Editor's Letter

For most of us, the ability to recognize colors begins when we are less than two years old, and by the time we finish preschool, we can identify blue from green and red from purple. From then on, color becomes the dominating feature of just about everything we see. Fashion is the ultimate exemplar of this. So many factors go into designing a garment, but when that garment comes down the runway or hangs in a store, its color is the first thing we observe and the impact is instantaneous.

Yet, the ability to recognize the psychological impact of color is not as innate as our ability to distinguish blue from green. Color affects the way we perceive, understand, associate and interpret everything we see—from products to people to entire cultures. The effect can be direct and tangible. Like when Pantone announces its Color of the Year and we see an influx of that color in every industry across the world. Other times, the effect can manifest itself in subtle ways that go unnoticed, unacknowledged or ignored by a majority of people.

While color psychology is a well-established, widely discussed area of study, there is still so much to explore. We, the STITCH team, wanted to contemplate how color impacts our everyday lives, passions and interactions. And what better time to dive into the complex role and impact of color than in our Spring quarter issue—when the weather finally goes above 40 degrees and we can trade in our black winter coats for some bright, springtime colors. We hope you enjoy the Chromatic Issue and take the time to look around and appreciate the beauty of color, while recognizing and considering its psychological impact.

Rachel Burns + Emily Ash