Subjected

Color is found everywhere in our world. Look out into the world and you will see a million colors reflected back at you. But color is simply a figment of our perception. As the philosopher Goethe said, perception is subjective. Our perception of what we see is based on our past and what has influenced and impressed us. Therefore, when I see blue, I may be reminded of warm past summers spent by the ocean, but you may be reminded of frozen winters in Maine. These memories affect how we feel about the colors, and consequently what our color preferences are. So what does this have to do with design? Color choices are integral factors in design compositions. The color a designer picks will influence the viewer’s opinion of the design, so the designer has to pick a color that is likely to evoke the proper sentiment. For example, in the latest spring runway shows, many designers, like Zac Posen and Versace, chose to work with traditional spring colors, pinks, greens, light blues, and oranges. The colors suggest youthfulness, fun, and energy, a few defining factors of the spring season. But other designers purposefully stayed away from using such colors to induce different emotions in the viewers. Balmain’s ready-to-wear line featured army greens, blacks, and golds, to suit a tough but luxurious girl. Had the same outfits been done in pinks and greens, this may have fell in with the perky lines of Zac Posen and Versace, but the color palate chose the gritty mood.
(pictures courtesy of style.com)