Seasalt Cornwall: A colourful history

Like the artists that inspired this seasons collection, our colours are drawn from the Cornish coast and countryside – from the aqua blue of a clear sea to the vibrant red of a painted boat.

Alongside some of the reasons for our own colourful choices, we’ve shared a few extracts from Kassia St Clair’s The Secret Lives of Colour – which reveals the fascinating hidden history of 75 colours and their relationship to our culture.

GREEN

“In the West green was particularly linked with the courtly rituals of spring. On 1 May, for example, many courts required members to ‘wear the May’, which in practice meant wearing a leafy crown or garland, or a prominent item of green clothing.”

The prism of greens in nature runs from energising to calming, but it is always verdant and optimistic. This season, we’ve included tones from the bright emerald of a new spring bud to the earthy tones of a shaded forest floor.

BLUE

“…the armed forces, particularly the navies (hence navy blue) needed to dye their clothes with a colour that would best resist the action of sun and sea.”

We love how deep navy denim can be casual or smart, structured or drapey, have intricate details or a simple shape. It’s timeless and versatile, and its roots in workwear always give it an effortless air.

PINK

“…the strict girl-pink boy-blue divide only dates from the mid-twentieth century. In an article on baby clothes in the New York Times in 1893 the rule stated was that you should ‘always give pink to a boy and blue to a girl.’”

When we think of pink in nature, we think of romance. It’s the colour of soft sunsets, delicate flower petals and a blushing cheek. We’ve balanced that gentleness by using it as an accent in bold prints, or giving it structure with tough woven cotton.