An inspiring podcast on everything you need to know about color!
Happy holidays to all our listeners! See you back here in January with a brand-new podcast with Brazilian creative Michell Lott.
Human Betterment by Design with Shashi Caan
Shashi Caan talks about the cultural color differences among the three continents that she has lived on, the application of color in architecture and her life mission to increase human betterment through color and design in the world. From generation gaps to the main design principles to futurist thinking, Shashi Caan her passion for her profession sparks through the entire conversation. Shashi is all about collaboration and understanding what is going on in the world to find solutions to today's problems.
Shashi Caan is a distinguished thought leader for architectural design internationally. As a practitioner, design educator and author, her dedication to furthering human betterment through and by design is reflected in her 30- year design career. Co-founder and leader of THE SC COLLECTIVE (2002), the inventively structured firm, Shashi is also the Co- founder and President of Globally We Design – GloWD (2015), an independent design futures think thank, through which her ReDesignEd Educators Forum facilitated the Universal Design Education Charter in 2018 and The Johannesburg Declaration in 2019. Shashi was formerly Associate Partner and Design Director with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), in New York and Chair of the Interior Design Department at Parsons, the New School for Design. In her service to industry capacity, Shashi also serves as Chief Executive Officer on the Executive Committee of International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) Executive Board. She is a former two-term President for the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) and has been recognized as a Fellow of the IFI and Fellow of Royal Society of the Arts, UK. She holds honorary fellowships from the Australian Institute of Designers, the British Institute of Interior Design, as well as the American Society of Interior Design. Amongst others, her past volunteer and executive board level service includes the US International Interior Design Association (IIDA) , NY’s Interiors Committee of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the United Nations Association (UNA). She was Contract Magazine’s US Designer of the Year (2004), granted the Golden Seat Architectural Master Award of China (2012), and appointed JDP Design Ambassador to Japan (2013), this amongst her many awards and accolades for design projects and design leadership across the world. With countless published writings, her seminal book, Rethinking Design and Interiors: Human Beings in the Built Environment (2011), has been translated into multiple languages.
What is Color with Judith van Vliet
What is Color? A question I ask all my guests on the podcast and the variety of answers has been amazing. It is such a basic question yet perhaps so hard to answer as color is such a complex topic and can have so many different meanings. Listen back to what my guests replied to this important question over the past year from their own perspectives working in design, architecture, science, food and psychology.
Color Kindredness with Patti Carpenter
Patti Carpenter will talk color trends as she travels the world to places that inspire her. Actually, it is not the places that inspire her, it's the indigenous and how they work color in their artisan products from which we all can learn so much. Patti talks about what really keeps her going, her work in artisan development in countries around the world and her desire to bring more diversity to the world of design. From high Fashion to doing what truly matters to her, helping and supporting other creatives globally and bringing back the value of true artisan development. That is Patti.
Patti is Principal of carpenter + company and an award- winning Designer in globally sourced home décor, accessories, fragrance and gifts, with experience in product design and development, merchandising and color + trend forecasting. As a Micro-Enterprise specialist with U.S. presidential recognition for domestic and international expertise in artisan development, small producer and entrepreneurial training and economic development she has designed and sourced Private Label collections for Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, The Phillips Collection, ABC Carpet and Home, Donna Karan Urban Zen and Ralph Lauren. She has worked in 57 countries. Patti is an expert in Color + Trend research and forecasting and consults with Pantone. She is the Global Trend Ambassador for Maison & Objet, Paris. She is an active board member of SERRV International-one of the founding organizations of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), BADG (Black Artists and Designer Guild), The High School of Fashion Industries and The Bienenstock Furniture Library, as well as the co-founder of the Kaleidoscope Project. Patti is also the recipient of the Gift For Life Industry Achievement Award for 2021 and the Withit Industry Leadership Award for 2021 for the Kaleidoscope Project.
The Future of Color Forecasting with Leslie Harrington
When color-minded come together you have great conversations, proof again is my episode with Leslie Harrington. Leslie talks color strategy like very few and explains the major pitfalls in selecting color. She believes the future of color forecasting lays in data to validate intuitively made color choices. How will AI influence the jobs of color professionals and how can the two sit side by side? Listen to this intriguing color talk now!
