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If you've ever wondered who comes up with the color palettes that influence everything from automobiles to razor blades to upholstery fabric to ready-to-wear, the credit cannot go to one person but instead, to an entire nation of consumers—make that an entire world of them. Hence, the myriad of cultural and social change, fashion and trends, and psycho-sociological aspects of color. In a technologically advanced society, where information is distributed, and often discarded, in moments, finding and forecasting color is often baffling and bewildering, even to the savviest of fashion soothsayers.
Enter Leatrice Eiseman, a color specialist sometimes referred to as "the international color guru." Those who follow runway shows know of Eiseman's work as executive director with the Pantone Color Institute, which develops new colors and color palettes for nearly all types of industrial and consumer goods.
Her company, Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training, Bainbridge Island, Washington, works with companies ranging from entrepreneurial one-person start-ups to large corporations, who look to her for the best choices of color for "product development, logos and identification, brand imaging, web sites, packaging, point-of-purchase, interior and exterior designs, and any application where color choice is critical to the success of the product or environment."
Others may know Eiseman from her six books, including the most recent Color Answer Book and More Alive with Color, both from Capital Books. Named among the top 50 stylemakers (number 13 for 2006) by Home Furnishings Now, Eiseman also has been included in top lists for Forbes and Color Marketing Group. Eiseman holds a degree in psychology from Antioch and an advanced studies and counseling specialist certificate from UCLA. She studied and taught in both fashion and interior design and is a member of the international forecasting group for Pantone View Color Planner.
Recently, Eiseman spoke to a group of 150 fashion industry executives at Fashion Group International. She told them that, during a meeting of international color planners, she showed up with her color trends/boards, which held a striking similarity to those from color specialists in other countries—none of whom had ever even spoken with each other or compared notes ahead of time.
Eiseman believes color is an integral part of any industry. Her expertise isn't just for women's consumer goods. She recently developed new colors for men's razors and even got an award for a new line of colorful Leatherman utility tools called "Juice." When we recently spoke with Eiseman, here's what else she had to say.
How are the colors that appeal to the more affluent consumer different from those of the general consumer population?
Eiseman: There's always been a basic belief that the lower socioeconomic groups of consumers prefer brighter colors and that the higher one goes up the economic scale, the more subtle the color becomes. But those adages really have gone right out the window. High-end designer companies such as Versace, Hermes, and Missoni are using color of all shades to great abandon. It's simplistic and just not realistic to peg a color palette to any type of consumer group. We have found in our Pantone consumer research that these "rules" just don't hold up today. Although it is true that wealthier, educated consumers have a more sophisticated awareness of color, due to their reading and exposure to the latest books and the fact they can afford and work with interior designers.
At the same time, the new media technology has opened up color experiences to a broader audience of all economic levels. TV is filled with programs that tout designer makeovers or home interiors. Whether it's the Internet or a shopping channel, color information is disseminated and out there for all consumers, even those who only purchase in lower price points. Partly because of this, we are experiencing mass luxury, former high-end concepts adapted to a broader market, such as what Target is doing. However, in areas like the barrios of Los Angeles, where new immigrants set up homes, you find many of them bringing along color palettes that originated in their home countries, sort of a comfort level in a new land. Often, these colors become absorbed into our culture.
How are interior and home furnishing trends relating now to fashion and accessories trends?
Eiseman: There are many preconceived rules about color that no longer have any basis in fact. The interior and home furnishings industry used to be about six to eight years behind the fashion industry. That isn't true anymore. If there's a six-month lag, that's a lot. There is a quick crossover of color trends between home and fashion. You see home furnishings fabrics and trends on the runways as well. For 2007, especially fall, there are many jacquard and woven designs slated for ready-to-wear that come directly from the decorative fabrics market.
We can see bright colors sparkling in the accessories market and even now in the home accessories categories. But sometimes consumers feel that these colors get tired, especially after two years, even in their homes. People now are using paint as a home accessory, changing even one wall color to renew a room. Humans have a need for color.
We have seen many more browns and warmer colors being used in jewelry. Why have these colors emerged?
Eiseman: I like to say that there is a "Starbucks" effect going on, and not because I'm from the Seattle area. But what has happened with coffee—from being a pedestrian drink to a gourmet experience—has spilled over into other areas. When we used to ask consumers what they thought of when they see particular colors, we would get words like, dirty, mud, and even dirt, when they judged browns. Now, especially in younger generations, you hear things like rich, earth, strong. Brown has been associated with masculine concepts and often had negative connotations. That has changed.
As consumers become more aware of the use of color and start paying more attention, you realize how important browns are in everyday life. Take leather goods. Brown also is the color of most furniture. When you point out these examples to consumers who say they hate brown, you start seeing a change. Brown has gone from being a dirty color to being one that is evolving into quality. Look at the brown diamonds that have been popular. I now wear one, when 20 years ago, I wouldn't have even thought of it. To show you the extent that brown has evolved, I recently heard of a nursery that is developing brown or "chocolate" flowers.
What about green, which has been one of the best-selling gemstone colors in the last two years? Why do consumers like and buy green?
Eiseman: When we look at the psychology of color, much of what we find in our Pantone research of consumers, green continues to connect directly to nature. Midtone greens, in particular, are popular. Consumers are responding more strongly to nature because our technologically-rapid lifestyles in a crazy world make them think of calmer environments. Interestingly, there is the "green movement" that sees the green, ecologically conscious consumer goods as a good thing. This has raised the population's consciousness about green, and they are more attracted to the color and the environmental consciousness behind it.
In your latest book, More Alive with Color, you updated your previous book, Alive with Color. Why did you choose to update it now, and how do you address personal style?
Eiseman: I updated my book, Alive with Color, which originally came out in 1983 during the whole color theory period in the late '70s and early '80s, the time of "color seasons." One of the reasons those theories took hold was that consumers were beginning to be exposed to even more types of color, and women were moving up in the job market and dressing correct was important. I think we are in a similar time now. There is so much color information out there, it's overwhelming. We have found that consumers don't like color "dogmas." They want the colors that are best for them. I emphasize personal style, and help readers to understand and evaluate themselves. It's important to take into account such things as hair color, skin color, and eye color, and to develop a color palette that flatters you, whether it's in your home or your body.
I developed three "color times": sunrise, sunlight, and sunset. Each relates to a time of the day, whether it be the colors one is drawn to at the zenith of the day, or the fading colors of the sunset. This can be adapted to a change of age, a change of hair color, or even a change of location. The way you want to look and feel in Miami is much different than it is in Seattle. The palettes and the combinations I came up with are appropriate for anyone. The book helps you choose colors that really are personal. It is interesting that children have no problem in choosing color for themselves. They are free and uninhibited. But adults become very analytical and self-conscious and often choose colors because of what a friend suggests. Your friend, no matter how wonderful, cannot tell you how you feel or what you see.
With the popularity of color in fine jewelry, many in the industry push what they call the "in" color of the season. Is this a good strategy?
Eiseman: It's a double-edged sword. While you are sure to introduce a consumer to a new gemstone color that she may have never seen before, you have to remember that no woman totally purchases only because of trends and fashions. Women know that they come and go. Fine jewelry is a big ticket item. This goes back to my color theory on personal color, something that is particularly apparent in jewelry. When buying a stone, the consumer often goes back to his or her own classic colors, something that says who you are, such as I address in my book. It's not a good idea to push a new color onto a consumer when you know she has her own personal preferences. However, using combinations of color, such as amethyst and citrine, allows you to introduce new stones to her, while still giving her the favorite classics she really buys.
author: BY JEFF PRINE, FASHION DIRECTOR