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| Photo and design © My Fashion Connect Global / Lucia Carpio 2020 |
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| A view from the South Downs in Eastbourne towards a setting sun over the English Channel. Photo by Lucia Carpio shot in September 2020. |
As reported in the New York Times, Laurie Pressman the vice president of the Pantone Color Institute says, “No one color could get across the meaning of the moment. We all realized we cannot do this alone. We all have a deeper understanding of how we need each other and emotional support and hope.” Hence Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone said the decision to select “two independent colors really coming together.”
The Pantone experts did admit they did not start the process with a two-colour result in mind, but they realized early on that the stakes around the choice of colour for 2021 were very high and might demand a new approach.
“Grey is reassuring and perennial, and when paired with Illuminating in a mid-century style space, it results in a warm and inviting palette full of charisma.”
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| Hayward Dove Grey L-Shape corner sofa from Furniture And Choice: Contemporary and spacious, the Hayward corner sofa is a stylish option for the living room. |
From an interior design point of view, the combination of the two colours are hardly revolutionary, although they do complement each other.
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| The Harlow sofa from Furniture And Choice has a stylish, Scandi-inspired design. |
Taking inspiration from Pantone's 2021 colours, Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at UK's Furniture And Choice, has various advice. She says: “Start with a grey sofa as a grounding base. Look for a structured profile with gentle curves and raised, tapered feet that are hallmarks of the style. Introduce accents of Illuminating through accessories like pillows and artwork. Fun, thematic pieces like a sunburst rattan mirror can also help to visually brighten the space. Grey is reassuring and perennial, and when paired with Illuminating in a mid-century style space, it results in a warm and inviting palette full of charisma.”
Over at Snug, The Sofa in a Box Company, they already have similar colourway vibes to Pantone’s winning shades. Their textured Mid Grey is available in The Big Chill and Rebel collections, and acts as a perfect neutral for your home styling.
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| The Rebel 2-Seater sofa in Turmeric from Snugshack.co.uk |
“After the troubles of 2020, we were delighted to see that Pantone had chosen such a positive colour combined with a reassuring partner. Yellow tones will always remind us of happy summer days whilst grey tones have been making an appearance in interiors for a while now – offering solidarity and familiarity."
Meanwhile wall murals expert Wallsauce.com has released its top five designs that complement the colour duo, focussing on Pantone’s definition of ‘A marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting’. The wallpaper designs not only reflect the colours but also embraces their meanings with uplifting artwork that 2021 needs.
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| The on-trend custom-made Transparent Gold wall mural in mustard and grey from Wallsauce is supplied in panels. |
From pretty foliage and playful birds to a soothing watercolour design, all five wallpapers available at Wallsauce.com express positivity and happiness and are available to adorn walls to bring bright and cheerful décor to homes.
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| Wallsauce.com features Alliums and Heleniums wall mural. |
Rachel Kenny, head of the design studio at Wallsauce.com says: “After the troubles of 2020, we were delighted to see that Pantone had chosen such a positive colour combined with a reassuring partner. Yellow tones will always remind us of happy summer days whilst grey tones have been making an appearance in interiors for a while now – offering solidarity and familiarity.
"We wanted to be able to make this positive shift available to every home, so our top five styles offer something for everyone. 'Transparent Gold' by Carol Robinson is a timeless design, whilst the 'Grey and Mustard Watercolour' is ultra-modern and a fairly new design for Wallsauce. Some of the wallpapers we have chosen to complement these colours are already amongst our best sellers!”
It is understandable that show organisers will face the challenges ahead by concentrating their commitment and efforts on fewer events to ensure a better success.
So it is welcome news that Hyve Group, the organisers of Scoop and Pure London, have announced that the two leading London fashion trade fairs will unite as one event in September 2021.
While the two shows will run as a virtual forum - Fashion Together - on 23rd February 2021, Scoop X Pure as a concept show is scheduled to take place on 12th-14th September 2021 and will be held at the iconic Saatchi Gallery, with Scoop founder and MD, Karen Radley, taking up the role as curator.
