Friday, February 7, 2014

Let's Get Colorful!

When I got my first department store job (Beauty Adviser at Lancome haha) I was so excited to get to see the collections of what was launching around 6 months prior to the launch date.  All the colors, the textures, and to find out before anyone else knew!!!  Oh the joy in my lil' heart!  It was like God single-handedly wanted me to be trendy!  At least that's what I thought in my 18yr old head at the time... 

Then the launch date rolled around and as I looked around at all the other counters and what they had launched, everything began to look somewhat similar.  Lancome at the time launched a blue liquid eyeliner (can't remember the name), then I noticed Estee Lauder launched a similar color in an eyeshadow, and Chanel launched it in a nail polish.  Almost all the collections were like that.  Then you walk around the corner in the store and see the same color pallet repeated in the fashion!  And I got to wondering-- HOW DO THEY KNOW!?!?  How do they know what colors are going to be "trendy" and how do they all end up on the exact same shades?  Did they all have the same dream or something!?  I was 18- forgive me.  I really just couldn't figure it out.  So-- at the risk of making my boss' at the time wonder why they hired me- I asked.  And now, all these years later, I get to share all that information with all of you beauties!  I'm sure there is somebody out there that doesn't know this yet and would appreciate this post...  

It wasn't a dream or any super-fashion power!  I found out it actually gets decided by a committee.  They get together and decide what the "colors of the season" are going to be.  One of the most influential committees is a group of 10 people, whose names are a total secret.  They meet in Europe twice a year- May and November- at the invitation of Pantone, a company based in New Jersey, whose ONLY business is color!

They meet in an all white room so everyone can very clearly see what their colleagues brought as color inspiration.  Apparently one time a committee member brought in a basket full of onions and they chopped up all the onions to show just how beautiful the color of onion is.  When I heard this, I literally laughed because the most hilarious image came to my mind.  Everyone must have had irritated eyes in that room since they chopped the onions there, and so- I literally imagined ten grown adults standing in a circle appearing to be hysterically weeping (like, ugly-cry-weeping) over the beauty of onions.  Maybe it's just me- but I find that pretty funny!  But as much as that all may sound totally ridiculous, the artist in me completely understands how inspiration can come at any point, from any where.  So bring on the onions, I guess!?

I got into this whole story to share with you the color boards of 2014!  You'll be seeing (and probably have already seen) these colors pop up EVERYWHERE!  In furniture, paint colors, fashion, accessories, in all kinds of fabrics for all kinds of things, and of course- in makeup and nail polishes!  I wanted to equip you to have your color trendiest year yet!  

Color Report for Fall/Winter 2014 


Color Report for Spring/Summer 2014



Now you know what colors are "in" this year!  It's pretty awesome to feel like you're ahead of the style game, huh?  Have a great weekend and stay colorful beauties!

Love,
Michelle


PS- See you back on Monday morning for the next "Makeup Tip Monday!"

3 comments:

  1. Ingesting indeed! I wonder if they do the same for colors of clothing??

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    1. They do!!! What happens is this committee decides the colors and then Pantone creates the dye for the shades. They release the colors (not publicly just yet) and designers call Pantone and request however much of the dye they want to color whatever fabrics they are launching in their collections. I also happen to know for a fact that certain cosmetic companies pay some big $$$ to be one the the first in the door to see the colors being launched. I'm sure there are fashion houses that do the same. Craziness!

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