Leslie Harrington Ph.D is the Co-founder of HueData, a color intelligence company, and the Executive Director of The Color Association of the United States, a color trend agency since 1915 specialising in Fashion and Interiors/Environments. She currently is on the Executive Committee of AIC, a professional member of ISCC, is a professional member of ASID - American Society of Interior Designers. Leslie is the current President of AIC - International Color Association. Leslie has worked in the area of color strategy and color marketing over a 25+ year for companies such as Benjamin Moore and has been published and quotes in numerous publications such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The New Yorker, Oprah Magazine and aired on Dr Oz Show, CBS’s Live it Up with Ali & Jack, ABC's Good Morning America and many more.
The Bottom Line of Color with Anat Lechner
In this episode you may learn how to rationalise your color choices through data and statistics, a requirement ever more important when working with large businesses. Anat Lechner will explain how she ended up in the world of color and how her business perspective on color helps the creative industry today. Anat believes we need to first understand color before we can apply it, let alone use it to drive business decisions. Her company Huedata gives you the necessary background information to make well-informed color choices based on true market data.
Anat Lechner, PhD, is a Professor of Business Management at the Stern School of Business, New York University where she focuses on disruptive leadership, innovation, and strategic change. She’s also the founder of Huedata Inc., a color intelligence company. A former Research Fellow at McKinsey & Co. Dr. Lechner has advised to global Fortune 100 firms in the Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Energy, Food, High Tech, Design and Retail industries. She’s had numerous appearances on the NYT, WSJ, BBC, ABC, Forbes and other premier global media outlets Anat holds an MBA and a PhD in Organization Management from Rutgers University, NJ.
Global Color Visions with Sara Forsmark
In this candid conversation I will talk with Sara Forsmark about the great challenges of creating a global color vision for the sports performance brand Adidas. How does she incorporate topics such as sustainability and inclusivity in her colourful work? Print and pattern is key in the world of apparel and footwear, how are they materialised in color visions? Sara is a fervent color advocate but even more so when it comes to debunking color perceptions and concepts, let's listen which ones nerve her the most.
Sara Forsmark is a creative who navigates and transforms the complex world of color into future forward color concepts and visions.
For Sara, color is beauty and currency; for life, humanity, design, brands and business. With color at the core, her ambition is to be a strong voice for color by creating awareness of all its qualities; as a creator of aesthetic experiences, to shaping meaningful connections between brand, culture and its audiences, and beyond.
With a big picture view, she contextualises worldly movements and growing disruptive shifts into brand relevant color insights and content; and fuses creativity with science; to craft, drive and lead way for new authentic and purposeful color expressions and stories; that speaks brand, debunks aesthetic norms and provokes emotion towards a better and different tomorrow.
Her work experiences span across a diverse range of categories and brands, a journey that started at agencies creating CMF designs for clients as LG, Hewlett-Packard and Bowers & Wilkins, before moving into the world of sports, shaping and steering brand global creative visions for color at adidas. A color design role she currently holds in the adidas Global Creative Direction team.
Unlocking Color Talent with Marianne Shillingford
If you are not yet a color enthusiast, you will once listening to this joyful episode with ambassador of color, Marianne Shillingford. Marianne will reveal what role color trends play in decoration and how you can apply color to enhance wellness in people's lives. As Founder of the Colour Design Awards she is now planning for the next event in June this year. Marianne furthermore explains how her search for emerging design talent comes about and what she believes is true color innovation.
Marianne Shillingford has over 30 years of experience in the interiors industry as a decorating and colour expert. As Creative Director of Dulux at Akzonobel she works closely with many creative disciplines from designers, architects and professional decorators to global colour experts and of course the Dulux Dog. She is a passionate expert and skilled communicator with experience in TV, radio and journalism. Marianne is also the founder of the Colour in Design Awards, which recognises and rewards outstanding use of colour in design by emerging creative talent.
The Best of Two Worlds with Thandiwe Muriu
What is it like to be a black female artist today, who is the modern African woman behind the colourful CAMO series and where does she get her inspiration? Thandiwe Muriu will explains the importance of African storytelling, the diversity of the patterns and colors she works with and how she advocates for female empowerment. We talk about self-perception, the struggles of being a female photographer in Kenya and how her family upbringing still inspires her in her daily work. How does Thandiwe mix the best of two worlds, her Kenyan rooted heritage and the opportunities modern Africa has to offer?
