The color revolution
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"In this book, the author traces the relationship of color and commerce, from haute couture to automobile showrooms to interior design, describing the often unrecognized role of the color profession in consumer culture. She examines the evolution of the color profession from 1850 to 1970, telling the stories of innovators who managed the color cornucopia that modern artificial dyes and pigments made possible. These 'color stylists', 'color forecasters,' and 'color engineers' helped corporations understand the art of illusion and the psychology of color. She describes the strategic burst of color that took place in the 1920s, when General Motors introduced a bright blue sedan to compete with Ford's all-black Model T and when housewares became available in a range of brillant hues. She explains the process of color forecasting--not a conspiracy to manipulate hapless consumers but a careful reading of cultural trends and consumer taste. And she shows how color information flowed from the fashion houses of Paris to textile mills in New Jersey. Today professional colorists are a part of design management teams at such global corporations as Hilton, Disney, and Toyota. This book tells the history of how colorists help industry capture the hearts and dollars of consumers."--Jacket.