Scoop X Pure will showcase a highly edited line up of fashion, home and lifestyle collections
A carefully curated menswear line-up will feature at the show
Designed to offer a “department store” atmosphere, Scoop X Pure will not only showcase both emerging and established UK and international designers as well as a selected edit of home and lifestyle products.
Following the cancellation of Jacket Required’s July edition, Scoop X Pure will also feature a selected menswear edit, with a view to showcasing labels with both a men’s and womenswear offering.
Founder and Managing Director of Scoop, Karen Radley says “Scoop and Pure London have coexisted for some time in the UK capital and this is an exciting opportunity to unite the best of both. I am looking forward to welcoming our loyal visitors and exhibitors, as well as many new faces to the Saatchi Gallery for this unique event.”
Pure London Event Director, Gloria Sandrucci continues, “Bringing the Hyve fashion portfolio closer together has been a key strategic priority for the business, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to offer this one of a kind show. We have been listening to our buyers and exhibitors and feel that Scoop X Pure will provide an excellent gateway back into live events following the pandemic, offering a more exclusive and safer buying environment in line with the contemporary fashion calendar.”
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| This Jewels and Jingles collection includes velvet and sequin butterfly on clip, and a selection of glass baubles on a Highland blue tree, all from Dobbies Garden Centres. |
Administrators have been appointed to Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia (behind brands such as Dorothy Perkins, Topshop and Miss Selfridge) while Debenhams will now go into liquidation as JD Sports has walked away from potential takeover of Debenhams, which was founded in 1778 and is one of the oldest high street chains in the UK.
Nevertheless, shoppers will be happy that they can earnestly get into the Christmas spirit as latest research from market research expert Mintel reveals that most Brits are striving to have a good festive period with their spending predicted to decline by just 0.4% compared to 2019.
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| Letterbox-friendly gift packs are ideal for online shoppers. Here a new range for gardeners from suttons.co.uk, packaged to send directly to the recipient. There are five themes of Vegetable Gerden Letterbox Gifts to choose from, each packed with a selection of seeds, sowing accessories, a gardener’s exfoliating hand soap and either a handy tool, themed accessory, or hand cream set. |
Mintel expects retail sales in both November and December (both in-store and online food and non-food) to hit £81.7 billion, declining just 0.4% compared to last November and December when sales reached £82.0 billion. Sales through non-food retailers this November and December are expected to reach £33.3 billion.
Online demand has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to make up a record level of sales during the Christmas period. Half (51%) of consumers say they plan to buy more Christmas gifts online this year, rising significantly among those aged 16-34 (58%) and falling a little among those over 55 (44%).
Overall, Mintel estimates that internet pure players (online only retailers) will account for £15.7 billion worth of sales in November and December. This comes as almost three quarter (72%) of Brits plan to try to limit time in crowded areas before seeing their family at Christmas.
And it seems the festive period is proving to be more important than ever as 77% of grocery shoppers say it is important to have a good Christmas after the events of 2020.
"The festive period is, for many consumers, a time to forget their worries and celebrate with loved ones."
Nick Carroll, Associate Director of Retail Research at Mintel, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has polarised consumer finances. Some have been able to work throughout the outbreak and have seen some outgoing costs, such as travel, reduced, but many have seen incoming costs reduced, through furlough or lost jobs due to the pandemic. Irrespective of the scenario, households find themselves looking toward the uncertainty of 2021, particularly with the end to Government intervention in the job market. As a result, consumers have been less willing to spend since the pandemic hit and these fears will naturally be at play in the background of this festive period.
“However, the festive period is, for many consumers, a time to forget their worries and celebrate with loved ones, and few years have limited consumers’ ability to do both like 2020. If, as we expect, rules are relaxed a little for the festive period***, customers will be wanting to make this Christmas as special as possible and purse strings are likely to be released more than they have been so far in 2020. Value will remain crucial but those that have been able to save during the pandemic may look to release some pent-up demand; while those who have been impacted financially will do what they can to ensure they can still make this festive period special.”