Thandiwe Muriu is a self-taught photographer born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. Pursing photography from an early age, she is passionate about helping brands communicate through photography so they can get their message across in ways that will not only keep their audiences engaged but, also help them get the desired response.
Over the years, she has developed a particular interest in showcasing Africa’s unique mix of vibrant cultures, colour and people. Through her personal work she celebrates her African heritage and tackles important issues such as identity and self-perception using the rich colours and vibrancy the continent is so well know for. Thandiwe’s signature style is colourful, clean and bold.
She currently resides in Nairobi, Kenya where she teaches workshops and regularly travels for assignments.
Complex Design Realities with Formafantasma
Together with Formafantasma's Simone Farresin we talk about GEO-Design, the design of the future, what design skills are increasingly important and how the two designers are trying to create awareness about true sustainable design and more importantly, bringing along solutions to businesses that can create the much-needed change in design thinking. What role does color play in this new era of design? Lastly but not least how can smell influence new design thinking?
Formafantasma is a research-based design studio investigating the ecological, historical, political and social forces shaping the discipline of design today. Whether designing for a client or developing self – initiated projects, the studio applies the same rigorous attention to context, processes and details. Formafantasma’s analytical nature translates in meticulous visual outcomes, products and strategies.
Since founding the studio in 2009, Italians Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin have championed the need for value – laden advocacy merged with holistic design thinking. Their aim is to facilitate a deeper understanding of both our natural and built environments and to propose transformative interventions through design and its material, technical, social, and discursive possibilities.
Whirlwinds of Color with David Shah
Get yourself a cup of tea and a comfortable seat as you are about to listen to an exciting whirlwind of information on trends, fashion, textiles and of course color! David and I will talk about which trends were accelerated by the pandemic and which color directions will be key for the upcoming years. In this fast conversation we will talk about the future of fashion, health and merchandising in a world where supplies are short and consumers want comfort. David will also touch upon how the meta verse is influencing society and how it will bring color to a next level.
Publisher at Metropolitan Publishing BV (Textile View, Viewpoint Colour, PantoneView Colour Planner, Pantone Colour InstituteTrendhouse Kids, Trendhouse Youth Lifestyle and Trendhouse Casual/Athleisure). He is and has been a consultant working on design and marketing developments with many leading apparel and industrial companies, ranging from fashion to automotive. He is renowned for his speeches around the world on social and design trends. David has been visiting professor at the Royal College of Arts, London examining MA students in textiles as well as Associate Professor at ARTez, Arnhem the Netherlands, for the course on branding and marketing and Associate Professor at Renmin University, Beijing. He is also a peer member for the CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands and is often called as an expert witness in legal matters.
The Future of Mobility with Stefan Ytterborn
In this very frank conversation with Stefan Ytterborn we talk about the future of mobility and the importance of transparency within the motorcycle industry but above all his electric motorcycle brand Cake. Stefan has spear-headed multiple successful companies that all were purpose driven, where does he get his inspiration and how does he know when the time is right to set-up a new innovative business? As a rather new entry into the conservative industry, Stefan mentions the challenges he faces to produce the lightest electric motorcycle in the market without making compromises on the selection of materials, finishes and colors while taking into account a zero emission option in the near future. And last but not least, what is next for Cake? Listen to our conversation and find out his love for roses but yes also a bowl of coloured M&M's.
Stefan Ytterborn has a long background as entrepreneur, promoter, and strategist within contemporary and industrial design and communication, covering all segments of the value chain when being responsible for developing more than 2,000 consumer products, my current work combines previous experiences with interests that matter to me and that I am passionate about.
His latest venture is Cake, an exciting ride on the journey towards a zero emission society. The company develops high-performance electric off-road motorbikes, launching in 2017.
Living Beautifully with Olga Hanono
Olga will reveal how she transforms spaces with their unique energy into a home for her clients, the importance of feeling a space, an aesthetic, a textile, a color before starting a project. Why is color so important in her life and how does she apply color in her interiors? How does the world of art influence her work and how did her love for art start? Listen to our talk and learn about Olga her rich heritage growing up in Mexico City and how its culture and folklore influences Olga her color choices for her projects.
Olga Hanono is a Mexican-born designer with a traditional cultural upbringing and deep passion for aesthetics, beautiful objects, and space. Her charismatic and playful personality comes through her original designs that are no subject to rules or limitations. She transforms every space into an unusual adventure.
