Tag Archives: style

Pantone Colour of the Year 2018

design, , ,

Moving from the earthly familiarity of last year’s Greenery, Pantone have announced Ultra Violet as the 2018 Colour of the Year. Also known as 18-3838, Ultra Violet is complex and contemplative, suggesting the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.

“We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”

Celebrating the lives of Bowie and Prince, the colour purple has long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. These musical icons brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.

The full press release is here and discusses Ultra Violet in the context of everything from fashion to food.

If you are a designer, all the colour standards are on Pantone’s site, including some downloads for Adobe products. The codes for Ultra Violet Pantone 18-3838 are

  • sRGB: 95 75 139
  • CMYK: 71 73 7 8
  • HTML: 5F4B8B

I imagine this will be a popular colour with young girls! Look out for more purple in 2018.

Perfect Packaging by Orlebar Brown

Apple, Gear, marketing, , , , , ,

Apple’s a master at the complete end-to-end user experience and has elevated product packaging to an art form. Tech companies aren’t the only ones at this; I recently ordered some swim shorts from Orlebar Brown and this nondescript box arrived in the post.

Orlebar Brown Box

Pretty dull on the outside but open the box up and everything is a visual and sensory treat. The inside of the box is a rich red, the swimwear (not shown) is neatly folded within a branded drawstring bag, the clothing tags are quality card, and with Orlebar Brown one doesn’t simply get a receipt stuffed in the box; one gets a receipt in a crisp brilliant white envelope, reminiscent of an invite to an exclusive event. Glorious.

Orlebar Brown Inside Box

In all honesty, I have never seen mail order done better – I’m sold and I’m now customer for life. And that’s before I’ve even put on the swim shorts, which are equally fabulous. Now, if I can just get that six pack sorted over the winter.

Jill-e Designs for Colourful and Stylish Gadget Bags

Accessory, ces, Commerce, Gear, geek luggage, Special Media, , , , , ,

Jeffrey and Esby get fashion tips from Jill Wight, President of Jill-e Designs, creators of stylish gadget bags. From SLR cameras to smartphones, there’s pretty much a bag for every device. But these aren’t boring grey or black – they come in a wide range of bright colours and fantastic patterns.

Although aimed mostly at women, there are some very stylish brown leather bags in the collection (see the Jack range) which would appeal to the men too.

Prices from $30 upwards.

Interview by Esbjorn Larsen of MrNetCast.com and Jeffrey Powers of The Geekazine Podcast.

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