The Japanese method of combining colors has become a TikTok hit. It's a guarantee of successful styling
A Japanese artist from almost a hundred years ago has just become TikTok's new guru. And it's all because of his unusual approach to color. What's behind this sudden comeback?
In a world where trends change faster than the weather in Tokyo during the rainy season, it's hard to keep up with what's truly stylish. Today it's buttery yellow, tomorrow it's mocha mousse. We haven't even gotten used to the burgundy accents from Jil Sander's shows, and already Stella McCartney's sky blue is coming in. But how do you combine all of this so that you don't look like a random sample from the Pantone catalog?
To the rescue comes... Sanzo Wada. A Japanese artist, who until recently was barely heard of, is now taking TikTok, Pinterest, and influencer wardrobes by storm. And all because of his extraordinary work - "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
Sanzo Wada was no ordinary artist. Born in 1883 in Hyogo Prefecture , he trained not only in painting but also in crafts, film, textiles, and even in India, he explored the art of color. In the 1930s, he created "Haishoku Soukan," a six-volume compendium on color harmony , combining Western color theory with traditional Japanese aesthetics.
From today's perspective, it's somewhere between a work of art and a scientific textbook. Wada explored pigments, shades, textures and light – like a painter with the soul of a scientist. The result? A system that works not only on canvas, but also... on catwalks, in wardrobes and on phone screens.
Japanese Color Combination Method Is a TikTok HitAlthough almost a hundred years have passed, Wada's color compositions are still amazing - and now they have a second life. In 2010, the Seigensha publishing house collected the most interesting palettes in two compact volumes. The first shows 348 color combinations. The second - 72 seasonal arrangements inspired by Japanese crafts and nature.
On TikTok, these books have become the golden grail of fashionistas and stylists. Maxine Wylde shows how to combine colors she once hated. Leandra Medine Cohen praises their therapeutic effects. And Andrew Scott's look from the Met Gala? It perfectly matches the palette no. 300 from the first volume.
With "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" you don't have to know anything about fashion or art. Just open the book, find a color that's similar to your favorite blouse, and see what to pair it with. Or vice versa - choose a combination that reflects your mood or matches the weather outside. Maybe that's why Wada's method has won the hearts of Generation Z. It's minimalist, universal, and at the same time delightfully practical.
