If you thought pink was only for Barbie and pre-teen girls - think again!
This Ducati motorcyle is featured in a bright, high definition pink. There is nothing sweet or coy about it!

Up until recent years, if someone said “hot pink” you would immediately think of summer pedicures and hot house flowers. During the early 2000s, pink was introduced as a new exotic color. Global associations from India, Asia and South America helped bring pink to the forefront as an optimistic accent.

No longer used exclusively by the female population, pink has gained a gender-bending status that few other colors can hope to achieve. Strong pink gets the attention of red without the aggressiveness. Variations of pink have found their way into the board room and for corporate identity programs. Representing hope and strength, pink is the logo for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness organization http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm. Sport enthusiasts from rock climbers to snowboarders find pink an appealing action and recreation color.

Pink gained popularity on the trend forecasts five years ago and has been
showing up in versions from magenta to watermelon on many forecast
reports. The newest pinks are neon brights, as seen on this motorcycle.

Chicago, IL
June 6-11, 2008

This year the Neocon furniture show was awash in a sea of blue and blue-green. Many versions of the blue were featured, especially muted mid-tones such as storm cloud gray, slate blue, and military gray-blue hues. Maritime blue-greens moved away from yellow-based dark peacock, and felt increasingly blue in undertone. Many of these colors were featured with white, red, and charcoal grays.

Oranges still were found at Herman Miller, and these were paired with white.

Yellows had a presence, they still felt citrusy and sunny, although they have moved away from the mustard version that were so prevalent last year.

Green has lost some saturation from last year. Newer versions of green felt more like pea soup or retro green moving away from avocado.

Red cast purples were dark and mysterious, very often seen used with gray or black.

Sapphire blues at Design Tex

Blue green design board at Haworth showroom

Cherry blossom tile at Anne Sachs recalls Asian and Art Deco themes.

Neutrals are mixed with Blue-green at Luna Fabrics

Berry red, magenta pink and muted lilac are the palette story at Knoll

Neutral collage board at Ultron carpet showroom.

Benjamin Moore color trends by decade was a fantastic exhibit on historical color.

Paisley pattern in caraway green and bright yellow at Davies furniture.

Visiting the Hirshfield’s showroom today, I was taken by several specialty finishes found on sample walls in the training area. A combination of technique and product reproduce the distressed looks of iron oxidation and copper patina. The result was impressively unique–something that goes way beyond faux finishing and plaster look effects! To learn more visit: www.hirshfields.com

TRENDWARRIORS BLOG ENTRY

BHUTAN
Rita Penrod
April 10, 2008

I have the pleasure of working with Erika Woelfel–as graphic designer–on many of Colwell’s projects, including trend reports and forecasts. I admit to my ‘guilty pleasure’ of having the first peek and hearing the stories behind the forecast palettes before they’re published; and thanks to Erika’s influence, I can’t help but keep an eye out for emerging trends as I travel the world.

Trends can be exciting (who doesn’t love to see the latest fashion?), helpful (communication technology), good for us (healthy lifestyles), and good for the economy (companies have to make and sell more ‘stuff’), but trends can also be a double-edged sword. All that bottled water that was supposed to be so good for us is now littering the landscape and polluting the soil with discarded plastic. And then there’s the social aspect. As East meets West, and North goes South, the exchange of cultures has created a ‘melting pot’ of ideas and trends. On one hand, this integration dissolves the hard lines that often separate and discriminate, but on the other hand, it can leave cultures less defined as traditions and icons are copied for decoration or entertainment, without an understanding of their cultural significance.

In our fast-paced world, trends come and go so fast we jump on board without thinking about the consequences, then, more often than not, we find ourselves having to ‘fix’ the problems we created.

So imagine if an entire country, rich with cultural identity, had the chance to thoughtfully choose trends that will benefit it’s people, culture and natural resources; and avoid trends that could undermine their progress. Imagine Bhutan.

All of the travel brochures, facts and figures, and recent articles published about Bhutan http://www.online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120612464243755427-MSIKh0551OSWgevhyH8wC0eL0jQ_20080420.html
http://www.ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/03/bhutan/larmer-text couldn’t have possibly prepared me for the ‘state of mind’ I’d experience there, and the profound impact it would have on my life and the way I view the world.

