GRAFE presents Shiny Graphite, Silky Lux-Grey and Liquid Rosé Gold at K 2022
Luxury: The dictionary describes the term as “costly, lavish, greatly exceeding the usual scope of living, serving only pleasure and enjoyment”. But what the dictionary doesn’t tell you – every person defines luxury differently. In addition, factors such as the development of wealth, economic conditions, social status or family background all have an influence on the perception and awareness of luxury.
Color plays an important role in assessing the exclusivity of everyday objects. It contributes significantly to whether an article is perceived as valuable or even high-class, as noble, valuable, stylish or even exclusive. The color experts at GRAFE, Blankenhain, have been dealing with the style-defining and perception-controlling effect of colors for plastic applications for decades and will be presenting a new project at K 2022 that presents three exclusive and noble shades under the term “Luxury”.
“The three colors are shown in the form of a sample plate with one hexagonal plate per cover. The material used is a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer with a matting agent as an additive,” explains Lars Schulze, Head of Color Development and Material Science. The trick: with the same tool, the matting agent creates the matt surface/look. The color of the hexagon without additive shows a matt and a glossy surface – which allows a comparison to the sample plate with additive and shows possible applications of the matting agent. One half is matt, the other half is glossy. “We show how different looks can be created in injection molding without additional tooling costs,” says Schulze.
The color specialists focused on expressive and harmonious tones in their choice of colors to achieve a luxurious look that creates a perfect combination with aesthetic design. “This is made possible by the matt yet softly shimmering surface,” reports Schulze. The names of the colors presented already reveal their noble claim: Shiny Graphite, Silky Lux-Grey and Liquid Rosé Gold are the names of the developments presented at the trade fair. Each of them makes its own contribution to the theme of “Luxury” and defines it in a special way.
Shiny Graphite, for example, is a matt black that looks very classy and exclusive. In contrast to its glossy counterpart, the matt shade can be combined in more diverse ways. Black exudes the aura of luxury; in Chinese color theory it is a symbol of prosperity and wealth. This is also reflected in the taste of numerous famous fashion designers who have a special preference for the “absence of light”: Karl Lagerfeld, for example, always wore black suits, Jil Sander loves black jumpers and Coco Chanel coined the term “little black dress”, which should not be missing from any wardrobe.
Black belongs to the achromatic colors and is a symbol of strength and prestige. It therefore not only emanates power, but also signals it – just think of heads of state in black limousines or their bodyguards in their black suits. Aloofness and dignity are characteristics that contribute to the popularity of black, as well as its timeless elegance. The harmony of black surfaces of numerous everyday objects is another plus point that makes the color so seductive in the eyes of many.
Silky Lux-Grey is also timeless and versatile. With nuances that appear very modest and down-to-earth and a restrained brown component that exudes plenty of coziness, the color is the restrained opposite of ostentatious swagger that is often confused with luxury. Instead, it captivates with a self-confident charisma without boldly displaying it to the outside world. A certain grounding and the connection to natural materials – brown is one of the predominant colors on the planet – underline its effect in the form of gentle elegance. In color psychology, grey is inconspicuous, indifferent, and distant. It can express elegance, understatement and modesty and therefore stands as a sign of a serious and steady person. Silky Lux-Grey combines grey with brown nuances and thus conveys stability, structure and support. Friendly and approachable as well as faithful and reliable in a practical and realistic way are further attributes attributed to the color. In addition, it is empathetic, warm and fills one with a feeling of peace and security. Brown calms and does not want to be the center of attention. Earthy tones do not seek attention, but prefer to remain in the background and let other colors shine around them.
Liquid Rosé Gold, on the other hand, reflects pure joie de vivre thanks to the delicate touch of pink, which, however, remains hidden behind a mask of distinguished seriousness due to the matt powdery finish. Mixed with red and white, it combines energy and passion with purity, lightness and innocence. A special sensuality paired with a unique elegance predestines this creation for exquisite products of exquisite quality, made of the finest materials and in a distinguished ambience. At the same time, the view is also directed beyond the fringes of the Western world and its cultural associations, in which the color is interpreted as a symbol of femininity. In the Orient, pink still stands for masculinity, although here, too, it is not so much bright pink that conveys these attributes, but rather a muted old pink. Liquid Rosé Gold overcomes these cultural barriers and offers luxury for the female and male eye.