June 25, 2025 • 8 mins
Explore the intricate world of color theory in fashion with Mo and Mark. Discover how color influences design, evokes emotions, and reflects cultural trends. This episode delves into the history, applications, and future of color in apparel design.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
So, let's talk about how the color wheeleven came to be-this magical
(00:06):
thing that all designers act like istheir secret weapon.
Do you know it's all thanks to,
wait for it... Isaac Newton.
Yeah.
Same guy with the apple and gravityfigured out how light splits into
colors.
Right, he created this system by breakinglight into its spectrum-red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,
(00:27):
violet-and arranged them into,
well, a wheel.
Designers took this concept and ran withit,
using complementary, analogous,
and triadic color schemes to createbalance and harmony in their designs.
And
basically it's, like, this cheat sheetfor what looks good together.
Complementary schemes are about oppositesattracting,
(00:48):
you know, like red and green.
Super trendy during Christmas butcareful-get the wrong shades and it
looks tacky.
Exactly.
Then you've got analogous,which uses colors that are side by side on
the wheel, like blue, teal, and green.
It's soothing, easier on the eyes.
Triadic is a bit bolder,spacing out colors equally on the wheel,
(01:11):
like red, yellow,and blue-it's a classic.
Okay,
that's all great on paper-or, I guess,
a screen-but you and I both know what yousee on your screen is not what
you're gonna get when you print.
Like, never.
Can you explain why that happens?
Yeah,
that's additive versus subtractive colortheory in action.
(01:31):
Monitors and screens,like your phone or computer,
use additive color, combining red,
green,and blue light-RGB-to create colors.
Printing, on the other hand,is subtractive.
It uses cyan, magenta, yellow,
and black-CMYK-and reflects light.
The two systems just don't, you know,
(01:51):
match up naturally.
Which is a fancy way of saying (01:51):
that neon pink crop
top you designed?
It ain't gonna look neon when it'sprinted unless you know what you're
doing.
Exactly.
And then there's ink opacity to thinkabout.
CMYK printers layer translucent inks.
If the colors underneath aren't white orlight,
(02:13):
they dull down.
Spot color, like in screen printing,
uses opaque inks,so what you see is what you get.
But limited colors.
And that's where you've gotta,
like, choose your battles, right?
Spot color gives you that vibrancy,
but you're stuck with fewer colors.
CMYK gives you range, but colors canshift-every choice has a trade-off.
Right.
(02:35):
It comes down to controlling expectationsand knowing your tools.
Ink opacity, base material, and selectingbetween CMYK or spot colors-it
all matters for the end result.
Alright,
so we've talked about how to make colorswork technically,
but why do we even care about color inthe first place?
It's not just, oh, that's pretty,
right?
There's a whole psychology behind it.
(02:57):
You ever notice how red just screamsurgency?
Like, SALE, SALE, SALE?
Totally.
And it's not just urgency-it's passion,
energy, even aggression in some contexts.
Brands use it intentionally.
And on the flip side,you've got blue-stable,
calm, trustworthy.
Think of big banks like Chase or evenFacebook.
(03:18):
They're all about projecting reliability.
Okay,
but here's the kicker-when you take thatand apply it to apparel,
it's more than about feelings.
It's strategic.
Like, you're not gonna wear bright yellowto convey trustworthiness in
a keynote presentation.
Well... unless you wanna sell lemonade.
Exactly.
That's where color choice meets thepersonal.
(03:42):
Seasonal color analysis is fascinating inthis space.
Have you heard of it?
It's where you, you know,analyze skin tones,
eye color, and all that to figure outyour "season," like winter,
summer, autumn, or spring.
Oh, for sure.
People go so deep with this.
I mean, I get it-wearing colors that workwith your,
(04:03):
like, natural tone?
You look sharper without even trying.
But Mark, let's hear your war story aboutthat client who crushed it
with a strategic color choice.
Yeah,
this was a pretty wild one.
A client in, like, the fitness wear spacewanted to revamp their hoodie
lineup.
They were struggling to stand out in asuper saturated market.
(04:27):
We studied trends and layered that withthe psychology of bold,
vibrant colors, like electricorange-colors that popped but also
conveyed
energy and movement,and black is timeless,
tried true and tested.
And I bet their sales skyrocketed,
right?
Oh, absolutely.
(04:47):
A 35% increase in online sales after thelaunch.
It turns out activewear buyers,
especially millennials and Gen Z,
gravitate to statement colors thatreflect motion and positivity.
They're buying into a mood as much as aproduct.
This trend is something that has beentaking over,
After all these years trends change andsome fade and some come back
(05:08):
even stronger.
Which just proves,
you know, picking a color isn't random.
It's strategy.
Science.
And a little bit of art, I guess.
Emotion drives purchases,but the color has to do its job quietly,
behind the scenes.
