PARIS — What colors will be hot this summer? Color forecaster Pantone and French technology company Heuritech expect Lion Brown to be a rising trend, both in Europe and the U.S.
The companies forged a partnership last year, combining Heuritech’s artificial intelligence-based forecasting methods with Pantone’s color expertise, to draw up reports and advise clients in fashion and design.
In a webinar Tuesday, companies zeroed in on brown, on the rise by 6 percent in Europe and 5 percent in the U.S., according to their analysis of Instagram posts and identified catwalk trends for the season.
“Since this is a neutral color, it makes sense that the dynamics of this trend by summer ’21 are quite stable compared to last year, as neutral colors tend to have a timeless appeal and are less volatile,” said Julie Pont, fashion and creative director of Heuritech.
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The color, which is notably employed by timeless luxury labels like Lemaire, Jil Sander, The Row and Proenza Schouler, is also popular because it provides as sense of grounding during turbulent times, said the authors of the study.
Brighter colors on the rise include a hot pink called Rouge Red — edgy in Europe and trendy in the U.S. — and a bright orange named Puffin’s Bill, steady in both regions. A cool, muted shade of lavender — more mainstream in the U.S. and trendy in Europe — is one of the more soothing colors the study noted.
The companies also singled out a psychedelic aesthetic, with trippy patterns and combinations of hot pinks and bright colors of cooler hues. “The acid trip palette also evokes a spacey, sci-fi mood that has been experiencing a resurgence in popular culture lately in film, art, music and, of course, fashion,” read the report.
“When it comes to trends, keep in mind that color is a language — trends taking place in our global culture are expressed and then reflected through this language of color,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of Pantone Color Institute.
Pantone in December announced it had named Illuminating, a yellow hue, and Ultimate Gray the 2021 Colors of the Year, a choice meant to symbolize unity, stability and hope during the pandemic.