A postscript on color
On the episode of Project Runway 8 where they’re previewing the Fashion Week collections of the four designers to decide on who the three finalists would be, the eliminated contestant showed a monochromatic three-piece mini-collection. He had the lowest score mainly because he chose only one color in the presentation. His mindset is that you can make a collection just by having the same palette.
The judges did not agree. In fact, they said it was the opposite. It was the very decision to make the pieces in a single tone that sent the semifinalist home. Color, as much as it is a consideration in making sure different garments look cohesive as a collection, is not the main factor in creating a unified set.
Unfortunately, many Filipino designers think the same way as the axed contestant. They have no idea what a collection is. They perceive color as a style, which it isn’t. Different dresses in one color only makes them look like a bridal entourage, or worse, the same dress. On the runway, the models wearing them look like they’re attending an event dictated by a dress code with a color motif. That makes color a restriction and I’m sure you don’t want your audience to think that.
(Sidebar: Sometimes, designers even create one garment and present it on the runway in three color variations. That’s not three different looks. It’s the same look in three different shades. And why would you make one look walk down the runway three times? It’s a waste of time, waste of fabric and waste of everything.)
Collections are supposed to tell a story, to send a message and to capture the audience’s attention (for them to want to buy the clothes!). Collections are supposed to be made up of varied looks that come together with the use of a theme. And theme is not equal to color. Unless color is integral in telling the story, or you have a color scheme (like nautical or earthy, for example — but still, those are schemes, not a single tone) that you cannot deviate from because doing so would ruin the theme. In which case, color is an important aspect.
But if it’s the only element deliberately tying the whole collection together or if all the garments are in the same color solely for the sake of being in the same color, then it’s not gonna work. Because it won’t tie the collection together. It’s simply gonna look like a bunch of random clothes in the same color.
I’m so glad that the “rules” on using color were emphasized on the fashion design competition because, finally, it’s out there in mainstream consciousness. I’m sure that many local designers watch the series. I hope they pick up something from it.
