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.

SceneSetter Fitting Room Mirror

[New York], May 2, 2013 - Introducing SceneSetter™, a uniquely lit mirror that enables shoppers to focus on your merchandise instead.

You see it every day - a shopper heads for the fitting room with an armload of clothes, only to leave empty handed. Why do you lose sales in the fitting room? Nothing "looked right." And many times, that's due to unflattering lighting that makes a shopper look ill and feel frumpy.

"With really bad lighting, you look at yourself,
you look at your skin and you're completely distracted."

-Wendy B. McDevitt, Anthropologie, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal


With different settings replicating outdoor, evening and office light, SceneSetter™ highlights subtle nuances of color tone, letting your customers see themselves in a whole new light. A quick touch of a button and they can see how they'll look in various real-life situations: a romantic dinner, a business presentation, an outdoor excursion. Customers want clothes that make them look good. And SceneSetter™ makes it easy for shoppers to say: "I love the way I look in this outfit." They'll relax more - and buy more.

An easy-to-use touch-screen interface allows shoppers to control lighting and adjust the color temperature and intensity to achieve their most flattering look while they try on their selections.

Features:
Allows user to simulate various real life environments.
Touch-screen interface system can be adapted to retailers' specific design needs.
Intuitive touch-screen allows consumers to easily adjust color temperature and intensity to achieve their most flattering look.

Benefits:
Increases sales and traffic by encouraging customers to view themselves in a whole new light.
Results in less returns and increased customer satisfaction.
Acts as an in-store stylist for retail customers.

Specifications:
Evening: 2700 K : 92W: 5731 lumens
Office: 4100K : 85W : 5770 lumens
Outdoor: 6500K : 72W : 5733 lumens
Voltage: 100V - 240V
Weight: 75 lbs

For more information please visit iconintl.net/products/detail/16/SceneSetter

ENDO/ICON creates award-winning site specific lighting for a wide range of settings, from retail boutiques and malls to hotels and museums, transit stations, hospitals, schools, aquariums, airports, national landmarks and more. Each design solved a specific problem, enhanced the site's environment, increased energy efficiency, and most of all provided perfectly matched illumination for the space.

For our complete line of retail solutions that show your property in the best light, visit iconintl.net

PANTONEVIEW Color Planner Autumn/Winter 2014/2015

[New York], April 15, 2013 - The Autumn/Winter 2014/2015 Edition of PANTONE VIEW Color Planner, titled Discovery, highlights the key color palettes for women's wear, menswear, active wear, cosmetics and lifestyle, as well as industrial, interior and graphic design.

The demand for color information moves at varying speeds depending on the industry. For example, the fashion industry responds to a voracious consumer appetite for fresh product with quick turnover and frequent color modifications. In contrast, other industries, such as automobile manufacturing, focus on high-investment product that involves long-term planning and extensive development cycles.

To address this difference in approach to color planning, this latest multi-discipline color forecast includes palettes that work in both directions, allowing individuals to curate, balance and temper their color choices according to market needs.

"To discover means to be courageous. By exploring these calm and conservative or deliberately quirky color combinations, we inspire a whole new mode of color expression, one that will successfully pep up consumer interest on the selling floor," commented Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute.

"Our sense of color is changing. How we edit and curate color is to discover a new way of using and applying it to product. These fresh new color combinations speak to the consumer's desire for the more unusual and unexpected."

Seven Palettes of PANTONE VIEW Color Planner Autumn/Winter 2014/2015

Uncovering
Uncovering brings to mind the materials used to decipher the unknown and inform the present. Discoveries are documented through fountain-pen black, charcoal, sepia ink and colored chalks.

Making
With a deep respect for skills and materials, Making is organized and curated to captivate the eye and invite the audience to enjoy the inventive process of making, building, coloring, collaging, stitching and styling. Colors are inspired by a rich auburn, caramel and brown glow, with highlights of hot orange, red and turquoise.

The Essence
In The Essence, contemporary warm tones are restrained, pasteurized and processed, homogeneous and emulsifying; while, at the same time, compactness is expressed through solid, uncontaminated uniform colors.

No Limits
No Limits combines heightened and voluptuous colors to create a beguiling ambience with a dramatic cacophony of color that evokes an atmosphere full of vivid richness and blissful excess.

Voyage
Voyage is a journey through nature, through yellow spaces, where mustard shades mixed with green and turquoise reveal an absence of time and space.

From Beyond
From Beyond delves into a world of violet, red, lilac and burned brown hues, where the colors interweave and blend continuously in complex fluxes. Dark colored textures appear as signs of ancient laser cuts.

Breakthrough
In Breakthrough, greens and blues emerge from depths of ghostly, futuristic and unfathomable landscapes. This is a future that comes from the past - an extraordinarily complex future that is interconnected, heterogeneous and attempts to be dynamically adaptable to all scenarios.

For more information please visit Pantone  - www.pantone.com

Alice Temperley Store by Found Associates

[New York], April 12, 2013 - Found (www.foundassociates.com) collaborated closely with Alice Temperley to create their first flagship store at 27 Bruton Street; a Grade II listed, six-storey Georgian town house. 

Temperley London Bruton Street |Photo By Found.

