Pantone Fall 2013 Fashion Color Report

A few weeks ago we took a look at Pantone's Color of the Year. Now let's dive into their full Fall 2013 Fashion Color Report! As usual, the new color report has me itching to try out some new color palettes!

"With the changing season, the greens from spring evolve and develop. Multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate, bringing luxury and elegance to the palette, while yellow-toned Linden Green brings a lightness and brightness to the deeper shades of fall. Try pairing both with Mykonos Blue, a bold, meditative blue, for a classic and relaxed fall look.

Exotic Acai adds mystery and richness to the palette, and can be incorporated with the other colors to create a number of powerful fall combinations. Pair the elegant shade of purple with Emerald for a regal disposition, or spirited Samba red for an expressive and dramatic look. Koi, a decorative orange with dazzling and shimmering qualities, is a statement color that serves as a pick-me-up for your wardrobe. Vivacious, an unruly and wildly deep fuchsia, adds an ebullient sensuality to the palette.

Pair Vivacious with anchoring Deep Lichen Green, a naturally lush shade of green, for a dynamic juxtaposition that captures both ends of the seasonal spectrum. Rounding out this season's cornerstone colors, Turbulence, a dark mercurial gray, and Carafe, a rich, glamorous brown, provide more interesting and sophisticated alternatives to the black basics usually worn in colder months. Both staple neutrals pair gracefully with more expressive colors within the palette, such as Samba, Koi and Vivacious."

On of my favorite parts of every fashion color report from Pantone is the insight it gives us into the inspiration and design process of the fashion industry's top couture creators. Below are a a handful of the ensembles that include the colors in this latest report, and a few words from each designer about what inspired their concept.


inspiration "The masters of Chiaroscuro and how they manipulate and create dimension between light and dark. That contrast for me – either done subtly or bolder – is a very interesting use of color."		inspiration "The opulence in nature. There is something mysteriously beautiful the way nature expresses emotions visually. Shapes, textures and graphics in the wild are couture-like creations that translate into this season's palette."


inspiration "A 1924 portrait of Peggy Guggenheim by Man Ray."		inspiration "The film The Labyrinth — the whimsical nature of the movie and colors used."


inspiration "The art world, specifically the visionary influences of the first third of the 20th century – the Dadaists and the Bauhaus."		inspiration "My recent trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia – it is truly a regal city that was wonderful to visit."