Olga has a natural affinity with art and her projects are a combination of uniqueness and glamour, setting trends in the design world and attracting numerous awards (she has been referred to as the IT Designer, the rock star of design and the 2017 designer revelation). Hanono has her own brand textiles and wallpaper collection. She loves exploring new materials and novel/alternative solutions for creating a space: mixing patterns, colors, textures and following her intuition to create interiors of the highest standard and taste, incorporating carefully curated objects and art. She published “the art of beautiful living” by the prestigious publisher ASSOULINE, she offered a press conference at the national palace Bellas Artes in Mexico City and at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.
HAPPINESS is her major motto and she embrace it with creative solutions aimed at a luxury lifestyle.
Let Color Surprise you with Mark Woodman
As a great storyteller, Mark takes us all on a journey of color aha moments, color misperceptions and some color stories that marked his career. We will talk about getting the color right for a client as he reveals some interesting tactics. As a writer, he is very much involved in naming and describing color, an intriguing process that is more demanding as it may seem at first yet very fun!
Mark Woodman, a passionate designer, trend-spotter, educator, writer and speaker, designs interiors, consults on diverse product lines, and contributes to the pages and airwaves of media, and the stages of international exhibitions.
Mark consults for individuals and international corporations. including Corian® Design, Mid-Mark, Canadian Tire’s Premier Paint Collection, Blackfin Realty, and more. Mark Woodman’s aesthetic understanding as an interior designer of “real-life” balances his approach to design, color, and product specification. He is former president of Color Marketing Group, serves on various color panels, and is an accredited CEU educator.
A spirited speaker, Mark frequently lectures on color and design and his unique perspective allows him to weave narratives and solutions of design and color from influences as diverse as cuisine and fashion, to home décor.
Driving Change through Color with Gustavo Castillo
Gustavo is one of these persons that strongly believes in the fact that color can enact change for the good. In our talk we will talk about the colors of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and how his latest campaign for June Pride month and now Pride History month had inspired him and his team. He will talk about the great social difficulties in Latin America and how he believes that color can create community, awareness and even empathy. From the March 8th purple coloured protests for women rights in Mexico City to the green coloured scarf movement in Buenos Aires for the legalisation of abortion, color is definitely assisting us in creating change.
Gustavo Castillo is Partner and Creative Director of Estudio CH; a multidisciplinary creative agency part of the Coolhuntermx group, focused on developing brand identities, conceptualisation, execution of experience design and the generation of multimedia content.
Working with accounts in Mexico, Latin America and Europe, such as Comex, Adidas, Reebok, Johnny Walker, Bombay, as well as clients with local and national emerging products. Gustavo has more than 10 years of experience in the creative industry.
His restlessness has led him to diversify and work in other disciplines such as creative direction for streetwear brands and restaurants, art installation (Carnaval de Bahidorá 2020), and most recently the cinematographic direction of the documentary Generación Espontánea.
The Sweet Side of Color with Ramon Morató
Ramon is the first person on my podcast who is not a color expert or a designer, yet his creativity in the world of chocolate and pastry is highly inspiring. He will teach us how he uses color in his daily life, where he finds inspiration for his creations and what food trends he sees coming. We will discuss the challenges of colouring food naturally in a world that requires healthy food yet still wants to indulge. How can color innovate a bonbon, how is the world of desserts changing through our past experiences and what are important life lessons for young chefs out there?
Born in Manlleu, Barcelona into a family with no connections whatsoever to the world of confectionery, after completing his studies, Ramon Morató began his training in a number of different establishments.
He combined his studies with numerous courses offered at the school of the Barcelona Provincial Confectioners’ Association. During a period of stages at several of the best Spanish confectioners, he also went to important schools and technical centers such as ZDS Solingen, Germany and the Richard Conseil School in Lyon, France.
As the result of these years of work, his experience and his ongoing desire for innovation, he published “RAMON MORATO Chocolate”, which won the Best Cookbook in the World on the subject of Chocolate in 2007 at the distinguished Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
More recently, in December 2016 he published the book “Four in One” together with chefs Raul Bernal, Josep Maria Ribé and Miquel Guarro, on the occasion of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Chocolate Academy in Barcelona.