Bhutan is a Himalayan country that lies east of Nepal, situated between India to the west and south, and China (Tibet) to the north. It remained in relative isolation–unconquered and un-colonized for more than a thousand years–keeping it’s rich culture intact until the 1960s, when Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third king of Bhutan, cautiously opened up the country to outsiders. (By the way, only the monarchy has a family name. Everyone else is given a single name, sometimes two, at birth – usually by a lama or high religious figure.)

Understanding that his land-locked country’s richest assets lie in its culture and natural resources, the king wisely decided to protect both through cultural laws (national dress code for schools, religious and government functions), tight restrictions on the use of natural resources, and incremental and calculated interactions with the rest of the world. In fact, it wasn’t until 1999 that Bhutan allowed its citizens access to television, and tourism is still tightly restricted and heavily taxed.

The fourth king, Jigme Singye Wanchuck, protected and advanced the culture even further by redefining the meaning of development and establishing a way to measure Bhutan’s condition (or state) through “Gross National Happiness”, based on four objectives: sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good governance.

It’s obvious that GNH doesn’t have to come through luxury cars, mega-malls and 4,000+ square foot homes. The Bhutanese live a very simple, but meaningful life. Basic things, like education, healthcare (with the choice of traditional or scientific medicine), and dirt roads that connect communities, make a huge difference in the lives, and happiness, of so many people. Bhutan truly is a ‘we’ society, with consideration for what is best for the country as a whole, not individual gain at the expense of others. I recall a couple of good examples: A few years ago the National Women’s Society, headed by the king’s sister, lobbied the government to put stove pipes in each home. Until then, the thick smoke billowed out into the room, blackening the walls and everything in the house – including the lungs of the people who lived there. Another example is in Phobjikha Valley – the winter home to the Black Neck Cranes. Fearing that electrical lines would harm the cranes or interfere with their migration, the government compensated the residents by subsidizing solar panels. Granted, the panels do not provide enough energy to run televisions and refrigerators all day long (which isn’t really an issue because so very few people have these things anyway), but they do provide enough light for schoolchildren to study a few extra hours in the evening. Simple solutions can generate much happiness.

Other GNH initiatives include the protection of natural resources. Bhutan is currently over 70% forested, and laws are in place to insure that the percentage never dips below 60%. Only dead trees are allowed to be harvested for firewood, and no one is allowed to build a structure without providing a detailed list of the amount of wood that will be required to build the structure before the government will approve (or deny) the permit. Exporting timber is not allowed. The only natural resource that is exported is hydropower, produced at a few small plants and sold to India, and is Bhutan’s main source of foreign funds.

Bhutan’s national religion is Tantric Buddhism, which plays a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of the country–and shares equal power with the government. Buddhism permeates life and brings an apparent reverence for the land. “Compassion” is a word I kept hearing (and experiencing) over and over again; compassion towards every living thing. Here all animals, including wildlife, are protected by law. From the prayer flags that flittered in the breeze (it is believed that the wind continues to carry the prayer, maintaining continual connection to the heavens), to the rituals each family performs at the break of day, to the magnificent paintings in the temples and the exterior of houses, to the burgundy robes of the monks going about their day, every thing and every move has a purpose, a meaning. Yet, while Buddhism is the national religion, the people are free to follow any belief, but missionaries are not allowed to interfere by trying to convert people to another religion.

This next one blows my mind it’s so “forward thinking”. With a population less than 700,000 people (half under the age of 22), Bhutan is seeking to limit it’s population growth (though education and personal choice) in order to remain sustainable and not burden it’s natural resources. This is so UNLIKE nearly every other nation, which ends up depleting it’s own resources then preys on underdeveloped countries, robbing them of their remaining resources.

Finally, and perhaps the most important detail at this moment in time, is that on March 24th, 2008 – just a few days after I left Bhutan – the country democratized, and later this year it will join the World Trade Organization. After 100 years of monarchy, this profound change was not brought on by an uprising or activism. Instead, it was the fourth king himself who introduced and promoted democracy to the citizens. He feared the country could one day fall under a bad ruler, therefore the future of Bhutan would be best kept in the hands of it’s people. In 2006 the fourth king stepped down and handed over the crown to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel (who will now serve as a constitutional monarch) and allowed the democratic process to begin. As I spoke with people about this, there were mixed emotions. Everyone seemed to love the king, and many people didn’t want or see a need to change. However it was the younger citizens who were most excited, for they saw it as an opportunity to actively participate in the future of their country. By now, they’ve seen enough to know there’s a big world out there beyond Bhutan’s borders.

