Nature inspired hues in fashion

Rusty orange pairs well with wood tones and tanned leather, says Pantone

As life becomes more technology focused, beauty brands and stylists are placing more emphasis on more nature-inspired hues.

Pantone, a global authority on colour, says "energising orange" - the colour of goldfish, salmon, orange woodland mushrooms, autumn leaves and apricots, oranges, mangos, peaches and carrots - is currently popular.

"A rich palette of rusty orange and copper tones, symbolising more hand-crafted styles of yesteryear, are wonderful in combination with wholesome reddish browns wood tones and tanned leather," says futurist Anne-Lise Kjaer, writing on behalf of Pantone.

Orange has standout appeal, she says, and brands that use orange span from fast food to transport, such as Fanta, Orange, EasyJet, Harley-Davidson and Nickelodeon.

Although usually associated with fast and fun brands, orange also makes appearances on luxury brands, such as Hermes, she says.

Pantone recently picked Radiant Orchid, a purple hue with pink and fuchsia undertones, as the 2014 colour of the year.