Colour Trends:
Jump into winter
As we celebrate National Colour Day (October 22nd), we want to highlight one of our favourite specialities: beautiful colour.
This feature focuses on several trends that our design experts are predicting will rock the runways and be noticed as the latest colour-craze throughout this winter season.
We are also delighted to have with us printed textile designer Lisa Jukes answering a few questions about her design process, inspiration, and tips. But first, let's jump into COLOUR!
FEATURED ARTICLE
“I am the Director of Lisa Jukes LTD and, along with Emily Sedgwick, run Code Studio, a print and sweater design studio based in London. I have over 20 years of experience producing textile prints for an international client base working across women’s, men’s, kids apparel, and home-wear markets. During my career, I have; produced prints for European and American design Houses, had my work displayed in the windows of Liberty’s Regent Street store, had my prints used in an advertising campaign for Calvin Klein, had my designs being worn on the cover of Vogue and established hugely successful long-running relationships with numerous fashion and interior brands in both Europe and the US.”
“From a very early age, I’ve had an interest in fashion and clothing. At the age of 10, I would bring books on historical dress home from the school library and copy the drawings. My parents were members of the National Trust, and Sundays usually entailed visits to stately homes. I may not have always enjoyed it at the time, but all those tapestries, brocades, and needlepoint cushions obviously had an impact. As I grew older, like most teenagers, I became interested in contemporary fashion and would spend hours pouring over the pages of Elle and Vogue. Growing up in a small town, the photoshoots in those magazines were exotic and full of wonder to me. My love of fashion continued, and after completing a BTEC National Diploma in general Art and Design, I decided to specialize in textiles. I went on to study at West Surrey College of Art and design and gained a First-Class Hons degree in printed textiles. After graduating, I moved to London, where I spent two years working for Austin Reed—initially working on the shop floor of their Canary Wharf store before advancing to assistant buyer for men’s formal wear. This gave me a solid understanding of the mechanics of retail but lacked the creative element that I desired.
I knew that I wanted to be directly involved in the design process and that my interest lay with the fabrics and textiles themselves. I returned to education and graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1998 with an MA in Printed Textiles. Upon graduating, I was one of 30 individuals selected to exhibit at Premier Vision, Paris as part of Textprint (since renamed TexSelect), a charity regarded as a leading supporter of emerging UK textile talent. This proved an amazing launchpad and placed my work on an international stage for the first time. Through this experience, I was able to build relationships with clients, many of which are still maintained to this day. On returning from Paris, Code Studio was established with two of my peers from the RCA. At the time, we were unique in offering designs across three disciplines: print, knit, and embroidery. Sharing a strong design aesthetic, we offered clients a “one stop shop” for fresh, modern textile designs. Clients could purchase from the collection or commission specific projects or catwalk designs. As the studio grew, we began to exhibit at international trade fairs and offer private appointments in London, Paris, and the US. Today the studio offers printed and knitted designs and has evolved to include an extensive range of globally sourced vintage pieces and garments.”
“Although I’m constantly designing and adding to the print collection, there is a point when you feel a sea change. Sometimes it’s only a subtle shift; at other times, it’s more obvious. After so long in the business, it’s often down to intuition. Certain colours, fabrics, and imagery suddenly feel “right” and “new.” I believe it’s important to be open to many different sources for inspiration and allow things to filter in overtime.
Living in London, I’m fortunate to have access to some of the best museums and galleries in the world, the Victoria and Albert being one of my favourites. One of the most incredible exhibitions I’ve ever seen was “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” at the V and A in 2015. I also travel to the states frequently and make the most of galleries, exhibitions, and stores whilst there. Travelling allows one to “reset” how we see things, be that how we notice the difference in light or a passerby’s way of dressing.
As a print designer, nature is, of course, a constant source of inspiration. I am a frequent visitor of Kew gardens and having grown up in the Somerset countryside, and I love nothing better than a country walk photographing the natural world. My favourite time is early evening in late summer, the sun starts to drop, and colours take on a golden tinge and seem to hum; it reminds me of the summers of my youth and has a very romantic quality. I am an avid collector of books. Be it books on fashion, art, rugs, ceramics, photography, graphic design, architecture, etc. A book forces you to slow down, to absorb information over time. It’s being able to return to something, to make multiple visits that is so different from scrolling through social media. It forces more of an engagement for me.
