Pantone - The premiere leader in global color interviews Nuprimary
We're thrilled to have been interviewd by Pantone, the authority on color, provider of color systems and leading technology for accurate global communication of color! Read the full interview below and make sure to visit the Pantone blog here: http://blog.pantone.com/2014/09/nuprimary-new-york-city-textile-studio-wins-pantones-make-brilliant℠-instagram-contest/
PANTONE: Tell us a little about yourselves and Nuprimary?
Nuprimary textile design studio started out of the desire to create a new working process, we wanted an environment that fostered a productive self-sustaining brand. The brainchild of NYC designers Craig Tudhope and Raymond Bono, Nuprimary textile studio is based in Brooklyn NYC. We create one of a kind textile design concepts while collaborating with some of the coolest and influential designers and brands in Fashion and Home design. Craig and Raymond met through mutual friends 10 years ago and have been together in life and work since. We maintain an ever evolving and rotating collection of print, pattern, embroidery and embellishment, as well as work hand in hand with select design teams on creating their bespoke concepts each season. We are the intersection of new and fundamental ideas combined with creative concepts and innovative solutions. Nuprimary offer a fresh way of working with classic ideas to create contemporary ways of looking at the world around us. As inquisitive thinkers we have a passion for discovering the capabilities of newness in trend, art, culture and technology while at the same time promoting traditional techniques. We have an affinity for work that is done by hand. We believe in the art and the artist, the process and the product. With this in mind we are ever exploring the spectrum of possibilities available in today’s digital age, creating a union between technology and creativity.
PANTONE: How does the field of textile design tie into the fashion world as a whole?
With no pun intended textile design is literally the fabric of the industry. Textiles and prints are filled with so much spirit. They tell the true story of the collection; they are at the forefront of communicating an idea, an emotion, a memory, a sensation. Every great collection starts somewhere. We like to think that it often starts with us.
PANTONE: Our judges loved your submission, what made you chose that particular behind the scenes photo to enter the contest?
This particular image was really quite a sentimental moment for us both. It was taken in our old studio this past June the night before we moved into our current new studio. It sort of says a lot about who we are, breathing life into fundamental or primary ideas, making them new again. People are quite creatures of habit yet consistently yearn for the idea of something new- we aim to bridge those two desires.
PANTONE: What was your reaction when you learned that you won the Pantone ‘Make it Brilliant’ Instagram contest?
We were super excited to have been chosen by the Pantone team as the winner of the MIB contest. We’re such fans of color and what the Pantone brand has done for the industry in terms of navigating, directing and communicating color.
PANTONE: As your prize, you chose the PANTONE Color Specifier, how does Nuprimary use this in their daily work?
We use the PANTONE Color Specifier every day in so many ways. Whether it is matching yarns or selecting the perfect shade of blue. Color is at the core of Nuprimary! The PANTONE Color Specifier allows us to be clearer, more precise, and more creative in many ways. For example when transferring files and communicating ideas between designers and factories across the globe. It helps keep everyone on track when there are many moving parts, creating one final product, which is so greatly focused around color.
PANTONE: How important is color to your work?
Color isn’t only important, it is vital to what we do. It is at the core of every design we create. Each shade like a note from a music bar, just one bar away from one another yet each shade creating its own unique vibration, similar to the notes on a scale.
We often think about the possibilities of seeing a new primary color. If only human eyes could be focused to see additional possibilities. Imagine seeing possibilities in a new light, with new eyes. What possibilities could we explore? What could we create together? It might require genetic modification for us to see it but there are several colors that are already present and we simply don’t have the ability to see them. Imagine what it would be like to see a color that we haven’t seen before. How would it change our world?
PANTONE: What are some of the things or places that inspire you?
We’re inspired by art and design of many mediums. We’re drawn to images, video and animation and in fact have recently created two exciting brand videos which you can see on our website as well as on our Vimeo page. We’re also definitely inspired by travel, seeing how people create things in different places around the world. At Nuprimary we’re always looking for ways to re-look at the world around us, to re-purpose fundamental ideas and make them new. We take inspiration from heritage, craft and doing things by hand. We especially loved the time we spent in Jaipur, Rajesthan, India and within the UAE searching for vanishing textiles and techniques. Architecture and interior design are both huge inspiration and passions of ours. We were moved by the amazing beauty and serenity we found at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi as well as La Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona during recent trips. For local inspiration we love spending a September day at the Storm Kings Sculpture park about 90 minutes north of NYC.
PANTONE: What’s next for Nuprimary?
We’re currently settling into our new space, gearing up for the Première Vision, Indigo textile show in Paris in September and looking forward to expanding by hiring new artists this year to join our team. We’re exploring some ideas of how to reach more people, more designers and clients around the world. We’re planning our path towards a second design studio somewhere in Europe within the next 5 years. As a studio, we’re still evolving and growing every day, meeting new clients, working on new projects and developing a product, which excites both us, and our customers and continues to exceed our own expectations.
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