Black, White and Red

This season’s colour scheme is black, white and red. I make that statement confidently because the importance of these colours has been reaching me by every avenue that has led to accurate trends in the past. While it’s been said that I have a colour aptitude, the first signs of any new trend come to me as a feeling that I confirm through outside sources. I wonder if that’s true for others?

This one began with a desire for new black and white art in my residence. The four large black ash frames with gold filets contained dark etchings and I wanted to lighten up the room with line drawings. After a search through the art available to license for reproduction, I discovered that the Matisse oeuvre included charming sketches.

It was difficult to find four images that worked together and I ended up having to turn two of the frames to a horizontal orientation. Happily, that fit my wall spaces perfectly as the wall to the right of the door is wider than the left. Working with the printer’s technician, we evened the colours of the high-resolution images, calculated each image size to fit the frames, chose a paper traditionally used for etchings and they were printed.

That led to making new drapes to integrate the art into the room. This crisp black and white semi sheer fabric from Primavera is double-width polyester that looks for all the world like sheer linen. The newly designed wall carries the black and white theme of my bedroom, there accented with lavender grey, into the living room, tipping the entire suite’s scheme into predominantly black and white. Strong and pure. I have just changed the oyster wool drapes over the terrace window to matching sheer ‘linen’!

The sign that red is important came clear to me through a determination to add a red blouse to the wardrobe. I chose a silk satin one from Hale Bob that has the elasticized gathered neckline that can be worn on or off shoulder, carrying it from day to night, with a sedate little ruffle around the sleeve, just where I love having a sleeve accent. Have you noticed that Fashion has turned a lot of attention to sleeve details?

Then I pulled out my Akris red coat and dress and wore it to the next occasion. Heirloom necklaces and red heels on the classic Tanya Heath black microfiber boot brought the outfit into our title scheme. I love these boots (on my third replacement) that make every dress work like a charm especially when you can change the heels to colour-match. One and done with extra coordinating fun.

A solid colour confirmation came in the predominance of black and white in the marketing materials of luxury furniture brand Covet House. White on white rooms have been important, as covered in posts right here. Black accents work really well with white rooms.

The holiday season’s call for red decorations can be as simple as a vase of lipstick red roses or a cluster of poinsettias at the hearth.

The world fashion houses are top sources of design trend confirmation. Dolce et Gabbana’s store around the corner is showing all black, white and red products. When I saw that I knew it was a true trend. Prada confirmed the Harlequin trend, but they changed their displays from black white and red to all gold before I could snap a shot.

My first position in fashion was fashion coordinator with the Wool Bureau. They subscribed to colour information from two international industry colour reports and official reports on the couture shows. Working with those and watching the whole world blossom into the important colours at the same time led to the earnest question, “Where do the colour trends come from?”
Creative people tune into the same colours at the same time, without reading a report. The reports confirm what we FEEL. I greatly suspect they have to do with planetary alignments.

Lastly there is the strange attraction I have had this November to watch Joan Collins films like Sins, where she and Marisa Berenson wear red like the Divas they are. Red is the quintessential Diva colour. It is also the Christmas colour and winter season celebration colour in general. So, I figure that wearing red with black and white and accenting my black and white rooms with red is in perfect alignment with just about everything, so full steam ahead!

I feel tremendous pressure about the importance of the colour red right now. Do you feel it too? Let’s put on red lipstick, put on a red outfit and turn heads! Not that you need my encouragement!