inFASH - Thailand Institute of Fashion Research
Color Trends
fall/winter 2010/2011, spring/summer 2011


Country cultures are the sources for global color trends

In September 2009, the Bangkok based Thailand Institute of Fashion Research (inFASH) presented the color trends for the fashion and textile industries as well as furniture, home décor etc. fall/winter 2010/2011 and spring/summer 2011 which had been developed by color trend experts from European and Asian countries at Intercolor, the world congress of trends in France during June 2009.

"What are the next big Trends? This is not just the question to get dressed in trend. But trend information is highly essential for designers and manufacturers to deliver the right products to target customers, at the right time," told Pradit Ratanawijitrasilp, Executive Director of Thailand Institute of Fashion Research an audience at the Infash Forward Trend Seminar.

Each attending country has brought its own culture into the trends for the next years:

"... our research team worked closely with several design and educational institutes, trade associations, local brand owners and manufacturers to identify Thailand’s exact trends. The process involved more than 50 local trend research specialists, and took about one year before proposing the findings to Intercolor Committee for final review and endorsement," says Pradit Ratanawijitrasilp.

fig.: Screenshot from the website of Infashion, Thailand Institute of Fashion Research www.infash.rmutk.ac.th, 2009. Infash was founded to develop, research and integrate academic fashion and textile knowledge into industry know-how.

The global platform 'Intercolor' researches and develops new colors. The interdisciplinary group of color experts come from 14 European and Asian countries. The experts represent national associations and/or major global players of the textile, fashion and consumer good industry.

How the group is perceiving the look into the future of colors becomes clear by reading the intro of spring/summer 2011: at first the experts are researching the world of the consumers, their lifestyle and needs, and then they are painting the impression into color worlds that harmonize mostly with the demands of the consumers.

Spring/Summer 2011:

The season is the time of forward looking and exploration of a better world. It also denotes extreme contrast between two attitudes: Closed, or Controlled world of living, and an Open one. Closed consumers demand products and environment that can be controllable, while Open consumers tends to act on impulse, inspirations and virtual reality. Closed is all about craftsmanship, impressive experiences and intellectual beauty that can be reflected through earthy pastels such as Soft Beige, Pale Pink and Glorious Brown, which are ideal tones for feminine use. For masculine use, interracial skin tones like Beige and Brown are still important.

In addition to the feeling of Closed in color and texture, the current concern for the management of natural resources — the need to preserve and reserve — remains uppermost in many minds. This means no more disposable materials, but fabrics with sense of durability and environmental awareness. Cooler and paler tones like Charcoal Grey, Earthy Grey, Moss Green, Degraded Pink and Cloudy Blue are destined for feminine use, while stronger antique tones like Cool Grey, Dried Moss Green and Cloudy Blue are perfect for masculine use.

In the season, consumers with Open attitude seek for inspirations and virtual reality. All futuristic, imaginative and newly invented color palettes are pervasive with the help of new technology such as electrode, LED and CG. The colors in this palette are Impulsive Red, Golden Orange, Exciting Mint, Electric Grey, Coin Silver, Vibrant Lemon, and also twinkle Blue.

On the other side of Open, virtual pastels like Plastic Pink, MSN Lime and Stratosphere Blue are commonly used.

Autumn/Winter 2010/2011:

The season stresses the contrast between ‘makeup’ and ‘demakeup’ moods and tones in the market. This is dominated by three color palettes including Cream, Mysterious Dark and Activation.

Cream: This palette reflects tranquility, peacefulness and stillness, and contains interracial skin tones, as a result of cross-continent human migrations, as well as undertone, pale, foggy and smoky shades. Pale Grey and Champaign Beige, for example, are ideally suitable for menswear, while feminine looks enjoy pale, non-shiny tones and materials. Double layered fabrics are important in the season. For sportswear, it should be more practical and casual for daily use, featuring chromatic hues on multi- dimensional lightweight fabrics. Main target consumers of this color palette include environment-conscious persons and those seeking seclusion and individual peace.

Mysterious Dark: This winter-inspired color palette plays an important role throughout the season. It carries Deep Blue, Dark Grey and Extreme Brown with Red as accent. Metal glossy materials are also recommended. Menswear enjoys an unconventional contrast in material textures with shadow strikes, giving sharp and strong feeling of masculinity. Fabrics with compact velvet touch can be cotton and wool. For women, it is all about fancy and emotional superlative tones like Black, Grey and Aging Metallic Green brought by printed and degraded materials. Sportswear in this season comes with the needs for extreme sports. Unique functions such as climate control, UV protection, and possibly more within lightweight and even more skin-friendly textures, are highly essential. The season’s favorite tones encompass High Chroma and Dark Grey, for example.

Activation: This palette speaks of movement and transition, and is largely expressed through dual tones such as Burned Orange with Red accent and Grey with Pink accent. Menswear experiments more with casual and unconventional combinations such as Yellow-Orange, Grey-Bluish Grey and Red-Beige, and with materials such as bi-component fibers, high-tech non-woven and two-toned fabrics. Women want to try more sophisticated hues with balance of color combinations, while sportswear is no longer attached to dark tones, but do more with highly visible multicolor complements.

The Intercolor Trend Book with full insights and trends information will be available in October 2009. For more information contact www.infash.rmutk.ac.th or visit the Intercolor website at www.intercolor.nu. 


more collections>>>