Colors are a part of our history since the world began but often overlooked in our lives. Colors are not only an important part of fashion world but also a way to express ourselves in the modern world. Clothes turned colorful after dye was first used 5,000 years ago using insects or plants. Later, the first synthetic dye was invented in 1856.

Many of the colors were often first seen in the upper class or royalty because the method of making many of these dyes were expensive. The cheaper way of making the color was invented slowly over the years and the color became common appearance in the world around us.

HISTORY OF COLOR WHEEL

According to Aristotle, the earliest color theory, two colors black and white could be derived was from the spectrum along with other colors-red, blue, green, yellow and purple. This theory was known as On colors.

The color wheel was first invented by Isaac Newton when the light split through the spectrum in 1666. During the Renaissance, color wheel was used for the first time and the color circle that showed the RYB relationship (how color form different colors when mixed) in the 18^th century.

HISTORY OF DIFFERENT COLORS

PINK

Pink color was first named in 17^th century and initially, pink was seen as a color for males. Pink became popular due to Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV and was worn by upper and upper-middle class. After World War II, due to marketing the color for males and female reversed, pink became associated with femineity while blue became masculine.

Fun Fact: ‘Bright Pink’ was the first color to be found in the earth around 1.1 billion years ago. It was found in the rock of Sahara Desert and was made because of the molecular fossil of chlorophyll that were produced by the photosynthesis in an organism in the sea.  

BLACK

Black is one of the oldest colors in the world and was first made by charcoals. It was also made by burnt bones in prehistoric times and was called bone black. Black was worn by European wealthy class, mostly royalty and was seen as a sign of luxury. In the fashion world, black is seen as a classy color.

WHITE

The history of white color is as long as black and in some cultures they are seen as the opposite sides like Chinese Ying-Yang. White is associated with innocence hence the brides wear white as a sign of purity. White from chalks and clays were used to draw cave paintings and white is also a common color in Roman Empire, most Greek figures were made of white marbles.

BLUE

Blue is the color of sea and sky but it came later than red, black and white because it was harder to produce. The first registered account of blue pigment was from semi-precious limestone rock mixture. Blue color calms and relaxes the mind.

The ‘Prussian blue’ was invited by Johann Jacob Diesbach with the help of potassium and iron sulphites in 1709.

RED

Red is color that can be perceived the human eye from the longest distance hence it is used to warn danger. Red was made by the clays and were painted on human bodies in prehistoric times.

PURPLE

Purple was made by Tyrian dye from the sea snails which were expensive, the high making charge made purple a luxurious color and was usually worn by the royalties. The color purple became poplar among the masses when William Henry Perkin discovered the purple synthetic dye in 1853 and made is cheaper.

GREEN

In the Old German, ‘Green’ translated to ‘the color of living plants’. In the history, it was first used by the Egyptian and later Swedish chemist Carl Wihelm Scheele found a way to make green pigment in 1775 with the help of arsenic.

YELLOW

Yellow was only worn by the Chinese emperor as it represented power and divine rule. Yellow color was derived from the clay soil that contained ochre in the pre-historic period, around in 45,000 BCE to draw and paint in the caves or human bodies.

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