This is indeed an exciting time for Bhutan, but even Shangri-La has its share of problems (poverty, unemployment, media idealizing other cultures) and it certainly deserves all of the opportunities the 21st century offers. But will it lose itself in the process? Will democracy polarize the country, like the Democratic and Republican parties polarize U.S. citizens? Will its deeply rooted traditions wither under globalization? One can only hope that the new leaders and future generations will find a way to hold on to Bhutan’s most precious assets–it’s people, culture and natural resources– and perhaps set a new trend of ‘mindful and sustainable change’ that the rest of the world could follow.

Thousands of prayer flags flutter in the breeze throughout the country. It is believed that the wind continues to carry the prayer, maintaining constant connection to the heavens. Every color has significance: White = air and space; yellow = earth; red = fire; green = nature; blue = water.

The magnificent Punekha Dzong (the name translates to “palace of great happiness”) was originally built in 1328. It houses the head Abbot and approximately 300 monks. Half of the compound contains government offices, with the other half is devoted to religious offices and functions.

Young monks stop to chat in front of a beautifully decorated temple door.

Before clocks and watches, monks relied on roosters to announce the time.  Here, descendants of those former ‘timepieces’ live peacefully in the Wandge Phodrang Dzong.

Brightly colored architecture, carvings, paintings and fabrics in the temple compounds create beautiful visual collages from any angle.

A painted door seems to float in space in contrast to the whitewashed walls around it.

No matter what your spiritual or religious beliefs are, this sign, located at Chelela Pass, (Bhutan’s highest paved road at approx. 13,000 feet) says it all.  “The greatest religion never gives suffering to anybody.” Lord Budha

Miniature chortens sit in the window of a little building housing a prayer wheel.  Each hand-made clay chorten contains a bone fragment from a deceased loved one (all bodies are cremated), honoring the spirit and helping it safely to the next life.

Wood carvings at the monastery near the village of Gamgtey await restoration.

On a trek through terraced fields along the Thimphu Chu (river), I met several women taking their children to the local village.  It was inoculation day.  Health care is provided free-of-charge, by the government.

A simple but beautiful scene as a little girl shyly watches us walk by her house,still holding on to her lunch pail (containing rice and peppers) which she carried to school with her that day.

Schoolchildren in Phobjikha Valley study under daylight streaming in from the window.  So as not to disturb the Black Neck cranes that winter here, there is no electricity other than what’s generated by small solar panels and gas-powered generators.

People from all over Pao Valley (and beyond) dressed in their finest ghos (pronounced ‘go’ - the national attire for men, and kiras (pronounced ‘keerah’ - national dress for women) to attend the Paro Festival.

Dancers perform at the Paro Festival.

The Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktshang Goemba) is one of the most holy sites in Bhutan, where the Guru Rinpoche is said to have arrived on the back of a flying tigress and then meditated in a cave (contained within the present structure) for three months.  Clinging precariously to the side of the cliff, it’s a wonder how the compound was built (originally build in 1692 and reconstructed in 2004 after a devastating fire) - let alone how the materials were transported.  A daunting climb from afar, I made the 1,600 foot vertical trek (which really wasn’t that bad - the trails were very good) and visited the site.  I can’t even begin to describe the experience so I’ll just say it was “magical”.

On my last full day in Bhutan, I stood in the courtyard of the Paro Dzong (Rinchen Puny Dqong, est. 1646), trying to take a mental snapshot to carry in my mind forever.

Wednesday, March 27 was the China Fashion and Creativity Forum, held in the afternoon at the Great Hall of the People.

It was an honor to be invited to speak at this event. Other presenters were the President of the Shandong RUYI Group, Jane Stockel, CMG from Sincere Creations in Hong Kong, Berit Bergesson from NCS in Sweden, Mr. Ronnie Luo from Leeds University in London, and Mr. Hmano Ysuhiro, a architectural planning expert from Tokyo, Japan.

Topics ranged from urban planning to the rise of Chinese innovation and design. Mr. Liang, the Chairman of the China Fashion Color Association stated China is no longer content to copy the designs it creates. They want the motto to change from “Made in China” to “Designed in China.” Based on the products I’m seeing in China today, I can certainly see this being the case.

