The meaning of colours varies from one culture to the next. At the same time, colour perception changes from person to person, depending on the brain's intepretation of a stimulus received by the eye.
Colour perception is actually an intriguing subject that can be studied from different points of view, for example in conjunction with art and culture, but also with chemistry, science, neurology and psychology.
In fashion, colour percetion is a key point as different shades can greatly influence a collection, while a specific palette of colours may be the key to unlock the hidden meaning behind a design or can show a designer's attempt at making a statement or at being experimental.
Evelin Kägo, a graduate from The Swedish School of Textiles in Borås, went down this path and attempted to play with simultaneous contrast (the result of placing two colours side by side), and colour constancy (the accomodation of the eye for changes in illumination).
The result was a graduate collection – entitled "Color Perception" – focused on the influence of different nuances on each other, but also tackling the relationship between knitted and transfer printed textile layers, characterised by visual merging effects engineered to create constantly changing surface expressions, movements, animations and optical illusions.
As the garments visually "react", they can also be used by the wearer to communicate and entice emotional responses to light and colours, turning therefore into "behavioural garments" that help interacting with other people.
There is actually also a sort of architectural dimension to the project, as Kägo explains on The Swedish School of Textiles site: "I developed and programmed a knitted fabric with great shape holding properties to be able to create an illusion/animation effect between the layers. With this project I want to expand the thinking of patterns from being one surface decoration into multi-layered surfaces. I believe patterns have more potential in their essential way of being. I am working with the pattern designs through their 'construction' – through layers."
The collection won Kägo the Lindex (the Swedish fast-fashion brand, a sponsor of the graduation show that took place in August during Fashion Week Stockholm) award for upcoming designers (best design idea and collection) with the motivation, "A collection that is visually energetic and voluminous with a delightful balance between solid and transparent surfaces. The look is experimental, artistic and colourful."
The winner receives a grant worth SEK 50,000 and Lindex will be initiating a collaboration with Kägo in the autumn that will result in a joint design collection for the "Tomorrow" line that will be launched in early 2017.
This will be the third "Tomorrow" collection launched by Lindex. The purpose of the initiative is to support new designers and to create unique collections together with them.
In the 19th century Edwin D. Babbitt gained fame with his colour healing theory that led him to publish his bestselling bok The Principles of Light and Colour in 1878.
Maybe this collection will not heal the actual physical pains of consumers, but it will definitely improve the mood of the wearers and of those ones interacting with them thanks to its energetic balance between different nuances, textures and surfaces.
Related articles
