A Fetish for Brown and Pink

Breaking down the color-speak, “fetish-ism” is one of the palettes defined by color experts to define current and future color trends. The purpose of fetish-ism is “to attract, to captivate, to seduce…instincts and passions come to light…subtly excessive and organic luxury.” Among this trend, “delectable chocolate browns are accented by tempting pinks.” In other words, it’s no surprise that we are seeing this particular color combination everywhere – it’s exactly where the trend is at the moment and where it will continue, at least until summer 2009.

Surprisingly, rather than saying that our industry is adapting to changing consumer demand, Eiseman actually tapped the jewelry industry as one of the reasons for the resurgence of brown and pinks. She told the audience that brown, a previously much-maligned color, had come up in the fashion world due to the increased popularity of brown diamonds.

However, the Pantone consultant also admitted that it was due to something that has become known as the “Starbucks’ Effect.” Before the coffee shop industry gained such prominence, people tended to react to the color brown in a negative sense, calling it earthy or dirty. Since coffee drinking has become such an integral part of everyday life, consumers now see brown hues in a much more positive light, regarding them as rich and robust. “They have,” said Eiseman, “a new respect for the color brown,” a factor that is certainly good news for sellers and manufacturers of cognac or brown diamonds.

While Eiseman is a professional color and trend predictor, she urged the retailers gathered in the audience to pay attention to world events in order to help them become their own fashion forecasters. For example, increased ecological awareness means that organic and neutral tones are strong in design (while the latest installment in the Indiana Jones franchise is fueling a return to earthy tones in fashion). In jewelry terms, eco-awareness is one of the factors contributing to the increasing popularity of rough diamonds in jewelry.

Similarly, she pointed to the trend for increasingly eclectic materials as a force in design, especially when it comes to mixing different textures, something that the jewelry and the watch industries are increasingly taking on board.