One of my biggest drivers and sources of inspiration is colour. Colour is so emotional and is often a starting point. Although every design is different, having worked in this field for over 20 years, there are, of course, recurring themes. I find colour, and especially the combination of different colours, an immediate way to modernise seemingly classic or traditional designs. I also love visiting vintage fairs and have a huge collection of vintage textiles. Some of which are for sale, and others which form part of my private collection. They range in date from 1800-1980 and include pieces from all over the world.”
“I adore the seventies, so the recent revival of 70’s florals in fashion has been great to see. (A few years ago, I was able to source some amazing 1970’s vintage wallpapers, and they are a joy to look at). I also loved the revival of Tie Dye in Dries Van Noten’s Winter 2019 men’s and Dior’s Summer 2020 womenswear collections, a trend that is continuing into Autumn/Winter 2020.
In terms of fashion, early Vivienne Westwood and Catherine Hamnet looks fresh. Bodymap from the 1980s also looks relevant again and ties in with the current trend for athleisure whilst injecting individuality with their bold shapes and prints. Many of those British designers from the ‘80s had a rawness and directness that feels exciting again. I’d like to see more focus on creativity and less focus on consumption, something that Westwood and Hamnet both continue to strive for with their brands.”
“When I design, it’s important that I’m not just reiterating current trends. I’m a reactive designer. When I start working on a design, I very rarely have a finished vision in my head; instead, I like to develop the print as I go, making decisions as it forms in front of me. In this way, it maintains my interest; I like developing something that isn’t fixed from the outset. That’s not to say, however, that I’m not aware of what I’m making. I’m fully aware that I’m designing a product for an end-use, be that fashion or interiors. I understand the difference, for example, between a successful swimwear print and a successful women’s or men’s print. This awareness informs my decisions whilst the process leaves room for creative freedom. I was recently listening to a talk between Tim Walker and Molly Goddard (link listed below) - Molly Goddard spoke about “Zoning out” during the creative process. It struck a chord with me. It’s not about disengaging from the creative. Instead, it’s about disengaging from everything else around you. Switching off from the numerous distractions of everyday life and allowing the mind to wander, to daydream.”
“At Code, we present our designs in a different format to most textile studios. Rather than showing individual designs on header cards, we curate groups of designs into “mini-collections” shown in folders. It’s about storytelling. Generating relationships between different designs. One folder may include a floral next to a stripe, which in turn sits next to a vintage design. It’s this interplay, this arrangement that encourages new possibilities. I spend a huge amount of time compiling the designs into collections. It’s a very labour intensive process, but it’s one that I’m very proud of and that our clients love and frequently comment on. It reflects my level of colour sensitivity, my awareness of texture, scale, and end-use, my ability to merchandise seemingly unrelated prints, and present them in a modern, coherent, and relevant way. It’s a much truer reflection of what’s actually interesting in fashion today. That fusion of different ideas and styles, that’s the true expression of personal identity.”
“He opened my eyes to the world of fashion…..and in his eyes it was one with no boundaries.”
“Greens and natural tones will play a big role. From deep forest green to olive, greens reconnect us to nature and give a sense of calm in these uncertain times. Brown, ochre, and camel provide good neutrals and are less harsh than black as we seek out comfort and reassurance. Brights will come in the form of reds from the warmer end of the red spectrum; these shades give joy, vibrancy, and empowerment and connect us with our life force.
Coloured denims will gain in popularity. These will be over-dyed, giving coloured hues rather than flat, even colours. Greens, reds, and purples will prevail here.”
Are you ready to An·i·māte something beautiful with us?
Explore more with our Universal Color® system.
Here you will be able to explore our colours and creating a palette of your own with our wide array of beautiful colors.
For design assistance or to set-up a consultation, please contact Anna Plumb through our “Contact” page.
Be sure to join us on November 12th for our next featurette. We will be showcasing some of our exclusive innovations, and how our superior bulking and blending technologies can help you achieve your design objectives. We will also be talking with Larry Kestner, Director of New Product Development about some industry changes in innovation over the years. So you won’t want to miss it!
