The archaeologists of the future: Francq Colors trend studio

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New colour trends come and go each year. Antwerp is the home of one colour pioneer, Francq Colors. After developing children’s bicycles for 17 years, Hilde Francq took her colour expertise to a new level and started her own studio. She describes her work as ‘archaeology and excavating the future’. The advice from the studio is reflected in numerous brands, such as Niko, Tribu, Samsonite, Serax, and Arte. We went along to the studio to see how trends are created and which will dominate the winter collection.
 

What does Francq Colors stand for?

“We are a trend agency working in three sectors: interiors, fashion and food. We provide customers with advice two years ahead based on the Colour Trend Reports we develop. Furthermore, we organise ‘trend talks’: seminars and readings about future trends. With our ‘trend academy’, we teach participants how they can create visually effective mood boards to relay their message. We also do photoshoots for our customers based on colour combinations, materials and textures from our trend reports.”   

Francq Colors

How do you determine the colour trends/how do you go about it?

“We apply the ‘connecting the dots’ model founded in sociology. We translate the sociological macro tendencies we observe into colours, materials, patterns and textures, supplemented with examples from contemporary early adopters who have already noted the trends. With the team at Francq Colors, we work on a Colour Trend Report for six months that looks one-and-a-half to two years into the future. 

We are doing archaeology in the future, as it were, to find enough evidence so we can confidently say: this will become a trend.

We spot trends in major cities such as London, Copenhagen, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. We also closely follow museum programmes. For example, if there is a Frido Kahlo exhibition in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, you can be assured you will see many Frida Kahlo influences on the catwalk the following year. So we consider numerous factors when determining a trend.” 
 

How do you know if a colour will catch on with the public at large and the brands? Is it sometimes a risk? 

“No, when about six or seven years ago I said that pink would be the new black, everyone raised their eyebrows. Today, pink is the new black. A consumer first needs to get used to a colour. They have to see it on the streets, only then will they be inclined to wear it themselves or to integrate it in their interior. The divide between the worlds of fashion and interior is no longer as great as it used to be. After all, we are talking about the same colours.”
 

What role does a colour play in the marketing story of a clothing brand? 

“Colour is very important, no less than 85% of purchases are decided based on colour. There are companies that spend a lot of time developing a product (the shape, design, material) and it’s only at the end they realise they have to give it a colour. That is wrong. If, with designers, we determine in advance what the trends are then the marketing department also knows what’s going on. They then know the colour palette and the story that will be communicated. It only works when all departments, and not only the designers, work on the basis of one and the same trend.”
 

What are the colours for the new winter collections? 

“For the coming winter we are going to see a lot of green, and that will also return in the following summer collection. Seasonal colours don’t really exist anymore; it’s no surprise to see summer colours in the winter. In addition, lilac and yellow tints will continue through this winter. Velvet is staying and this time in a ribbed version called corduroy. Those are the most important combinations and we are moving towards even more colour. 

What is new is the influence of South America and Africa. Until now, everything was defined by the northern hemisphere. Scandinavia has made its mark but that is now passé, you can forget it entirely. We are now going to see more influences from the southern hemisphere. We are talking about Afrofuturism, something we will see reflected in fashion. People like to see earth tones and clay colours.”
 

Are there any projects you want to realise in the future and where do you see Francq Colors in five years?                                        

“We are currently working on further international expansion. In five years we still want to be inspiring and encouraging companies and individuals to consider colour as an essential part of their processes. Additionally, we want to carry on delivering qualitative and visually strong work. People look at images more than they read, so to speak. Visuals are important. After all, photoshoots are an extension of our work.”

boek francq colors

If you are interested in the world of trends and colours ,and after reading this interview you want to know more about the strategy, then we recommend the book ‘Kleur verkoopt’ by trendwatcher Hilde Francq.

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