Issue 34 : Alchemy
“Poetry is the alchemy which teaches us to convert ordinary
materials into gold.”
Anais Nin
The Alchemy of Design
What makes something extraordinary today? It is not connected to wealth or algorithms, but in a quiet remembering of how things make us feel. The future of design is not fast paced it is ceremonial, human beings want emotional connection, analogue experience and sensorial pleasures. Colour plays a vital role in this future.
Photography by Anna Starmer
Seemingly every day colours from nature - verdant greenfinch and thyme, honeyed hues of copper leaf and pumpkin – shimmer and come to life on vintage French woven jacquards, or dyed silk velvets. We are still deeply, madly in love with this group of olive oil golden-greens and buttery yellows that glow as if lit with a low autumn sun.
Luminary is the only colour forecast publication in the world that contains botanical and naturally dyed colour swatches in every publication.
Steeped and saturated reds stain surfaces with hand crafted botanical inks of madder root, and hedgerow berries. Earth pigments connect us ecologically to the land, as we continue to fathom our place on this Earth; iron ore reds from Celtic Wales, baked clay from Tuscany or Falu red from Sweden.
Luminary Colour Issue 34 : Alchemy
Luminary contains over 100 pages of inspiration and 60 hand dyed textile colour swatches outlining the key future colours. Luminary Clients receive a full digital library of colour palettes and original images plus the printed book and crafted colour tools.
Get in touch to book a free 30 minute presentation here
Luminary Colour Services
Luminary Studio is a world-leading colour agency, trusted by global brands to shape future-ready, sustainable design strategies. With over 25 years of experience across fashion, interiors, beauty, technology, and automotive, we deliver three core services:
01) Luminary Colour Forecast Publications
02) Colour Consultancy
Anna Starmer is a colour storyteller, her collaborations, presentations and projects with brands and organisations inspire clients to rethink how they use, action and visualise colour. Bring your creative ideas to life, refine your colour strategy and visual identity.
02) Colour Workshops & Experiences
Our immersive, hands-on workshops are designed to unlock fresh thinking and align cross-functional teams. Held in our Sussex studio or in-house globally, these collaborative experiences explore colour through the lens of nature, innovation, and regenerative design.
“Anna’s work through Luminary Colour has profoundly influenced how designers, makers, and brands around the world think about colour - not as a trend, but as a sensory language rooted in nature, place, and emotion. The way Anna weaves together colour insight, future thinking, and poetic storytelling is both rare and deeply resonant.”
Keep up to date on releases and events from Luminary @luminary_colour
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