Colorprescription: Stimulating imagination with real-life colours

At a time when algorithms and artificial intelligence have transformed and automated trend forecasts, Sabine Le Chatelier and Claude Vuillermet have chosen to go in the opposite direction by proposing a 100% physical, purely inspirational product, free of any authoritative interpretation.

The zero-digital concept of Colorprescription is based on the subjective choices of the two colourists, expressed each year in ten limited-edition boxes of sensory inspiration, each of which is dedicated to a colour, available in different shades and on different substrates.

"It is a 100% physical tool mixing materials and colours. Every month, a colour is selected, developed and applied to various materials. It is a subjective approach whose aim is to provide industrialists and brands, from all sectors, with a real colour shot capable of broadening their horizons, stimulating their creativity and generating new interpretations, and opening their minds to new materials," explains Claude Vuillermet.

For subscribers, it is also a way to build up a collection of materials classified by colour that will provide the basis for future developments.

Sharp but not guru-like

The two colourists also wanted to break away from the consensual style adopted by trend books, with sometimes strong biases, breaking out of each other’s comfort zones, but also by refusing to impose a preconceived classification.

"We want to inspire without imposing," emphasises Sabine Le Chatelier. "Everything is mobile, detachable, rearrangeable and reusable. There is a notion of freedom in this tool. It’s the ultimate anti-guru," she continues.

Each box contains a manifesto, an editorial (all texts are bilingual French + English), and a colour chart. Each shade is associated with images and keywords and all the choices are substantiated and contextualised with meaningful images, artistic references, literary words, technical notes or historical accounts which also allow to broaden the scope or, on the contrary, to go into details. All of this is combined with a variety of materials (tinted mouldings, textiles, leather, plastics, ceramics, glass, etc.) which can be vintage or made to order.

"As these are very limited editions, we can afford to carry out very sophisticated research," emphasises Claude Vuillermet.

Colorprescription is aimed at the sectors of fashion and cosmetics, the industry and decorators and packaging manufacturers. All sectors that have to work with colours and materials and who structure their offer around these subjects! The idea is to inspire colourists, designers, design studios and R&D departments who work with colour ranges, by showing them - upstream of the project process – original, and unusual materials.

So far, four boxes have been produced (blue, green, brown, pink) and the white box will be released soon. Each colour is available in four shades.