Trend watchers see colors ranging from lilac mauve to cool olive in 2009, with purple most prevalent, and patterns varying from groovy psychedelic to crisp country. Metallics and neutrals are still in, but soft contemporary is out, and “Love That Pink” is a new banner color.
During her Trendwatch Live! seminar at Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market, Michelle Lamb examined emerging trends in the fashion and furniture worlds. Lamb, co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc., senior editor of The Trend Curve and contributor to Accessory Merchandising, incorporated many colorful images into her presentation—some were up-to-the minute photographs from the Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market—which showed both runway fashions and home décor.
“Our palette in 2009 represents a turning point for color,” said Lamb. “It makes a bold statement and says, ‘Look at me!’”
2009's COLOR PALETTES
Lamb highlighted six color palettes and noted the returning importance of the color purple.
Porcelain Pales: “Even though these are the palest of the 2009 forecast, they are still much more saturated than any pastels we’ve seen in five years,” said Lamb, adding that one of the most significant pale colors will be lemon mist.
Porcelain pales.
A rich pattern of saturated brights.
Mythological Mid-Values.
“Lemon mist is influenced deeply by grey and green, so it’s a little bit edgy and a little bit complex at the same time. That’s an unusual combination that’s going to make this color one of the most popular in the 2009 forecast.”
Natural Mid-values These “prove that complex colors are not necessarily sleepy ones,” said Lamb. These colors include washed denim that will have “undertones of red” as well as lilac mauve.
Mythological Mid-values Lavish and richly saturated colors. “Each one of these looks like it could be an historic version of some centuries old color,” said Lamb.
Tranquil Deeps are the most saturated range of colors in the 2009 forecast. “Cool olive leans towards country green,” said Lamb of one of these deep colors. “This is a tone that allows it to partner with navy and crimson red in a nod to retro-80’s combinations that does not necessarily mean that we will repeat 1980s patterns.”
Primary School, provides “contrasting energy.” One of these colors, laser lime, has a variety of uses. “Regardless of the hue, the value or the saturation, there are few colors that cannot be paired with this tangy green,” said Lamb. “Think about using it anytime you need to give color a lift.”
Glossy Brights "The most flamboyant palette,” said Lamb. “A palette that suggests neons without the extreme intensity.” The pink in this palette, Love That Pink, is “as clear and specific a color as you can get.” Lamb calls it the standard-bearer of the color group.
“There is plenty of variety in the six palettes that we forecast for 2009,” she said. “All of them will be required because of the diversity of trends in the forecast.” The most important color of the upcoming season: purple. “We’ve seen purple before: in 1999 anything purple was hot,” she said. “A decade later, purple is coming back again. This time on the red side rather than on the blue side, and with much more appeal.”
Lamb expects red and blue to be important colors in the next 30 months, but throughout that time, purple will reign supreme. “Purple stands at the convergences of these blue and red families,” she said. “It’s going to act first as a bridge between blue and red and ultimately will replace both of them.”
Lamb expects purple to be seen in all hues, from pale to saturated; and in all walks of life. The color will range from casual and relaxed to the most luxurious of shades.
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