If you are thinking what to wear now that would last at least through next winter. Newport International Group Runway helps you see the world through rose-colored glasses.

Put yourself in pink. Get tickled pink. If you think this is bad advice for your conservative tastes, you haven’t seen the many shades of pink ahead. The fall collections here and in Europe offer everything from pale blush to Day-Glo, neon, acid and shocking pink, with soft pastels in between. Pink is also regarded as the shade that’s complementary to almost all complexions.

John Patrick’s wool and cashmere knits for Organic would be a good way to start. You might, for instance, begin thinking pink with the cropped cardigan (illustrated above), then move on to a shift dress and/or skirt. The cashmere yarns are selected from waste of industrial knitted panels, and the yarns are “CO2 neutral.” When we asked the designer why he chose the “soft pink,” flamingos and fuchsias for his fall collection, he answered, “Because pink makes people happy.”

Another reason to rethink pink is the coming punk exhibition (May 9-Aug. 14) at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Sid Vicious pink will star in everything from spiked Day-Glo hairdos and eye makeup to pink nose rings — bringing a new meaning to shocking pink.

Many would ask why print dresses and jackets are so expensive in which have risen in price far more than plain fabrics as well as the floral prints of yore. If a dress or jacket is digitally printed — as many of the more colorful and exotic prints are today — it will cost about twice as much as if it were screen-printed. Experts say this is due to the high cost of digital inks. For example, screen printing — the traditional method of printing until digital came along — pushes colors through a mesh screen one color at a time. Digital printing is a computer process that applies ink directly to a garment and allows for lots of colors, hence the more vibrant prints that now abound.

The Newport International Group Runway suggests that if you want to make the transition from man-tailored clothes to the new more feminine styles: If you have established a look that suits you, stick with it. If you really want to try some feminine touches, consider wearing your blazer with a ruffled skirt, wearing your pinstriped pants with a lace blouse, or wearing your tailored coat with a decorative belt a la Michelle Obama on Inauguration Day. The big news of the fall/winter collections previewed recently both here and abroad is the combining of male/female elements in a move that designer Dries Van Noten calls gender fusing.

Today, PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald announced as the color of the year 2013 by the Panton LLC, an X-Rite company and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. Emerald is commonly described as lively and radiant that enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight, as well as upholding balance and harmony which emphasizes the season’s color palette.

And with the combination of tangerine tango, a spirited, reddish orange, provides the energy boost we needed to recharge and go forward.

Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since at the distant past, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.

According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, green is the most profuse hue in nature. Additionally, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of transparency, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Emerald for Fashion

The prevalence of green has been steadily rising for several seasons, especially in the fashion and couture markets, and even on the red carpet. Appropriate for every occasion, Emerald’s classic elegance makes for striking and irresistible women’s formal and every day wear as well as accessories. Emerald also makes a strong statement in men’s sportswear, knitwear and ties. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2013, including Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Barbara Tfank, NAHM and Marimekko, are incorporating Emerald into their spring collections. Balanced yet sophisticated, Emerald enlivens all colors in the spectrum and will continue to make a statement beyond spring and summer into fall and winter.

The Color of the Year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

See full report at www.pantone.com/spring2013.

 

…brought to you by Newport International Group Runway, Barcelona Spain.