New Pantone, New Look?

Every year, Pantone announces the "Color of the Year," an eagerly awaited moment for creatives, designers, and brands worldwide. This event is not just a celebration of color but a driving force behind innovation and marketing strategies: the new shade becomes the centerpiece of capsule collections, advertising campaigns, and reimagined iconic products. But how do we handle this shift, especially in the fashion and design worlds, where visual consistency and speed are critical?

Imagine a few decades ago: a designer learns about the new Pantone color and makes an intercontinental call to their supplier, struggling to explain the exact tone and hoping the final dye matches their vision. Today, technology allows us to update our projects in real time. Two tools, in particular, are revolutionizing how we adapt to new color trends: 3D software and artificial intelligence (AI).

With 3D software: Precision and flexibility

3D software has become an indispensable tool for designing clothes, accessories, or industrial products. Once a digital model is created, changing the color of a material is quick and precise.

For example:

• Have a complete outfit and want to see how it looks in the new Pantone Mocha Mousse 17-1230? Simply apply the color to the various textures and fine-tune parameters like gloss and opacity.
• Need to design an entire coordinated collection? Duplicate the model and experiment with different shades to produce high-quality, realistic renders ready to showcase to your team or clients.

The advantage: total control. From fabric to shades, every detail can be adjusted with maximum precision.

With AI: Creativity and surprises

AI injects creativity into the process, albeit with a touch of unpredictability. Image-generation platforms powered by AI can transform product colors in seconds, simply by describing the desired outcome.

Example prompt: "Apply the Pantone Mocha Mousse 17-1230 color to this complete outfit, keeping natural texture, a silky contrast and a matte finish for leather"

The result? Surprising but not always precise. AI may interpret the color in unexpected ways or add unrequested details. While ideal for brainstorming and inspiration, it’s less reliable for projects that demand accuracy.

Kling

Magnific.ai

Midjourney

iFoto :)

Which one should you choose?

The answer depends on your goals:

• Need precision and color fidelity? 3D software is the perfect choice.
• Looking to explore innovative ideas and break the mold? AI offers intriguing possibilities but requires tolerance for a bit of creative chaos.

A new future for design

The evolution of tools like 3D software and AI not only simplifies designers' workflows but opens up new creative possibilities. We can now preview how a product will appear in the market, anticipate trends, and respond swiftly to demand.

Behance

To avoid ending with the unconvincing image of the test on iFoto, I’m sharing the link to the project on Behance, where you can see everything in high resolution.