The President of the Shandong RUYI Group talked about how China is evolving with the times. Since the 1980s, there has been increasing importance of lifestyle values in China: housing, vacation, pleasure, clothes, moral values and social values all come into play.

In fashion, they have seen how clothing has adapted to lifestyle based on ACTIVITIES. For outdoor use, there are rugged and adaptable clothing for different weather climates. For social events there are ballroom gowns. For the workplace, suits and business wear.

Fashion has also changed with technology. Biological materials can detect poisons in the air, extreme exposure to solar energy, or germs and organisms that may attack the body. Clothing can now improve the standards and living conditions of the people who own and wear them. Fabrics have been developed in China that are waterproof, stainproof, and have protective memories on the surface of the fabrics.

Healthy living is a KEY FACTOR in Chinese society. The question for the future will be not only HOW China catches up with the market and the world, but HOW and WHAT does it contribute to the world and environmental considerations?

Jane Stockel’s presentation was of particular interest. Her topic covered China’s influence on Europe’s fashion and home deco products. She mentioned how classical Asian elements are stronger than before, but reinterpreted for a European market. The traditional red Chinese lantern, for example, might be shown in a neutral color palette of off-white, sand or brown. Split bamboo might be painted black for an outdoor seating arrangement. Chinese door locks are used as elements on candles, and wallpapers with Asian motifs are seen everywhere.

The colors of China are eye-catching as well–red with hot pink is very eye catching, both colors symbolize good luck. Colors like these are found in cross-cultural shops like Shanghai Tang. Products in this retailer are designed for western tastes with Asian colors, themes and embellishments.

The last event I attended during China Fashion Week was the 2007 Grand Color Awarding Ceremony at the headquarters of the China Fashion Color Institute. Chinese design glitterati from all over the country congregated to see who would win color design honors in the fields of architecture, product development for electronics and household goods, transportation, and of course, fashion. It felt like we were at the Oscars!

Between the entertainment, speeches and trophy presentations, we saw four fashion shows featuring some of the best Chinese fashion collections for Spring/Summer 2008.

My favorites were the purple collection and the green/forest/yellow collection. Here is a preview:

I had some time one sunny afternoon to take a walk down Wangfujing Street and watch the pedestrians. Aside from the urban black that you see in any city, the Chinese are particularly fond of wearing color. Lots of brights are out for spring in women’s fashion:

- pinks
- vivid purple
- vibrant sporty yellow
- purple
- sapphire blue

Over-sized handbags are everywhere. Embroidered jeans and Che Guevera motifs on t-shirts and tote bags. Young looks showed tall boots with short skirts over colored tights. Here are a few snapshots:

-Street Clothes in Beijing-

]]> http://trendwarriors.com/2008/04/05/street-clothes-in-beijing/feed/ Pink Ladies in Beijing http://trendwarriors.com/2008/04/05/aimer-lingerie-more-beauty-more-love/ http://trendwarriors.com/2008/04/05/aimer-lingerie-more-beauty-more-love/#comments Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:26:53 +0000 Erika http://trendwarriors.wordpress.com/?p=136

On March 26, the China Fashion Color Association had a kick off event at the Aimer Lingerie headquarters in downtown Beijing.

The Aimer brand name originates from the French word for “love and favor”. The CEO and founder of Aimer, Mr. Zhang Rongming, was celebrating his company’s 15th Anniversary (1993-200 by opening a lingerie museum in the upper floor of his office complex. He gave visitors, press and VIPs a tour of the office complex that included many luxuriously appointed conference rooms, a showroom floor displaying the most beautiful lingerie I had ever seen, a fashion show on the upper floor, and later a museum grand opening ceremony. The gallery is dedicated to the history, beauty, and cultural significance of women’s under garments in modern life.

It was a gorgeous day, I just had to get out.

The concierge at the Wangfujing Grand hotel was kind enough to set me up on a tour of a hutong neighborhood not far from here. I had been curious to see one, since they seem to be all around this neighborhood behind the Forbidden City. I’m not adventurous enough to go into one by myself. These are tight-knit communities, and besides, I’d get lost in the rabbit-warren like maze of narrow alleys and lanes.

