3 May 2016
Episode 238
28 minutes
On today’s show we shine a light on the most fundamental of visual delights: colour. We chart the tale of three intriguing hues with journalist Kassia St Clair, consider the importance of colour in defining certain cities with author John Sutcliffe and dip into the world of indigo dyeing.
3 May 2016
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DownloadChapter 1
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Kassia St Clair is a freelance writer and columnist for Elle Decoration. Her forthcoming book ‘The Secret Lives of Colour’ covers 75 of history’s most fascinating hues and a few yarns that go with them. We talk to her about her three favourites.
7 minutes
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Today some 90 per cent of clothing is dyed synthetically but a discerning audience and a move towards a slower, more sustainable idea of fashion is piquing an interest in natural dyes once more. We visit the HQ of sustainable clothiers Story mfg to get our hands dirty with some indigo dyeing.
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Chapter 3
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Monocle’s Jamie Waters takes us through some of the most notable uses of colour in fashion, from the companies who are doing it well to those who are eschewing it. Plus: a landmark copyright ruling that could colour the future of the industry.
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John Sutcliffe is a decorative painter and author whose luxuriously bound books explore the colours of buildings in Rome and the Cyclades. His research method involves painstakingly gathering colour samples from walls and edifices and reproducing them on site. We sit down with him to discuss his work.
6 minutes
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