4th August 2016

Madras colours – pink for everyone

Colours are very important to me.   I see in colour and I remember things and places by their colours.   It wouldn’t be far wrong to say that I’m a little obsessive about colour!    In Bangladesh when I visit villages and see the lush greens in every shade, I also see all the women walking around and working in their fabulously bright saris and shalwar kameez.   Overwhelmingly for me, the colour I see and remember from the villages in Bangladesh is peacock blue – a bright blue, rich turquoise mix that in just one colour sums up Bangladesh for me.

Image: peacock blue is everywhere in Bangladesh

Now for the pink!

Many people think of Bangladesh and India and the Asian subcontinent in general and think of it as the same but for me there is an overwhelming difference.   Whereas Bangladesh is peacock blue, India is hot pink.   When I think of my travels and visits to India, the colour that is always foremost in my memory is hot pink and the most perfect clash with orange and paler purples.   For years I’ve called these my Madras colours.   They are in the spices and the clothes, in the brickwork and the landscape.    I love this combination of colours.

Image:  for me the overwhelming colour of India is hot pink

It was with these colours that I made the first pink octopus rattle that came to our range.   And from there I have continued to bring out products using this fabulous combination.   It’s fabulous but its not ‘girly’.   They are rich and vibrant colours with depth and character.   They completely turn on its head the concept that pink is for girls and blue for boys and they shout out strength in a way that is relevant to us all.

Image:  the first toy we made in Madras colours is the octopus rattle

We’ve made baby blankets and rattles and hats with these colours for some time.  And you can spot the inspiration from these colours through much of our range.  You can even see it being made in the video on our home page.  The latest product we’ve brought out in these colours is the woven blanket which comes in cot bed size and single bed size.   But rest assured Pebble will be making products in ‘Madras colours’ from some time to come.

 Image:  now we have lots of toys and blankets in different sizes using this combination