Let the colours… come in

This morning, like every morning, I get dressed and realise that, once again, I’m wearing black and grey. Sadly, it’s just like the weather we’re having this February. “At least it goes with everything, and it’s elegant,” I tell myself. Later, at my desk, I come across a recent British study in the newspaper (well, OK, on my screen), conducted by the London Natural History Museum, which has shed light on a fascinating phenomenon: colour is increasingly disappearing from our daily lives. We are witnessing the great fading of colours. 

By analysing more than 7,000 objects from the 20th century to the present day – clothes, cars, household appliances – the researchers observed a clear trend towards chromatic standardisation. Whilst bright colours dominated in the 1970s, neutral shades – grey, black, white and beige – now reign supreme. 

This shift in our tastes also reflects changes in our lifestyles, our aspirations and, perhaps even more so, our fears. Let me explain.

In one respect, we perceive neutral colours as more timeless, easier to coordinate and, above all, easier to resell second-hand. A black jumper is a staple, a grey car finds a buyer more easily on the second-hand market, and a beige sofa fits into any interior. 

Black and grey are versatile colours that minimise the risk of making a mistake – that much is true. Wearing a yellow shirt or buying a red sofa are choices that seem to go against the prevailing notion of ‘good taste’. And remember, according to Bourdieu, good taste – far from reflecting our true preferences – is what sets us apart from the working classes. It was, in fact, in this very spirit that the punk movement emerged in the 1970s. To rebel against sanitised bourgeois dictates, by taking every possible liberty and celebrating what is perceived by them as ‘bad taste’. I stumbled across a rather dismal Instagram post the other day, which recommended wearing beige, white or black, and doing away with colour altogether to ‘look rich’.

These days, a pink or green mobile phone is a rare sight, and when you do see one, it’s usually an entry-level model – proof that colour is now seen as a step backwards. I remember attending a meeting where one man said to another, who was sporting a fluorescent yellow and green phone case, with a hint of disdain: “What on earth prompted that choice of colours?” As if to say, “Why don’t you conform? What message are you trying to send?” It’s likely that this person wants to express themselves through their own tastes and aspirations without feeling the pressure to be like everyone else in order to be accepted and understood. And that would be marvellous. I’ve always admired “colourful” people who aren’t afraid to express their individuality. 

I did, of course, wonder whether this trend should be seen as a sign of growing environmental awareness. One might think that moving away from bright colours goes hand in hand with a desire to consume more modestly. The minimalist aesthetic, popularised by the less is more movement, advocates for uncluttered décor and neutral clothing, but this chromatic neutrality does not prevent overconsumption. Buying ten grey jumpers is no more environmentally friendly than buying one red one. Similarly, an all-beige interior is not necessarily sustainable if it is based on mass-produced, disposable furniture. True simplicity lies not in colour, but in the choice of sustainable materials, high-quality items, and sensible consumption.

History shows that colour is often a reflection of the spirit of an era. In the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression, sombre and understated fashion reflected a gloomy and austere atmosphere. After the Second World War, Christian Dior launched his famous “New Look”: dresses in vibrant colours, symbolising renewal and hope. Later, between the 1960s and 1970s, an explosion of colour accompanied protest movements, optimism and freedom of expression. Since the 2000s, with a succession of crises – be they health-related, economic, environmental or ecological – bright colours have receded, giving way to a more subdued palette. More recently, following the Covid-19 crisis, Pantone has chosen “Viva Magenta” as its colour of the year for 2023, a vivid and vibrant shade intended to embody a return to boldness. If we opt for grey, black and beige today, it may be because we live in an age where risk is frightening and where we seek to avoid making mistakes. 

The standardisation of colours also reveals a form of collective self-censorship, in that colour represents boldness, spontaneity and, above all, necessary imperfection. 

True joy arises neither from restraint nor from caution. It arises from letting go, from spontaneous enthusiasm, from the pleasure of playing with shapes, colours and textures. It arises from daring to be different, without seeking to please everyone. Colour is a statement. It expresses a mood, a spirit. In a society that increasingly values control and uniformity, colour has always been a joyful act of resistance.

Let’s be clear: white, beige and black are lovely to wear, and there’s no question of banning them. But in this month of February, which is struggling to let the sun in, let’s resist the shadows in our lives and let, let the colours in.

Warm regards,

Inès Leonarduzzi.