"Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, blue iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement," Pantone gushes in the news release announcing the 2008 color of the year. "Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic. Look for it artfully combined with deeper plums, red-browns, yellow-greens, grapes and grays." At the far end of the spectrum, trendy designers are using the blacker blues. Inspired by technology, these deep, vibrant navy blues are so dark you may think they're black.
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So can a paint company truly define the fashion color of the year? Not so fast says The New York Times, which faulted Pantone for making the selection in such an unscientific way: a 5-person committee. Besides, what do they know about fashion trends? "I respect Pantone a lot, but I see them as a technical service. If Helmut Lang were to make such a projection, I would listen," Micha Riss, the creative director of Flying Machine, a branding and design firm in New York, told Times fashion reporter Cathy Horyn. While most designers avoid making such a bold prediction of a single color of the year for its obvious shortcomings, Alber Elbaz, the designer at Lanvin, told the Times that such a forecast is for the mass market so retailers have enough blue sweaters in stock next winter.
Still, the Times points out that Pantone may be on to something, despite the doubts of the haute-couture crowd. Starting in 2007, the runways have been replete with blue--dresses, gowns, pantsuits and floral prints. Dolce & Gabbana even called its new fragrance Light Blue, while the advertising and marketing company JWT named blue one of the top 10 trends for 2008, calling it the new green.
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