The hutongs are the ancient neighborhoods in Beijing. The word “hutong” is derived from the Mongolian language meaning “water well.” These houses were designed to be a multi-family dwellings, although a single wealthy family might occupy one. They say there is security in numbers, and anywhere from four to seven families might live under the connected roof. Each family’s quarters are divided by walls for privacy, and they face out into a common court yard that is shared by all.

Today, hutong neighborhoods are being bulldozed by the thousands in the name of progress. The government was embarrassed by the ghetto-looking appearance of many, and began to tear them down while making improvements for the Olympics. Throughout Beijing, these ancient places of security and family life are being reduced to mournful piles of dust and rubble. A movement began several years ago to save the hutong, as it is now recognized these ancient dwellings are part of the Chinese culture.

A rickshaw driver took an English speaking guide through one of the renovated hutongs. We hadn’t gone far into the neighborhood when I realized why it would NOT have been a good idea for me to go here alone. All of the tall gray walls began to look the same after awhile, I would have been lost for hours! I asked the guide why the hutong were painted gray. She said it was the color of the common people–only the emperor was permitted to use ochre gold or red on his buildings.

We stopped to visit the lovingly renovated home of a well-to-do family. We walked through two entrances and found ourselves in a sunny courtyard. I say they were wealthy because they had a new Ikea kitchen, modern furniture, and electronics in every room. The vines and plants in the arboretum were healthy and blooming. Birds chirped in a cage, and goldfish swam in a huge bowl on the floor in the dining area. It was really an idyllic little space compared to much of what you see in this developing nation. As I stood out in the courtyard admiring the plum tree, it dawned on me there was no noise, no traffic sounds or voices carrying. I thought, “If I lived in Beijing, I would want to live here…right here.”

A little later, we went to another house and listened to the story of another Chinese woman. She had grown up outside of Beijing, but had moved to the hutong with her husband and raised her daughter there. We were offered green tea, apples and peanuts as a snack, which I thought was really kind of her.

I arrived in Beijing yesterday, it is Easter weekend.

China Fashion Color Association has invited me back to speak at their Fashion Week forum next week. I’m excited to see Emma Zhang and Mr. Zhou again. Jane Stockel CMG from Sincere Creations, Hong Kong is going to be here as well to give a presentation. Chiemi will arrive later next week for a visit as well. I’ve told her she should be a speaker at one of these events–the Chinese are just as interested in Japanese design as they are in European or American trends

As far as I could tell, everything is still changing in the capital of China. The 8/8/08 Summer Olympic deadline is creating a high pitched hum in the entire city. My hotel was on Wangfujing Street, which is the high end shopping area. I went back and forth up and I’d already visited the Forbidden City, and I had visited the Summer Palace last summer when Linda and Lane were here. There were day tours going out to the Great Wall, but I didn’t want to venture too far in case the threatening storm clouds broke loose.

So I hired a car and went back to my favorite haunt, the Da Shan Zi art zone in the Chaoyang District. This is probably my third or fourth visit to the neighborhood. It is always fun to come here, the energy and creativity is inspiring. The area is filled with studios, galleries, shops and cafes. Some of the best contemporary art in China can be found here. However, there are many changes going on to prepare for the Olympics. The streets were muddy from recent rains. There was such a labyrinth of new sidewalks, alleys and driveways, I could not find my favorite coffee house. The little clothing boutique I had looked forward to visiting was now gone, dismantled to make way for a new art space. Still, it was an interesting mix of beauty along with the earth-quake like disruption of road construction. All in the name of progress.

At the FANGART gallery I found a terrific installation called “Flying White.” It was very emotional for me to see the connection between ancient Chinese abstraction and new innovation. The Chinese artist Wu Yang has done urban landscapes using the ancient Chinese technique called “liu bai” of leaving open areas of white space so the subject (painted in black calligraphic brush strokes) leaps from the painting. The white space is intended to allow the imagination to run free. All of the canvases are in black and white, and she paints acrylic on photographic paper. Interesting technique. I think the proportion of black strokes with open white space leaves a feeling of “silence”. For such a noisy and crowded urban environment as modern Chinese cities, I found it comforting.

If anyone is going to Beijing for the Olympics this summer, this place is a MUST SEE cultural visit in Beijing, offering a slice of what young, contemporary and urban life offers. It is considered off the beaten path, but not for long…