The New Black?
22:11
Red
Is it the new seasons black?
Since
starting on my Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Nottingham Trent, our first focus has been on
colour. This topic, at first glance, seemed limited to just the obvious colour
connotations, however from our lectures and seminars I now can see how colour
is an almost never-ending topic.
One
particular shade can be traced back through history, the variations having
complete different meanings and evoking different emotions.
This
can be seen particularly in red, it is a colour which is very interesting to
analyse due to cultural and generational differences.
In
western society, red is seen as sensual and passionate which can be traced back
to Medieval England, red tights on a male in the era aimed to highlight his body, representing his sexuality. This meant red was almost seen as promiscuous.
Fast-forward
to modern day and this association of red is still tied to love and lust, brands
still use red to bring out sexuality in garments. Valentino is a designer
strongly associated with red, a passion that began when he had witnessed the
drama of female opera characters that often dressed in long red dresses.
Therefore, he uses red to represent the passion that he witnessed in the
Spanish Opera, using the dark toned red to bring out the drama of his dresses
further.
These
connotations are very different in Asian Cultures, red represents good luck,
joy, celebration and general happiness. This makes red a popular colour for a
wedding dress or special occasions.
Red
also can be viewed negatively; during the rise of communism wearing red would
have had you labelled as a communist synthesiser. The colour alone would evoke
fear in some who feared the regimes and pride for those who supported it. Red would be used very differently in print adverts today as red no longer automatically links the viewer to communism.
This autumn/winter, one of the new seasons biggest trends is the colour red. On tops, dresses and jumpers it is being seen across stores on clothes of all occasions. Dresses, jumpers, trousers and accessories are all seen in a myriad of red shades, from orange tones to deeper purple tones, there is a red to suit everyone.
Although just a colour, red has the power to change emotions with its use. I see it as especially popular this season due to its easy change from a brighter summer red to a deeper and more wintery red. I am excited to take a look at the history and impact of other colours throughout my course.
What's your opinion on red for autumn/winter 2017?
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Thank you so much