Color of the Year

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle (2011 Color of the Year) is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Eiseman continues, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

Have you ever wondered where color trends originate? Some years department stores offer clothing and bed linens in nothing but brown and turquoise, and the next year we’re overwhelmed with jewel tones. These color trends go way beyond the department store, though; manufacturers of consumer electronics, household appliances, toys, and even dishes rely on the predictions of one particular company when making corporate decisions on color. That company is Pantone.

According to Pantone, these are the colors you’ll be wearing next fall: Bamboo, Emberglow, Phlox, Cedar, Deep Teal, Coffee Liqueur, Nougat, Orchid Hush, and Quarry. Why do I feel as though I’ve entered an exotic gourmet market? I wish someone would clarify if my dark brown pants qualify as Coffee Liqueur so I can continue wearing them this fall. I’d hate to be unfashionable.

Actually, Pantone represents quite a remarkable success story, and you can read more about the hows and whys of color trends in my editorial in the May 2011 issue of American Quilter magazine. AQS members will receive this issue in late March and it will be available on newsstand in April.