Autumn/Winter 2022 | About Color synesthesia

published in enya Fashion Queen issue #184, find the original interview in Chinese here; cover photo © 2022 Valentino, all rights reserved

Colors have always been the most direct way to the audience’s heart, with each shade charged with a different kind of energy. As the 2022 Fall/Winter Paris Fashion Week arrives at its end, Valentino decides to go for a visually impactful venue with the use of bright, high-saturated pink. The shade, developed in collaboration with Pantone, is named “Valentino Pink PP” and seen on 45 different looks on stage, which was then followed by a selection of all black outfits. After the strong contrast between pitch black and hot pink, no one was able to calm down from the visually vigorous bombardment of colors.

In the past, Valentino often used highly saturated yellow, green, purple, red and pink to convey a variety of creative concepts, without focusing solely on one singular color. Creative director Pierpaolo Picciolo has been trying to downplay the strong impression of the colors red and white associated with the Italian fashion house. His new collection proves that pink is the answer to finding the most authentic and pure aesthetic, a beauty that touches upon the core values of fashion. From reality’s perspective, it is also an indirect illustration of the importance of making exclusive colors for companies as a brand identity.

Speaking of establishing a connection between brands and colors through the use of different materials, patterns and accessories, Bottega Veneta is probably the best example. Former creative director of the Italian brand Daniel Lee chose green as his main theme and redesigned flagship stores with the iconic Bottega Green. From handbags, clothing, packaging to advertising campaigns, it seems like as long as you’ve got the green, you could become a fashion icon. Meanwhile, Lee also created his own “language” through the use of big weaves, triangular logos and other distinctive elements. Symbolic and easy to recognize, these elements had successfully become assets of the brand and this new identity that resides in the public’s mind. A while ago, Bottega Veneta incorporated its Bottega Green and bright orange into its Lunar New Year campaign. The unprecedented combination of colors quickly stood out from other brands and even made an appearance in the latest AW22 ready-to-wear collection, while other brand emblems had been disposed of by the newly appointed creative director Matthieu Blazy.

Although colors seem to be the fastest way to achieving recognition and establishing brand spirit, these chosen shades may not be widely accepted, since they might seem hard to tackle at first glance. However, both Bottega Green and Valentino Pink are hues that are unique, highly “contagious” and hard to be replaced by synesthesia. In the collectible booklet “Pink PP Seen by Douglas Coupland,” Canadian author Douglas Coupland expresses the craze for the bold color. “The color freedom, individuality, curiosity and invention. The color pink.”

Perhaps it has been a norm for brands to establish exclusive colors for their image. Through Saint Laurent’s AW22 fashion show we see creative director Anthony Vaccarello dive deep into brand archives and pick out certain elements to capture the brand’s rich cultural heritage. Not only does he maintain the low-key luxurious aesthetic, but he also chooses the color black as his main theme. Through using different silhouettes and materials to echo the monochrome designs, Vaccarello successfully brings the seductive but free-spirited woman created by Saint Laurent back to life. As we look back, colors have become more than just a symbol, but a form of identification. Remember when Chanel accused Saint Laurent of plagiarism for the use of tweed suits in its fall 2021 collection? Or when PRADA filed an application to register its triangular logo with the European Union Intellectual Property Office in 2019 and was awarded with a registration the following year? These incidents prove how using materials, patterns, shapes and designs to deliver brand identities has become a common method - Chanel’s iconic tweed, PRADA’s triangular logo, Bottega Veneta’s colors and designs - and a manifestation of the power of synesthesia.

In order to protect brand assets, these tangible and intangible methods only prove that the concept of cultural heritage and creativity cannot be erased. Like the connection between brand assets and color synesthesia, colors become the most direct way to the hearts of people. So let us take a seat at the front row, as it is exciting to see if there will be a new direction or discovery waiting for us in the future of branding businesses.