For those of you that may not know, Pantone® – a company that supplies process colors and is the standard for color with their PMS™ (Pantone Matching System™) – comes out with a “Color of the Year” each year. And, for 2014 that color is “Radiant Orchid.” Check it out here. To be exact it’s 18-3224, just in case you wanted to get out your Pantone® chips and swatches! (Incidentally, if you don’t have them, you can get them here). This is what they have to say about this fabulous color: “…blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple— one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple, and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love, and health.”
According to the press release, Pantone® “combs the world” looking for trends and color influences to carefully consider what should be the color of the year. They’ve been doing this for the last thirteen years.
Pantone’s color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid
Now, you can imagine my excitement at this selection since the Pet Fashion Almanac 2014 cover was designed with a variation of this hue. It’s wonderful when things happen serendipitously like that!
But, what does this mean for the pet fashion world? Well, expect to see a lot more with orchid and variations of it in the coming months and over the next year. As soon as Emerald was announced as the color of the year for 2013, a barrage of all things Emerald was on the market. Look for coats, outfits, accessories, booties, upholstery, and even doggie poop bags to come out with Radiant Orchid™ incorporated. And, if you’re a designer, this is your chance to keep up with this trend and weave this into your offerings.
So, what if you already have your line mapped out and you need to bring this tone in subtly? Here are some color pairings to think about.
A really deep purple will pair with sand tones, darker military greens, and navy blue. Incidentally navy blue, white, and avocado will be fabulous with a deep, dark plum. Look for navy blue to be paired with the color of the year quite a bit. Eggplant, navy blue, and deep forest greens will be smart together, but you may want to mix it up with a little off-white added into the mix.
Add violet to accent pieces that are primarily black, white, or gray. Gray tones will also work well with Radiant Orchid™ as well as oranges, blues and greens, shades of white, and, for the bold at heart, a punch of metallics, yellows or reds! You almost can’t go wrong with this color since it has the tones of pink, purple, and fuchsia. It needs to be either the bold standout or the understated accent though – no in between.
I can’t wait to go to the shows this year and see the incorporation of this color of the year. Radiant Orchid™ will have a lot to do with how pet fashions are designed over the next year!
