After what feels like an eternity of endless Brexit talk and poor weather, Summer 2019 has us yearning for something bright and positive to lift the spirits. Cue our new favourite colour, and this year’s Pantone Colour Experts shade of the year, Living Coral.
In the words of the Institute itself, “vibrant, yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.” What’s not to like? All of us welcome a technicolour hug.
The Pantone Colour Institute is the business unit within Pantone (those people that set the name and ingredients for colour and hues) that highlights top seasonal runway colors, forecasts global colour trends, and advises companies on colour for product and brand visual identity.
The coral tone in our women’s bag and accessories collection this season is accompanied by two other cheery and feminine shades, Cherry Blossom and Peony, both of which lift an outfit and bring some Summer joy, even if the weather is gloomy. We have adopted the colours for our Holly, Eliza, Cardington and Kimbolton bags and into our Little Things collection, for pleasing accents on a dreary day. They are crafted from vegetable tanned, tumbled, bridle leather. The finished effect lends for softened accessories, that do not look pristine or as though you have just jumped aboard the fashion bandwagon.
Having said that and having touched on the emotive, uplifting nature of coral, it is easy to wear too. We recommend that you pair it with blue for maximum impact. Coral is a little edgier and more energized than its pink counterparts and transcends easily from romantic to contemporary. It is reassuringly fresh and on point. You will wear and wear it this season, finding that it is also a great partner to military greens, neutral tones, creams, beiges and finally, metallics, for a cool, evening look. Coral accessories prove a fantastic, finishing touch.
Coral is vibrant and energising. It is found throughout nature, and is often associated with the mystical and the magical, and most essentially, with vitality and life. We find it in tropical sea beds offering harbour to exotic marine life, in red sky at night sunsets that give promise for the following day, and in the paintings of great artists, be they religious artworks from the Renaissance (think Mantegna, Lippi and Pontormo) through to the works of the Impressionists, Post Impressionists and beyond (think Monet, Gaughin, Cezanne and O’Keeffe).
Spirituality has long held coral on a life affirming pedestal too. Its bright tones stand as a symbol of introspection and spirituality. In Hinduism, orange represents purity, whilst in Buddhism, it represents illumination. Whilst not quite coral, the principles of the colour are still present, and just as pertinent. Admittedly, in the context of a bag, this may all seem a little much, however, there is no harm in using our accessories as our own form of personal amulet, encouraging us to think big and be kind each time we reach for and use them.
We remain cynics when it comes to spin and fashion trends. However, this season, we cannot help but jump on board and heartily agree with these parting words from the people at Pantone themselves:
“Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression.”
