Colour Narrative: Transforming Blue
As we near the end of August, change is in the air. Many people are still on holiday and the sun is burning bright, but the encroaching evening chill and darker nights hint at autumn's arrival. I’ve always found it a strange time of year, possibly because of a lingering feeling of “back to school” left from my childhood.
As September draws close it’s a good time to reflect on the year so far and the memories forged. Some are very vivid, while others have already begun to fade. I've been contemplating how we recall the past—how crisp memories of cherished events can transform into an emotion, a blurred image, or an abstract sound.
In this narrative, I will delve into the concept of "traces"—evidence of a specific moment in time, whether it's an emotion or a tangible impression.
This year, I discovered the work of Kaye Donachie, a contemporary Scottish painter renowned for her cool-toned figurative art. Her work first caught my attention through a collaboration with the UK-based luxury womenswear brand Erdem, showcased earlier this year at the British Museum. I was captivated by Kaye's watery blue portraits, featured on flowing organza shift dresses, which imparted an otherworldly, ethereal quality. To me, the softness of her brushwork and the melancholic palette of blue and lavender tones evoked the fading memory of a familiar presence. A recent exhibition of her work at Maureen Paley in London, titled ‘I kept the memory to myself,’ further reinforces this interpretation.
During my visits to London's degree shows this summer, I encountered some forward-thinking textiles that explored themes of memory and circularity. Lottie Frei, a Central Saint Martins (CSM) textiles graduate, captured the memories and imperfections of well-worn garments using vibrant inks and sublimation printing. Stitched and darned in places, these "traces" of beloved clothing serve as a reminder of their inherent value, beauty, and emotional significance.
Emily Gubbay, a CSM Material Futures graduate, developed a circular process for recovering synthetic indigo from waste denim. For her 'Infinity Blue' project, she collaborated with London-based jean maker Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, collecting their denim off-cuts and utilizing them as waste pigment to reprint new jeans. The final product was an impression print of waste dye, creating the sensation of the memory of unwanted denim directly onto a new pair of jeans.
What struck me in these works was not only the narrative and poetic nature of the colour application but also the subtle transference of blue pigment onto canvas or fabric.
This exploration led me to select Transforming Blue (Coloro 117-44-21), a concentrated tone that can be diluted to a subtle, lighter tint. It has a muted quality that makes it feel serious and a violet warmth which gives it familiarity.
Artisanal applications such as dip dyeing, marbling, wood block printing, and stone glazing can impart a poetic quality to the colour. I particularly admired how Studio Kloak and Didi NG Wing Yu applied this colour to wood. I was also intrigued by denim company 3Sixteen’s collaboration with Saucony to create a naturally indigo-dyed synthetic shoe in this blue. The expertise of natural dye company Green Matters was enlisted to achieve the shoe's tonal, dip-dyed aesthetic.
Peichin Lin's textile exploration "Blue Becoming" offers an excellent reference for this concept of “Traces”. The MA Biodesign graduate investigated methods of using a microbial system to purify waste dye water while simultaneously producing phycocyanin. The project draws inspiration from Chinese indigo dyeing and resulted in a collection of blue textiles. My favourite piece has a blue marble pattern with a translucent watery appearance.
I eagerly anticipate tracking the evolution of Transforming Blue over the next 12-18 months, observing its transition from conceptual to commercial applications. It is a versatile mid-tone blue that is suitable for a range of materials from textiles, leather, bio plastics, wood, ceramic and glass. I expect to see it translate onto apparel, footwear and accessories along with furniture and automotive products.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this latest colour narrative, thank you for reading!
Discover more artists, designers and manufacturers that are working with this blue:
Felicity Aylieff: Expressions in Blue
From field to fashion: Tintoremus' homegrown indigo cultivation promotes natural dyes
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