2009 SS COLOR FORECAST

REFERENCE
Spring 2009 Fashion Color Palette






Each season, Pantone surveys designers showing at New York Fashion Week to collect feedback on prominent collection colors, color inspiration, color philosophy and each designer's signature shade.


The result is the Pantone Fashion Color Report, which this season reveals a colorful, optimistic Spring 2009 filled with vibrant pops of color set against deeper, translucent neutral tones.


Blue & purple lead the top 10 hues for spring '09, rounded out by lush greens which evoke a sense of renewal and a fresh start. Sophisticated neutrals ground the overall palette, providing visual stability in an economic climate that is anything. "New York's fashion designers encourage hopeful attitudes with lively colors, while sophisticated, grounded hues address the need for stability in times of economic uncertainty," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.


The Top 10 Spring 2009 colors for women are:

PANTONE 18-4043 Palace Blue
PANTONE 15-3817 Lavender
PANTONE 14-0754 Super Lemon
PANTONE 15-1626 Salmon Rose
PANTONE 18-2328 Fuchsia Red
PANTONE 14-1307 Rose Dust
PANTONE 16-5804 Slate Gray
PANTONE 16-6339 Vibrant Green
PANTONE 16-0435 Dark Citron
PANTONE 14-5714 Lucite Green

Colors tend to evolve from season to season, and the blues which dominated Fall 2008 are now being expressed as spring's Palace Blue, a navy with some added sparkle which pairs easily with the entire palette; fall's rich purple has morphed into Lavender...lighter, more summery, and even a touch mystical.

The fun, optimistic characteristics of yellow continue to make it an important hue, especially as tangy & luminous Super Lemon which is not only eyecatching, but cheery. Subtle, summery orange'ish Salmon Rose is not only friendly and approachable, but also flatters most complexions, and blue-toned Fuchsia Red adds classic, sensual elegance both to clothing and cosmetics - like lipstick and nail polish. Subtle rose tones result in a sexy, dimensional neutral in Rose Beige, while cool Slate Gray has bluish-green undertones which creates a nuanced neutral for the other 9 colors. Green perpetuates freshness and renewal in the form of Vibrant Green, a quintessential spring shade; calm and somewhat serious Dark Citron; and Reflective Lucite Green for a dash of clean, subtle shimmer.