August 2001 Professional Insider/Trend Spotting Tone Up Fashion walks out into fall and winter in monochrome Though black is back for fall – let’s face it, it never really went away – color continues to draw attention. This season it attracts with a subtle play of shades within the same hue. In Shades Rather than adding colorful pieces to black basics, as has been the advice in seasons past, designers and fashion editors are layering apparel, shoes or boots and accessories in tones of the same color to create a long, lean silhouette. Even those whose favorite color remains black can avoid looking like mimes by mixing in dark grays or black-tinged blues. Jewelry is getting in on the act too. Swatch’s “Bijoux” line of jewelry for fall features the tonal idea – mixing blues, greens and blue-greens in a checkerboard ring and cruciform necklace. In the company’s ad, the pieces rest on a background of similar shades. Attention Grabbers Play on this tonal trend to give your store displays and showcases a fresher look. Layer different shades of one color – peridot, emerald and green tourmaline, for example – in the same showcase. Customers will see color used this way in magazine layouts, advertising and other store designs and equate it with an up-to-the-minute and upscale image. Selling Tones Approach this trend two ways: Accent the tones or contrast them. Have customers try a mixed strand of white, gray and black pearls to blend with a gray-to-black apparel palette or blue gemstone earrings worn with a sweater in a another shade of blue. Resurgent yellow gold offers a striking contrast to any color. – by Liz Smutko