The Garmentor - The Fashion Manual for Style-Minded Men

With the first day of spring just a few weeks away (March 20th, to be precise), we figured it was time to publish our color forecast for this year’s vernal fashion season. So, what do we expect to see a lot of this spring? Red, yellow, and blue. In short, the primaries.

Piet Mondrian, Composition (1921)

Color forecasts are nowhere near definitive. However, by studying the Spring Summer ‘09 runways and the clothes we’re beginning to see stocked in stores, we can come up with a close approximation to the colors you should expect to see on mannequins and urban catwalks come this spring. Enter RYB.

Perhaps the presence of red, yellow, and blue in this season’s looks is an allusion to modernist painter Piet Mondrian, who, by reducing his color palette to the primaries, sought to express a new utopian ideal of spiritual harmony and order. This would make sense, considering the dim, yet hopeful, status quo. The combination is also reminiscent of childhood, perhaps expressing a desire to return to simpler times when there was less to worry about and more time to relax. Either way, we’re excited about these colors and their potential to bring some optimism to 2009.

On the Runway

We found the primary colors particularly hard at work in the Spring Summer ‘09 lines of three American fashion designers: Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Blue stripes, red solids, and a yellow bag.

Michael Kors

The primaries in full force. Red, yellow, and blue don’t get any more pure than this.

Calvin Klein Collection

With suits in pinkish red, powder blue, and greenish-yellow, we think it’s close enough.

Photos by Marcio Madeira

In the Stores

Don’t expect to find cobalt blue blazers in a store near you. In the transition from runway to department store, certain looks get modified or cut altogether. The point is to take inspiration from these looks, particularly their bold strokes of primary colors. Look for statement pieces, like a bright red coat a la Marc Jacobs (we found a similar one by American Apparel).

Mondrian’s compositions always combined the primary hues—red, yellow, and blue—with the primary values—black, white, and grey. Try to do the same this spring. Bright yellow, pure red, and cobalt blue are strong, eye-catching colors, so they need to be balanced with neutrals like black, grey, or even a dark jean. If you don’t like to wear a lot of brights, try an accessory that acts as a punch of color, like a lemon yellow tie.

Above all, take this color forecast with a grain of salt. It shouldn’t be the reason you pass up that green shirt you were eyeing. Instead, let our forecast guide you on your next shopping trip. It’s always easier to find something when you know what you’re looking for.