Speaking of strategy,
it's amazing how these psychologicalunderpinnings shape what becomes
(05:30):
trendy.
One year it's millennial pink because itfeels fresh and playful,
and the next, sage green dominates as astatement of calm and nature.
Yeah,
it's fascinating.
These trends don't come out of nowhere.
They're kinda a reflection of thecultural mood,
like society's collective vibe.
You know, millennial pink was soft,
(05:51):
reassuring-people wanted comfort.
Sage green is all about nature andsustainability,
which, let's face it, is huge right now.
So you're saying we're basically
all trend puppets-pulled by the stringsof cultural anxieties or whatever?
Well,
that's one way to put it.
But it's more of a feedback loop.
Designers influence trends as well asinfluencers,
(06:14):
yes, but they're also responding to whatpeople want or need emotionally.
And now, tools like AI are starting to,
well,predict and even dictate these trends.
Ah,
AI.
Here we go.
Are we talking robots picking out colorsfor the spring collection?
Cause that's kinda terrifying.
Not robots exactly,
(06:37):
but predictive algorithms.
These tools analyze tons of data-socialmedia,
runway shows, shopping habits-to forecastwhat might be popular.
And it works.
Big brands are already using AI to designcollections or recommend colors
that will resonate with their audience.
Okay,
(07:00):
so this could mean fewer misses when itcomes to trends,
but doesn't that kinda take the soul outof design?
Like, no one's just experimenting or,
I don't know, being creative anymore?
I get what you're saying.
There's definitely a balance.
Technology shouldn't replace intuition orcreativity,
but it's a tool.
Like, with digital design software,
(07:21):
you can test endless color combos withoutwasting materials.
It's less about replacing designers andmore about giving them better
data.
And saving their butts when trends shiftfaster than a TikTok dance,
right?
Exactly.
It's all about being nimble, responsive.
Trends evolve so quickly now,and global tastes are more connected than
(07:43):
ever.
Staying ahead requires technology as muchas creativity.
Alright,
well, for anyone listening-if you'retrying to experiment with these
colors and trends,you don't have to stress alone.
Head over to contract-dtg.
com,
get a quote,and let the pros handle the printing.
Seriously, save yourself the headache.
Couldn't have said it better.
(08:05):
And that's the beauty of it-when you pairthe right tools with thoughtful,
strategic design,you can really bring any vision to life.
And on that
note, we're wrapping things up.
Great talking, and we'll catch you nexttime on Talkin' Shirt.
Bye!
See you next time,and thanks for listening!
So, let's talk about how the color wheeleven came to be-this magical
(00:06):
thing that all designers act like istheir secret weapon.
Do you know it's all thanks to,
wait for it... Isaac Newton.
Yeah.
Same guy with the apple and gravityfigured out how light splits into
colors.
Right, he created this system by breakinglight into its spectrum-red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,
(00:27):
violet-and arranged them into,
well, a wheel.
Designers took this concept and ran withit,
using complementary, analogous,
and triadic color schemes to createbalance and harmony in their designs.
And
basically it's, like, this cheat sheetfor what looks good together.
Complementary schemes are about oppositesattracting,
(00:48):
you know, like red and green.
Super trendy during Christmas butcareful-get the wrong shades and it
looks tacky.
Exactly.
Then you've got analogous,which uses colors that are side by side on
the wheel, like blue, teal, and green.
It's soothing, easier on the eyes.
Triadic is a bit bolder,spacing out colors equally on the wheel,
(01:11):
like red, yellow,and blue-it's a classic.
Okay,
that's all great on paper-or, I guess,
a screen-but you and I both know what yousee on your screen is not what
you're gonna get when you print.
Like, never.
Can you explain why that happens?
Yeah,
that's additive versus subtractive colortheory in action.
(01:31):
Monitors and screens,like your phone or computer,
use additive color, combining red,
green,and blue light-RGB-to create colors.
Printing, on the other hand,is subtractive.
It uses cyan, magenta, yellow,
and black-CMYK-and reflects light.
The two systems just don't, you know,
(01:51):
match up naturally.
Which is a fancy way of saying (01:51):
that neon pink crop
top you designed?
It ain't gonna look neon when it'sprinted unless you know what you're
doing.
Exactly.
And then there's ink opacity to thinkabout.
CMYK printers layer translucent inks.
If the colors underneath aren't white orlight,
(02:13):
they dull down.
Spot color, like in screen printing,
uses opaque inks,so what you see is what you get.
But limited colors.
And that's where you've gotta,
like, choose your battles, right?
Spot color gives you that vibrancy,
but you're stuck with fewer colors.
CMYK gives you range, but colors canshift-every choice has a trade-off.
Right.
(02:35):
It comes down to controlling expectationsand knowing your tools.
