Color has always been of vital significance in the fashion industry and is considered an important part of our everyday image and the messages that we want to convey to the world. Fashion color forecasters are part of the backbone of the fashion industry, as they provide guidance for designers and retailers to create fashion items that meet current and future trends.

The TENCEL™ brand team recently sat down with long-term partner, Marie-Louise Rosholm from Studio MLR, to discuss their latest collaboration - Lenzing AW22-23 Color Cards. Marie-Louise previously helped develop the Black Label capsule collection in 2020 by using TENCEL™ branded modal fibers, and is a trusted designer, who has a clear and sharp eye on fashion trends and color, with a strong sustainability mindset.

In this Q&A, Marie-Louise reveals her design process, color philosophy, and how TENCEL™ branded fibers are suited to meet the future trends of color.

Q: How do you forecast color trends?

Marie-Louise: This is the most frequently asked, and perhaps most difficult question to answer! Color is more than visual perception or feeling. To forecast color trends, we need to look at what is happening in politics, culture, and our lifestyles etc. We absorb what happens around us and sharing news and opinions with one another, in turn influences our color preferences. With more than 20 years’ experience in forecasting color, you soon gain confidence and trust in your own method, however, a level of uncertainty always exists in the actual creation of the color card. There tends to be infinite possibilities, but this is swiftly followed by the thrill you feel when you finally succeed!

Q: Can you share your experience on how you developed the Lenzing AW22-23 color cards? What was your collaboration with Lenzing like?

Marie-Louise: We have been developing color trends with Lenzing for more than 15 years. Lenzing respects our color expertise and therefore trusts our forecasts; confidence in your partner is an incredibly valuable part of any collaboration. When we proposed to turn the color card into a video to keep up with the rapidly digitalized world around us, Lenzing accepted the idea readily. I think this is what characterizes our collaboration with Lenzing: trust and responsiveness.

Q: What are some factors that influenced your process for developing the Lenzing AW22-23 color cards?

Marie-Louise: Fibers play a big role in color forecasting for designers, and TENCEL™ branded fibers rend colors in a great way to ensure color retention and fidelity. The fibers are also incredibly durable, which gives the color a long-lasting impression even after multiple washes. Given the diversity of TENCEL™ branded fibers’ usage in innerwear, active wear, streetwear and high fashion, we consider how color will influence all of these products and forecast accordingly.

Q: Sustainability has been a hot discussion topic for the fashion industry. What is your view on this? Do you think sustainability also has an impact on color trends?

Marie-Louise: The way we work with color is connected to the new relationship we all, as consumers, must adopt with our garments – longevity. Purchasing fewer, more durable quality clothing that lasts for a long-time, means color matters more than ever as it needs to be timeless. While this will of course influence our color choice when we purchase new clothes, it doesn’t mean that we’ll wear only brown and grey - we all need a splash of orange now and then!

Q: What are the top color trends for 2021?

Marie-Louise: For this season we believed firmly in nice and uncomplicated colors: reds, blues and greens, especially in combination with a wide range of neutrals from white to greys and browns.

Q: What is your favorite color of all time and why?

Marie-Louise: Teal…. maybe because it is the color of Studio MLR’s logo and hence my favorite since 1986.

The TENCEL™ brand’s longstanding relationship with Marie-Louise is exemplary of the work towards securing a more sustainable future: to partner with exciting sustainability-focused designers and labels to create stylish yet eco-friendly garments. The TENCEL™ brand has a flurry of collaborations in the pipeline, driven by the desire to showcase the benefits of TENCEL™ branded fibers and to continue to create unique and eco-friendly designs.

You can view the Lenzing Colors - Fashion Color Trends Autumn Winter 2022-23 YouTube Video in the below.