PANTONE Libraries including PANTONE PLUS for graphic design. For cross-referencing information, click here or see www.pantone.com/ColoroftheYear

About the PANTONE Color of the Year
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 entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

For more than a decade, Pantone's Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. www.pantone.com/ColoroftheYear

Pantone
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world's color authority for almost 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com

#Pantone #ColorOfTheYear #RadiantOrchid #ColorTrends #FashionTrendsetter

Clariant Launches ColorForward Interiors: First Color and Trend Forecasting Guide for Fibers and Textiles

Color palettes for textiles inspire designers, architects and manufacturers with market insights for 2014 Predictions based on intensive research of societal trends around the world Gives manufacturers a head-start on potential consumer-purchasing decision drivers.

[Muttenz, Switzerland], May 10, 2013 - Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has launched ColorForward Interiors, the first color and trend forecasting tool of its kind. It provides designers and producers of textile yarn and filaments with insight into what consumers will respond to in 2014 and beyond. ColorForward Interiors expands on the foundation of Clariant's well-accepted ColorForward color direction guide.

"Clariant's ColorForward program is the best knowledge we have of today's and tomorrow's trends and how they influence the way consumers respond to color," says Francis Baud, Global Head of Marketing - Textiles for Clariant Masterbatches. "We want to capture that knowledge and present it in a way that is specifically applicable to the textile, upholstery, and carpet industries. I am sure this unique initiative will spark great interest."


Now in its eighth year, ColorForward's directions have helped define the colors that can be expected to attract and move consumers in the future. It is the result of the collaborative effort of plastics color specialists from North and South America, Europe and Asia in the global network of ColorWorks design & technology centers of the Clariant Masterbatches Business Unit. The service has helped manufacturers of all types of products get a head start on understand how color can influence consumer purchasing decisions. Now, the Clariant Masterbatches Textile Group has focused its specialized expertise to expand the ColorForward 2014 palette to help customers in the fiber and yarn market in the same way.

"Our colored masterbatches for textile yarn and filaments are used during the spinning process at our customers, for the production of end products such as carpets, fabrics, furnishings and seat covers," says Baud. "Therefore, our expertise in color, consumer habits, polymer science and fiber processing is very valuable to our customers and their designers as they select and combine colors during the initial phase of the creation of their textile articles."

ColorForward Interiors starts from a color palette created from an analysis of four important societal trends chosen by Clariant's color experts from a myriad of global inspirations. Each trend theme is then represented by five colors that capture the spirit and emotion behind the trend. The palette is then doubled in size, to include complementary shades. "Fabric and carpet designers tend to blend colors, merging bright hues with softer tones to create an overall color effect that makes a singular impression on the eye," explains Judith van Vliet, designer at ColorWorks Europe/IMEA and a member of the ColorForward team. "ColorForward Interiors has 40 colors that designers can mix and match in a creative and playful way."

Each color is reproduced in nylon or polypropylene fibers that are formed into pompons stored in a presentation box. The pompons can be rearranged inside the box to create hundreds of combinations. "We aren't trying to tell designers which colors to use," says Alessandro Pozzati, ColorWorks Europe/IMEA Industrial Designer. "The trend colors suggest what consumers may respond to in 2014, but how our customers use them is totally up to them. ColorForward Interiors is an inspirational tool."

Uncovering the most significant trends and the colors they engender is not a simple task. Experts in color, design, marketing and polymers from every part of the world, representing multiple disciplines, collaborated not only in identifying global societal trends, but also developing harmonious colors that reflect each trend's special influence.


The four trend themes for 2014 are:

Keep It Real
At a time when consumers are overwhelmed with brands and bored with me-too products, manufacturers want to know how they can keep them excited. People want to feel a connection with the things. They want what's real and tangible, and manufacturers need to understand this. To stand out in the marketplace, designs have to connect with consumers on a more personal level.

Re|use|full
After the recent recession, the public is tired and disappointed with old ideas and waste. They want to re-purpose the old into new. This theme acknowledges a new freedom of expression that looks at existing materials from different angles and imagines new creations.

"The colors of Re|use|full are a visualization of thinking outside of the box, of morphing discarded products into new-generation identities," explains Pozzati. "The colors suggest feelings of timelessness, longevity and permanence."


There to Share
In the mobile internet age where information on almost anything is easily accessible, shared thinking, collaborative reflection and networked learning are new approaches to inquiry-based research. Today's young generation is more open to sharing knowledge and uniting ideas to solve world problems is 'in.' Money and possessions are perceived as less important, while the sharing of knowledge is seen as generous, and a better representation of goodness and value. "The colors of There to Share are connective, suggesting how individuals around the world are connected, sharing their experiences, thoughts and ideas across time zones, as technology allows them to share, effortlessly and quickly," reveals Judith van Vliet.

Vamos Jogar Bola
The spirit of Brazil is what defines this theme. The 2014 soccer championship in Brazil will draw together millions of fans from diverse countries to share a common passion - their love for football, which really can reach the level of a religious fervor. Brazilians also express themselves through their colorful Carnival, infused with samba music and dance. These events draw immense crowds and can be perceived as an invitation to come together and unite to solve global problems. The world is opening up rapidly, and as it does, and new middle classes emerge, so too do new markets. Brazil is investing huge resources to change itself. The phenomenon of inclusion can be seen everywhere in the country. In addition, sustainable development events are powered by innovation. There is so much joy in the air, as Brazil has so much to celebrate.

More information on Clariant Masterbatches products is available at www.clariant.masterbatches.com.