The fabulous Joanna Feeley of local-but-global trendforecasting agency TrendBible offered us her take on how to take the temperature of the future of colour today. Joanna hosted us at their Newcastle city centre Georgian townhouse, a suitably cosy atmosphere for an intimate talk from a now internationally best-selling author or ‘Trend Leader’ – read more about the book here.

Joanna gave us a glimpse into TrendBible’s forecasting methodology and discussed colour examples: from Pantone’s divisive ‘mocha mousse’ colour of the year, to the deeply entrenched notion that ‘girls toys are always pink’, and more. Colour, from TrendBible’s perspective, should never be considered the ‘whole story’ when it comes to designing the future. Companies that adopt a new colour palette simply because it is a predicted trend often fail to uphold the other core tenets of a trend that give it meaning. One example she references is ‘Hygge’, a set of principles based on Scandinavian values and the prioritisation of rest. As ‘Hygge’ became a buzzword in the UK market, brands rushed to incorporate soft greys and earthy browns into their ranges, without thinking more deeply about the culture of home-based rest and relaxation.

As a result, you could argue that some missed opportunities for giving the trend sustainability and staying-power, relegating it to the list of fads that swiftly cycled through the consumer adoption cycle (until it is time for it to be revived, in a new way, in 5 years time…)

Thank you to Jo and her team for accommodating us during their busy working week.

You can buy a copy of Joanna’s book here – it is aimed at marketing, design and insight professionals who want to better understand how to identify and instrumentalize trends to become conscious, intentional leaders in their field.