THE IMPORTANCE OF COLOR FORECASTING
In CMG’s words, “You live in color and so do we. Its influences are everywhere, the environment, social issues, changing political climates—they all impact color in one industry, which has a reverberating effect on another. We believe the only way to stay competitive within such constant change is by harnessing each other’s endless flow of knowledge and understanding.”
Leatrice Eiseman kicked off this year’s conference with a quote by John Ruskin: “The purest, most thoughtful minds are those that love color the most.” Lea, a color specialist, has been called “the international color guru.” In fact, her color expertise is recognized worldwide, especially as she’s a prime consultant to Pantone and director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information & Training. Everyone always enjoys her presentations as she has her eye on color every day.
After Lea’s inspiring introduction, each of the four main areas of the world that participate in color forecasting (Latin America, Europe, North America, and the Asian Pacific) presented their concise palette of 16 color directions from their individual ChromaZone Workshops. These color stories come complete with descriptive commentary and creative video to illustrate the reasons and the social consciousness behind their selections, a segment that is always interesting, informative, and illuminating.
NEW COLOR STORIES FOR A CHANGING WORLD
As an example of these color stories, the Asian Pacific contingent presented one called “Safe Harbor,” and here is part of their thought process behind it:
“The quality of the global environment needs improvement: clean, fresh air, sunlight, and the feeling of space and safety. The notion of sustainability and responsibility will become key drivers. Countries will become more self-reliant on basic products with an emphasis on home-based manufacturing.
This color story emphasizes how the value of our personal environment will change. Interior design and the use of natural colors will transform our home into a safe, warm harbor. We want to stay away from the hustle and bustle to find our own source of natural environment for moments of inspiration. By bringing nature home, or adding elements from faraway sites, we will replicate travel experiences without the need to travel. Tourism will need to be reinvented. With less trust in mass gatherings, the new luxury will be space and privacy.
More people will grow their own produce in the backyard or on a porch, balcony, or even the windowsill. This will promote clean, fresh air to breathe inside private spaces, creating comfort and a healthier environment. Our living spaces will yearn to have an outdoor escape.
Family life and connections will be crucial for the health and happiness of the whole family. Entertaining at home will increase demand for high-quality products such as tableware, glassware, and linens, while kitchens will be truly the heart of the home.
As online communications remain strong, we will place additional value on handmade objects that provide textures of sensual experiences. Our purchasing decisions will shift to consider the core value of an object’s functionality and lasting qualities. There will be less empathy with a throwaway society.”
This is just one sample of many color stories from each region. At the international summit it is all presented and then tied together for a World Color Forecast featuring 12 key colors.
We saw many themes carrying forward from last year into the global presentations, such as sustainability, but also the pandemic has brought great uncertainty and, with that, a shift to more optimistic yellow tones than ever before, as we look toward happier times and a more hopeful future. With names like Hope, Comfort and Sunny Side Up, we see the need for yellow palettes in our lives. Most yellows are saturated, warmer or muted tones of pale yellow still with some contamination of orange.
We’re also seeing saturated colors balanced with pale ones as we move from darkness to light. We look at what is essential while facing the duality of fear and hope, struggle versus comfort
