Designer Donna Leah Talks About Mood Enhancing Colors – And Why She Loves It

Ask anyone and they will likely say that 2020 has been a tumultuous and emotional year with perhaps a touch of a silver lining.  For Donna Leah, the Miami based designer and founder of Donna Leah Designs, focusing on her evening gown collection during the pandemic has been a challenge.  Yet, the opportunity to create a t-shirt line that gives back and the discovery of what color can do to boost your mood has been deeply satisfying.    Color is a natural mood enhancer that Donna Leah uses to tell the story about her love of nature and her passion for self-expression.

Donna Leah is not alone in her appreciation of deep hues in powerful intensities.  Fashion Week collections that were presented this past season in New York, London, Milan, and Paris gave onlookers a dose of energy with bold blues, oranges, and pinks.  Not just for the fashionable set, mood enhancing colors have been embraced by the entertainment, art, and design industries as all forms of artists are gravitating to bold and bright tones that emote positive energy.

Winter Blues Are Here to Stay

Although Pantone’s Color of the Year in 2020 was Classic Blue, Donna Leah Designs will not be letting go of the color in 2021.  Donna Leah says that a wonderful aspect about being a designer is that you are able to follow through on the colors that you love, regardless of trends.  Classic Blue, which is similar to sapphire, is perfect for the challenges that we are currently facing. It’s a hue that was originally chosen for its comforting simplicity, reminiscent of the ocean waters in Miami. “I believe that this is the tone we needed to carry us through troubling times. It is a shade that is a staple in our wardrobes and as a designer that loves color, it is a replacement for black,” says Donna Leah.

Although an evening gown designer, Donna Leah has a love for elevated denim.  Given the continued popularity of the fabric, we know that Classic Blue, a close cousin, will remain popular. In the form of denim, Classic Blue acts almost as a neutral—an amenable partner to a range of accessories, from shoes to jewelry and bags, that the wearer might choose.

A Passion for Pink

Those that know Donna Leah Designs understand that the pink of the brand is not a ballet pink, but akin to the color of bubblegum and neon signs.  It is a statement that says, “I am here” and offers a cheerful energy to the individual and those around her.  The color is for people who want to be seen and feel confident in making a statement.  Often worn in a monochromatic style, Donna Leah Designs has created looks both for evening gowns and luxury loungewear.  “Bold and bright pink has always been a favorite of mine.  I love to incorporate it into my gowns, loungewear, and even my accessories and footwear. It is a color that definitely demonstrates happiness.”

There’s Always an Occasion for Orange

Orange hues are signs of nature from a stunning sunrise to a breathtaking sunset, picture perfect flowers, and sweet ripe tropical fruits.  Often seen on Instagram street style feeds, bold and bright orange is hitting the runway, and is being seen in women’s collections around the world.  Because the warm shade brings on a tropical mood, it is the color that wearers choose when they want to escape cold emotions.  Embraced in a neon palate, it harks back to the 1980’s with the era’s music and the birth of creative videos.  Neon orange is a way to bring out feelings of joy, and a nostalgia for florescent highlighter green and yellow does the trick too.  Although popular more than 40 years ago, the new looks bring out the colors in a fresh way that feel exciting and energetic.

Color in Evening Gowns & Loungewear

For the upcoming season, Donna Leah Designs is focused on colors that bring happiness and joy to the wearer.  The designer believes that color isn’t just reserved for certain occasions and that it makes a dynamic and emotionally powerful palate for evening gowns and loungewear.  “We are working with fabrics that elevate these colors, are luxurious, and fresh,” says Donna Leah.