5. Selling Colour

Available for over a year

The process by which designers select next season's colours is a story that goes back to the First World War. Tracey Logan finds out why a naval blockade, cutting Paris fashion houses off from the rest of the world, created today's colour forecasting industry. Nowadays, retailers have tight controls over the colours they choose and how they are produced. Tracey visits Marks & Spencer to find out how digital technology ensures they manufacture exactly the same shade of green across different fabrics, from your woollen coat to leather shoes. Producer: Michelle Martin First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.