The possibility of connecting with many professionals in different fields gave him ample knowledge of the sector and helped him to realize his passion for teaching, researching and creating products related with the world of confectionery.
In recent years, this has brought him to teach courses, seminars and conferences all over the world, as well as special endeavors such as a collaboration project with Harvard University through the Alicia Foundation.
Currently he is Creative Director for the Cacao Barry brand.
The Language of Color with Karl Johan Bertilsson
Karl Johan Bertilsson is an intriguing person as you will hear, a great storyteller as he brings us along his journey towards color from a scientific point of view to the psychologic part of color as we will touch upon the topic of color semiotics. He will explain how one can communicate in color, how we may connect to others through color and use color as a an important message. Karl will highlight the fascinating differences in color perception between the European, Latin American, Russian and Chinese market. Teaching color is his true purpose and this comes forward very clearly in our chat.
Karl originally studied Applied Linguistics and he ran his own language school in Mexico for 11 years. In 1997 he moved back to Sweden and switched to the color language of NCS, becoming responsible for establishing NCS world wide. Since 1997, his full focus has been to support different Industries, the Architect and Design Community and Universities with color solutions.
His first Color Trend work shop was with CMG in 2007 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and since then he has worked continuously with colour trends globally, responsible for the NCS colour trends.
In 2016 he established his own design company MRKRL AB, offering design solutions of interiors, products and branding where the aesthetics, the function and meaning of colour always have a central function. His clients are mainly based in China, Europe and Russia. All of this while still consulting for NCS Colour AB as a Creative Director.
Exploring Color Cycles with Montaha Hidefi
Montaha will shed a light on her international background and how this has influenced her color career and the many color differences and influences among the regions in the world. She has been tracking color cycles from the early 2000's to better predict future trends and will highlight an interesting cycle that she has seen comeback in this year. Being part of Color Marketing Group and working on the Executive Committee as VP of Color Forecasting is what kept her going in these restrictive times, as she explains the importance of being part of a color tribe and its network.
Montaha Hidefi is a Canada-based, internationally celebrated color archeologist, writer, and public speaker. As a Color Archeologist her role involves examining and observing the past tendencies, to understand the present trends and interpret the future color forecast for business purposes.
With an extensive background in the coatings industry, color forecasting, marketing strategy and international business, she established color forecast palettes and color trend books concepts for many companies around the world.
Montaha lectured about color and trends virtually and in-person in countless trade shows, conferences, and universities, and conducted workshops on color around the world.
She participated and contributed as color forecasting panelist on many global organization committees such as the Mix Magazine, MoOD Textiles Trend Book, and Dutch Design Trend Book. Her articles on color and trends were published in trade publications such as Door Security and Safety, PCI Magazine, Powder Coating, Powder Coated Tough, Product Finishing, Rugs News andDesign, Retail Environment, and PPCJ.
Montaha is the author of Groping for Truth – My Uphill Struggle for Respect (2018), The Role of Color in Design (2019), and co-author of Colour Design: Theories and Applications (2012, and 2017).
She currently serves as VP Color Forecasting at Color Marketing Group.
Brazilian Color Fascination with Patricia Fecci
Patricia brings us on a journey through her professional life in the world of decorative paint in a very specific market, Brazil. What colors define the Brazilians, how do they decorate their homes and what color trends can we expect for Latin America in the next years. She will reveal the Sherwin Williams Company trend research methodology and the importance of collaboration when working on color palettes and harmonisation processes. Although its many difficulties, Brazilians continue to shine and the Patricia her energy during this talk reflects that.
Patrícia Fecci works as Color Marketing and Design Services Manager of the Sherwin-Williams Company in Brazil, one of the largest paint manufacturers and distributors in the world. She is responsible for all color support to company-owned stores, dealers, home centers and assists with color systems, country-specific color palettes, design trends, color merchandising, training and new business development. She is part of the Sherwin-Williams Global Color Forecast Team that tracks and forecasts color trends and design influences for the coatings industry, creating and giving color presentations to architects and designers.
Patrícia is member of the Color Marketing Group Association and Vice-President of PROCOR Brasil Association.
“Excellent series about color. It’s a complex topic and Judith approaches it from a variety of angles with her guests. Always entertaining and insightful. I look forward to listening to each episode and learning something new about color and the visionaries in the color world.”
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