The ground and first floor house retail space for the three Temperley collections; Temperley London, Temperley Bridal and ALICE by Temperley. The upper floors and basement will become home to the Temperley office team.


The design focuses on retaining and complimenting the existing Georgian features by using a heritage palette of colors, and luxurious materials such as decorative brass metalwork.




About Found
Based in Soho London, the practice was formed by Richard Found in 1997 and boasts a diverse portfolio of award winning work.

Found is recognised for excellence and innovation in design and architecture across a wide variety of sectors.

Found offer services tailored to cover every aspect of each individual client's needs, from initial concept design through to completion. We have a proven track record of delivering unique projects within budget and on programme.

Retail clients include: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Givenchy, Anya Hindmarch, Kurt Geiger, Donna Karan.

Corporate clients include: Diageo, TalkTalk, Virgin Atlantic, M&C Saatchi, Prince's Trust.

Found have extensive experience in luxury residential projects including new buildings.

For more information please visit Found | www.foundassociates.com

The New Alexander McQueen Store in Roppongi, Japan

[New York], April 9, 2013 - Alexander McQueen is pleased to announce the opening of the new Alexander McQueen accessories boutique in Roppongi, Japan.


Photo courtesy of Alexander McQueen.
The new store concept was conceived by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and realized together with David Collins Studio.

Visit Alexander McQueen Store: Roppongi Tokyo Japan - Roppongi Hills
Roppongi Hills West Walk 2F 6-10-3 Roppongi
Minato-ku
Tokyo
106-0032

T: 03-3470-6221

Shop & Explore Alexander McQueen:  http://bit.ly/10J8aeH

Trends From the 12th Annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show

Interior Designer Antony Todd's Scoop on the Show's Hottest Home Innovations

 
[New York], March 31, 2013 - It's the mecca of inspiration for the home...and we caught up with interior designer Antony Todd for some of his favorite finds....

"I think what I found so special this year about the show is how many artisans are here showing their products. Be it more sort of authentic design or whether is something let's say high-geared and technical like Jenn-Air. It's a wonderful mix of form and function all mixed into one, These kitchen appliances look more like luxury design pieces," says Todd.



Jenn-Air General manager, Steve Brown tells us, "The brand has always been a pioneer in advanced ventilation systems. From the introductions of the first down draft cook tops to parametric ventilation, which hangs on your wall like a flatscreen TV to our latest the Accolade. It's beautifully handcrafted in stainless steel and glass and it's got this beautiful curved shape so when it comes up it puts the ventilation power closer to the actual source of the cooking. Not only is it very efficient but its also beautiful and sculptural on your countertop and then with a press of a button when you're not using it, it just elegantly disappears into the countertop."
Brown also talks about their latest in steam ovens..."It's self-contained so it doesn't need a water line running to it. Cooks fish and vegetables beautifully but its also a traditional convection over so you can do roasts in there as well. So its like a supplemental oven to your main one. It also has functions for bread proofing and even a function for making your own yogurt at home."

Todd's other favorite hot spots, furniture company...Karkula. "I think their style is good, it's still contemporary but classical and therefore has a timeless appeal to it."

And good lighting Todd says is one of the most important touches in a home...and one of his favroties is Fiyel Levent Atelier. "It's the key to everything it makes people look good. It lights, it personifies beauty. I mean lighting I think is the key to any design, " says Todd

But the finishing touch to any home...great textiles. Todd likes Hiro Kota Kata, "They have a beautiful sense of textiles that are so soft and so manageable. People are really living and breathing, and loving the work."

For more information please visit:antonytodd.com
www.archdigesthomeshow.com
www.facebook.com/ADHomeDesignShow

Opens Sunday! Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light

Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light
March 10-June 24, 2013
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Third Floor
The Museum of Modern Art | 11 West 53 Street | New York, NY 10019

[New York], March 9, 2013 - The first solo exhibition on Labrouste in the United States, "Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light" establishes his work as a milestone in the modern evolution of architecture.

Labrouste made an invaluable impact on 19th-century architecture through his exploration of new paradigms of space, materials, and luminosity in places of great public assembly. The exhibition highlights his two magisterial glass-and-iron reading rooms in Paris-the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève (1838-50) and the Bibliothèque nationale (1859-75)-which gave form to the idea of the modern library as a temple of knowledge and as a space for contemplation.

Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light presents a monographic portrait of the architect's voyage of discovery and invention of a challenging new language of architecture within a larger investigation of his influence-from the work of his direct pupils to later architectural masters, including Auguste Perret, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Pier Luigi Nervi. The exhibition includes over 200 works, including models, drawings, period and contemporary photographs, and film projections.

Purchase the exhibition catalogue Edited by Barry Bergdoll, Corinne Belier, and Marc le Coeur, With Essays by NeilLevine, David Zanten, Martin Bressani, 2013 at MoMA Store: http://www.moma.org~

The exhibition is organized by Barry Bergdoll, The Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art; Corinne Bélier, Chief Curator, Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine; and Marc Le Cœur, art historian, Bibliothèque nationale de France, département des Estampes et de la photographie.

Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light is presented by MoMA, the Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, with the participation of the Académie d'architecture and the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève.

For more information please visit MoMA - http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1319