Blue is not a simple blue and green isn’t a simple green. You can’t get away with navy, royal, indigo and sky variations of blue or a bottle, olive, leaf, mint green descriptions either. Try and figure out the difference between Riverside and Airy blues or Warm Taupe and Lush Meadow green. These are among Pantone’s top 10 colours for Fall 2016.
The jewel tones, from emerald greens to ruby reds will never go out of vogue in India, and certainly not during the festive season. But there’s a much wider colour palette that weavers and designers are working with. Khadi, ikats and malkha fabrics in onion pinks, sea green, chocolate browns and yellows are cases in point.
A sneak peak into Fall and festive collections rolled out by designers show a riot of colours. Anita Dongre’s festive-bridal line unveiled at Indian Couture Week is an ode to Jaipur, complete with gotapatti appliqué work, in variants of deep pinks, purples, mustard yellow and gold tones. Marsala, powder pink and fuchsia are among the colours Hyderabad’s Shriya Bhupal is working with for her Fall collection. Delicate rosette embroidery, lace dresses and saris in subtle pinks and whites find a place in Archana Rao’s collections as well.
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The acceptance for a wider colour palette has also to do with a fusion of eastern and western sensibilities that’s finding takers, says designer Aditi Bhoopal. “Brides today experiment with crop tops and dhoti pants. It’s no more just about lehengas. When you try different silhouettes in newer colours, it has a better appeal with overseas clients,” says Aditi, pointing out how leading designers roll out different collections for international markets.
The colour forecast by Pantone each year has a mix of pastels and deep tones and some of the shades work beautifully in the Indian context, says Ganesh Nallari. “Shades like plum and sea green work beautifully for Indian ensembles. An outfit in an unusual combination of turquoise and brown will look good,” he says. Of late, Ganesh has also been working with monochromes. “Instead of mixing and matching contrasting colours, which we’ve been seeing for a long time, I felt it will be good to mix colours of the same family. An ensemble in shades of olive green and a lighter green, or pink and orange with a hint of red, all of these come together well,” he explains.
Some of Pantone’s shades for Fall 2016, like the spicy mustard and Aurora red are right up the alley for ethnic Indian ensembles. Giving in to the needs of the ever burgeoning market, Indian designers have also created their own colour palettes. “Those who showcase their collections on international runways include outfits in Pantone’s colour schemes. In addition, our designers are also coming up with their own colour palette. Dusty old gold and corals are not tough to spot these days,” says Aditi.
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Pantone’s top 10 colours for Fall 2016
Riverside – blue, airy blue, sharkskin – grey, aurora red, warm taupe; dusty cedar, lush meadows, spicy mustard, potter’s clay and bodacious