On deciding the season’s colour palette...
“I sincerely feel that colour is an expression of self and a way of communicating thoughts and emotions. It is considered one of the most sophisticated tools of seduction. Our predictions start as early as two years before the concerned season and a palette is established for both casual wear and couture. We have affiliations with leading stores in the fashion capitals like Paris, Milan, New York and London, to keep track of preferences in clothes and lifestyle products. Leading interior designers contribute their views on what they think the emerging trends are. Environmental issues affecting the world also help determine colours. Since global warming is a predominant issue now, we have involved green as an important part of our palette. People’s lifestyles all over the world are taken into account as well. Each colour represents a feeling and in today’s stressful world, people are striving to cope through meditation and yoga; hence white, which symbolises tranquillity, is an imperative part of the colour card. Finally, my personal thoughts and ideas on what I think should be included, is considered. This is then presented at the International Colour Committie (where 18 other countries are members), where others like me also put forward their cards and we eventually come to a common consensus. It is surprising to see how much we all have in common in terms of our predictions.

“After coming to an unanimous decision on the colours that will dominate the season, we forward them to various design institutions and textile exhibitors as well as leading designers. The word eventually spreads and this is utilised as a guideline all over the world.”