Selecting colours – or, more
specifically, the right colours for a
particular season – is crucial in the
fashion industry and can mean the
difference between success and
failure in terms of a label’s image and
sales. Fashion designers will often
visit their suppliers to discuss colours
for the coming season and will work
closely with their textile partners to develop ‘lab dips’ and ‘strike-offs’ for
printed textiles. Additionally, the
global fashion industry is served by a
network of trend and fashion
forecasting companies that provide
detailed colour analysis, colour
direction and market-trend research
for fashion and interiors up to two
years in advance of the selling
season. Companies such as Trendstop, Peclers, Li Edelkoort for
Trend Union and Promostyl, among
others, are well-respected authorities
on colour, each producing a variety
of specialist reports for their fashion
clients. They also employ fashion-
orientated illustrators who contribute
to their publications with hand-drawn
illustrations alongside CAD artwork
and colour presentation flats.