Ink opacity, base material, and selectingbetween CMYK or spot colors-it
all matters for the end result.
Alright,
so we've talked about how to make colorswork technically,
but why do we even care about color inthe first place?
It's not just, oh, that's pretty,
right?
There's a whole psychology behind it.
(02:57):
You ever notice how red just screamsurgency?
Like, SALE, SALE, SALE?
Totally.
And it's not just urgency-it's passion,
energy, even aggression in some contexts.
Brands use it intentionally.
And on the flip side,you've got blue-stable,
calm, trustworthy.
Think of big banks like Chase or evenFacebook.
(03:18):
They're all about projecting reliability.
Okay,
but here's the kicker-when you take thatand apply it to apparel,
it's more than about feelings.
It's strategic.
Like, you're not gonna wear bright yellowto convey trustworthiness in
a keynote presentation.
Well... unless you wanna sell lemonade.
Exactly.
That's where color choice meets thepersonal.
(03:42):
Seasonal color analysis is fascinating inthis space.
Have you heard of it?
It's where you, you know,analyze skin tones,
eye color, and all that to figure outyour "season," like winter,
summer, autumn, or spring.
Oh, for sure.
People go so deep with this.
I mean, I get it-wearing colors that workwith your,
(04:03):
like, natural tone?
You look sharper without even trying.
But Mark, let's hear your war story aboutthat client who crushed it
with a strategic color choice.
Yeah,
this was a pretty wild one.
A client in, like, the fitness wear spacewanted to revamp their hoodie
lineup.
They were struggling to stand out in asuper saturated market.
(04:27):
We studied trends and layered that withthe psychology of bold,
vibrant colors, like electricorange-colors that popped but also
conveyed
energy and movement,and black is timeless,
tried true and tested.
And I bet their sales skyrocketed,
right?
Oh, absolutely.
(04:47):
A 35% increase in online sales after thelaunch.
It turns out activewear buyers,
especially millennials and Gen Z,
gravitate to statement colors thatreflect motion and positivity.
They're buying into a mood as much as aproduct.
This trend is something that has beentaking over,
After all these years trends change andsome fade and some come back
(05:08):
even stronger.
Which just proves,
you know, picking a color isn't random.
It's strategy.
Science.
And a little bit of art, I guess.
Emotion drives purchases,but the color has to do its job quietly,
behind the scenes.
Speaking of strategy,
it's amazing how these psychologicalunderpinnings shape what becomes
(05:30):
trendy.
One year it's millennial pink because itfeels fresh and playful,
and the next, sage green dominates as astatement of calm and nature.
Yeah,
it's fascinating.
These trends don't come out of nowhere.
They're kinda a reflection of thecultural mood,
like society's collective vibe.
You know, millennial pink was soft,
(05:51):
reassuring-people wanted comfort.
Sage green is all about nature andsustainability,
which, let's face it, is huge right now.
So you're saying we're basically
all trend puppets-pulled by the stringsof cultural anxieties or whatever?
Well,
that's one way to put it.
But it's more of a feedback loop.
Designers influence trends as well asinfluencers,
(06:14):
yes, but they're also responding to whatpeople want or need emotionally.
And now, tools like AI are starting to,
well,predict and even dictate these trends.
Ah,
AI.
Here we go.
Are we talking robots picking out colorsfor the spring collection?
Cause that's kinda terrifying.
Not robots exactly,
(06:37):
but predictive algorithms.
These tools analyze tons of data-socialmedia,
runway shows, shopping habits-to forecastwhat might be popular.
And it works.
Big brands are already using AI to designcollections or recommend colors
that will resonate with their audience.
Okay,
(07:00):
so this could mean fewer misses when itcomes to trends,
but doesn't that kinda take the soul outof design?
Like, no one's just experimenting or,
I don't know, being creative anymore?
I get what you're saying.
There's definitely a balance.
Technology shouldn't replace intuition orcreativity,
but it's a tool.
Like, with digital design software,
(07:21):
you can test endless color combos withoutwasting materials.
It's less about replacing designers andmore about giving them better
data.
And saving their butts when trends shiftfaster than a TikTok dance,
right?
Exactly.
It's all about being nimble, responsive.
Trends evolve so quickly now,and global tastes are more connected than
(07:43):
ever.
Staying ahead requires technology as muchas creativity.
Alright,
well, for anyone listening-if you'retrying to experiment with these
colors and trends,you don't have to stress alone.
Head over to contract-dtg.
com,
get a quote,and let the pros handle the printing.
Seriously, save yourself the headache.
Couldn't have said it better.
(08:05):
And that's the beauty of it-when you pairthe right tools with thoughtful,
strategic design,you can really bring any vision to life.
And on that
note, we're wrapping things up.
Great talking, and we'll catch you nexttime on Talkin' Shirt.
Bye!
See you next time,and thanks for listening!
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