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March 1, 2006
The Light Years or the Colors of our Time by Josette Buisson

Here is why and how:

Design is more than talent at the service of functionality; it is also an art that interacts with the emotions of an individual, or group of individuals, in a given context. It is a creative gesture that captures an emotion or experience, expresses it through an idea and transforms that idea into an object or a new space.

Often, the context is what we call the spirit of the times, the Zeitgeist or the air du temps. It determines how we receive, filter and react to new social realities, according to our previous experiences as an individual and as a member of a social group.

Our goal, at The Voice of Color®, is to interpret and qualify that context in ways that convey meaning, using images, words and colors that will inspire you.

For the past year, we looked around, observing the subtle and not so subtle changes in the world we live in. We tried to decode our social and emotional landscapes in order to cast a comprehensible portrait of these new realities and present it to you as guidelines or inspirations for your creative projects.

As we went on with the exploration of new ideas, we created archetypes that illustrate these emerging trends. Those original models are the polarized expressions of what we have become as a society, moulded by the changes in our lives and the shift in our social consciousness.

Our observations are based on hard facts, like the changing demographics and the many natural catastrophes that have happened on our blue planet recently. However many of our conclusions are drawn from more subjective considerations, like the impact of technology on our life, our self-definition, and our relationships to one another.

We named these emerging trends The Light Years. Firstly, in order to bring attention to the acceleration in the pace of changes in our lives, and secondly because of the reference to white light, which is the sum of all colors put together, as a symbol of unity, connection and the quest for spiritual values.

Our considerations:

1. The demographic tribes
People within a certain demographic group tend to share similar experiences and act as a tribe that has its own set of values, concerns and cultural references.à

We emphasized the focus on two age groups that will influence the trends because of the significance of their numbers; the 40-59, with around 76 million people , and the 10-29, who represent approximately 74 million in America today.

2. The major social changes in our society

3. The empowerment of consumers and the new balance it has created

4. The rising importance of these identified values:

Of course, the World Wide Web, via Google, was our main source of information, but social events, social crisis, the arts, entertainment and fashion milieu, the sports world and the sphere of politics, people we know and people who make the news were observed as clues for signs of change. However, certain books, authors and artists were major influences in that research.

Among others, let us mention:
The Substance of Style, Virginia Postrel
The World is Flat, Thomas L. Friedman
The rise of the creative class, Richard Florida
A Whole New Mind, Daniel H. Pink
To Be of Use, the seven seeds of meaningful work, David Smith
I Want to Change the World, Karim Rashid

And the work and thoughts of great artists like:
Frank Lloyd Wright, Philippe Stark and Terence Conrad

We finally ended up with four categories, four different stories with their own color schemes that illustrate our shifting values.

The first one is Prana, a praise to romantic beauty and sensibility. With its soft and misted hues, it is kind to us. It whispers in delicate aqua and blues (Horizon), or paints a refined water color atmosphere using tender lilacs and silvery mauves (Pashmina). Prana uses colors that distillate the presence of intuition.

Then comes Strategy, strong and direct, and expressing a desire for clarity and simplicity. Using a basic range of colors from a primary palette punctuated with a powerful red accent (Black tie, Medal of Honor), Strategy is self-assured and certain of its convictions. It shows us the strength of courage.

Modern Artisan is the trend that speaks to us about authenticity and respect. The colors are warm, reminiscent of wood and earth (Palomino), with a strong copper influence. We also paired a rich brown with mineral blues creating a deep but still tranquil contrast (Hieroglyphic). Modern Artisan wants to reveal the deference towards integrity.

Our last trend, Color Delight, is all about joy and pleasure. Driven by the energy of the young demographic segment, it is adventurous, fun and cheerful. Bold pastels and cleaner colors are the name of the game. Palettes built around joyful pinks (Poppy Love) or the freshness of the juxtaposition of clean green and blues (Shaker Palette) are intended to let us enjoy the beauty of happiness.

Posted by: Josette Buisson Artistic Director and CyberEditor The Voice of Color

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