Class exercise 1

Here is the first class exercise.
I was requrired to colour the following fashion collections by applying colour theories and principles.
Here is the collection before listening to robert's recommendation of the colour used.

Description and explanations:

Achromatic schemes are used as the colour tone of the clothing, where black, grey and white are used. It is also a kind of monochromatic colour scheme. This is used for its simplicity and also easy to match. Black seems to be a safety colour for most of the colour to prevent wrong matching. Also, it can give the model to look more slender. The colour tone is very commerical.

After listened to robert's introduction to the usage of the 6-blocks colour, i applied the other colour scheme to the collection.

Description and explanations:

Previously I neglect of the skin's colour of the model. We should care about the skin colour of the model too. Notice that sharp colour and light colour can have a great contrast with the tone of the skin, which is black, to emphasis on both of the model and the clothing. We should also aware about the season of dressing. Imaging that it is in the occassion of summer, which is a very hot and sunny day, then warm colour such as red, orange and yellow are used. Analogous colour scheme is used by applying the 6-blocks colouration to create a sense of harmony.

Marc Jacobs - 2003 S/S to 2009 S/S Women RTW - Conclusion

We come up with the following conclusions:

1. MJ is using more hues these years.
2. achromatic colors : black, white and grey must be present in each season's collection
3. a simple combination is adopted. for each outfit,the no. of colour is usually not more than 3.
4. MJ likes to use artificial colors.
5. MJ uses colors of high saturation every season, but the amount decreases in recent seasons.
6. Spring and Fall colors are related. the colors used in Fall collection are usually the colors of spring collection in a lower value ( with shade).
7. there is a trend that MJ tends to use colors in lower values.
8. MJ loves lavender , violet, brilliant red, turquoise, yellowish brown, khaki. they almost appear in every collection. BLACK, WHITE, GREY are the must.

Marc Jacobs - 2008 S/S & F/W Women RTW - Comparison with competitor

2008 Christian Dior Fall /Winter

Colour: Shocking Red, Shocking Pink, Sharp Orange, Sharp Purple , dark Turquoise, yellowish-khaki , black, white

fabrics : Satin, Fur, Silk

comparison : both of the collection involved a lot of black and white, while grey is the color that Jacobs always love. MJ still sticked to the pastel colors while CD tried some sharp colors.Christian Dior 2008 S/S

Color used: Shocking red, pastel turquoise, khaki, brown, shocking orange, black, white

fabric: silk, satinpattern: leopard skin, zebra skinc

omparison: both of MJ and CD use pastel colors in soft fabrics to create a feminine soft figure.it seemed that pastel color and soft figure was the trend of the season.

Marc Jacobs - 2008 Women RTW - Overall colour analysis

Here is a summary of colours of MJ 2008.

More is coming up! ( the shades of black and grey and metallic colors )

Comparing S/S and F/Wsome of the colors like turquoise, lavender and pale pink are repeated used,this kind of colors give a feeling of softness, comfort and femininity.Khaki are often used, too.the color of the 2 collections are quite similar actually. Except that in the F/W collection there are some metallic colors.

Marc Jacobs - 2008 S/S Women RTW - Color Analysis 2

One more pointed noted is that, marc jacobs displays the color of the same hue but different values in the same outfits. and throughout the collection, hue of different values and intensities are used in the outfits, usually in a small portion, decorating a black majority. violet and turquoise are mostly used.

Marc Jacobs - 2008 F/W Women RTW - Color Analysis

Although it shall be a cold winter, Marc Jacobs 's F/W collection appears that it shall be a warmer one. i do not know if it is because of the global warming problem, but it must be related to his S/S collection. Pastel color of both warm and cool colors: orange-pink, khaki, lavender, violet, turquoise and orange-red.

just like the S/S collection, black are often used with grey in various shade.grey in different shade in one outfit creates layering in a subtle way.

An image of formality, simplicity and elegance is moulded.but even if the majority is grey or black, MJ added bright colors to accessories and shoes.

The outfit is thus more playful.


Apart from pastel colors, metallic colors are also used.golden and silver color, some mixed with a bit of brown dark blue and grey, make the costume shiny and spendid.

Marc Jacobs - 2008 S/S Women RTW - Colour analysis 1

The first impression was that the collection was based on black and white. Iit was like a sheet of total white or black, decorated by colors, like a painting. Different styles emerge: simple elegance, royalty, playfulness...just depends on which colors appeared on the ' painting'! The decoration of a red heart at the bust.

Floral printing consisting of various colors

As the show was going on,more colors were coming on stage.adjacent complementary colors were used: redish violet x lavender x yellow in pastel form

Analogous colors were used : e.g turquoise matching pale yellow