Standing side on in front of a wall of pretty flowers in full bloom – her hair swept back, her face fresh – she stands out from the pastel playground because of a dress in a solid hue of bright and daring. The colour is vibrant and lively, just like her, and the way the dress sweeps up and over her shoulders before cascading down her back, in large and captivating ripples, reinforces the notion that this colour is indeed sophisticated and luxurious. The image is the cover of February Vogue; the woman is Naomi Watts; and the colour she wears is emerald green.
Globally renowned professional colour-charters Pantone have named the verdant hue its 2013 Colour of the Year. It’s a task they’ve done for more than a decade, and it’s their selection of a particular colour that has the power to yield a relevance in both product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, graphic design, home interiors, industrial design and product packaging.
Hot on the heels of 2012’s punchy pop hue Tangerine Tango, Emerald Green (or the catchy PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald) is set to inspire insightfulness, balance and harmony as Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute explains. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally-appearing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.” And judging by last year’s colour saturation on Pinterest, it’s one that will translate easily to the digital world too.
Pantone’s colour prediction of last year saw an orange infiltration on the runway from Charlotte Ronson and Tommy Hilfiger to Peter Som and Alexander McQueen. This year will be no different. We’ve already seen the green all over the spring runways at Sportmax, Gucci, Zac Posen, Burberry and Kenzo.
From left: Charlotte Ronson, Tommy Hilfiger, Peter Som, Derek Lam
From left: Sportmax, Gucci, Zac Posen, Burberry, and Kenzo.
Beauty wise, prepare to indulge in a little of the magic green on your lids with the likes of NARS shadows or, opt for a striking yet still subtle swish of liner. While a slick of lipstick was easy in 2012, this time around it’s all about being eye-catching. Eiseman shares this fun fact with us: “The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green that any other colour.”
So don’t be green with envy, because in 2013 it’s easy being green.
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