The Application of Color in Modern Design: A Visual Transformation from Emotional Expression to Cultural Identity
Keywords:
Color application, Emotional expression, Social and cultural identificationAbstract
This study, through a combination of case analysis and literature review, examines the contemporary application of color in the field of design from 2022 to 2025. The aim is to explore the visual dynamic and internal mechanism of color in emotional expression, cultural identity construction, and sustainable design practices. The research findings indicate that the application of contemporary design colors is undergoing a paradigm shift from pursuing visual impact to emphasizing internal connotations and from a single representation to multi-dimensional narration. Color not only changes the external presentation of products but also deeply influences users' consumption experience and behavioral decisions through emotional resonance, cultural decoding, and ethical transmission. This study explores the core mechanism of color as a "cultural-emotional-technological" collaborative medium, providing empirical evidence and analytical frameworks for the deepening of future design theories.
References
Baldini, A., & Hashmi, S. (2024). Accelerated semiosis: How social media reshapes fashion symbols in the digital age. Journal of Consumer Culture, 24(2), 312-335.
Bourdieu, P. (2023). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste (Liu, H., Trans.). The Commercial Press. (Original work published 1979)
Ceballos, L. M., Villa-Medina, L., & Mejía-Gil, M. C. (2025). Slow fashion design: understanding consumer preferences through self-congruity. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 1--15.
Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2014). Color psychology: Effects of perceiving color on psychological functioning in humans. Annual Review of Psychology, 95--120.
He, X., Zhu, Y., & Wang, W. H. (2025). Research on the application of color elements in fashion design. Western Leather, (23), 108--110.
Hofstede, G., & Minkov, M. (2024). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill. 67--89.
Kan, H. C., & Chen, X. (2025). Research on the application of art therapy in fashion design. Fashion Designer, (12), 120--124.
Kong, W. (2025). Research on the aesthetic development of TV galas from the perspective of digital art: A case study of the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Shengping Shijie, (8), 74--76.
Li, N. (2025). From greenwashing to authentic sustainability: Color ethics in contemporary fashion design. Design Issues, 41(1), 45-62.
Ruan, X. M. (2025). Application of artistic aesthetics in chemical product packaging design. Thermosetting Resin, (3), 95--96.
She, B. Z. (2022). Research on the analysis and application of "emotional design" in textiles. Doctoral dissertation, China Academy of Art.
UNESCO. (2024). Guidelines for the Fashionization of Living Heritage. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
Wang, M., & Chen, Y. (2025). Cross-modal emotional amplification in textile design: An fMRI study. Neuroaesthetics, 8(3), 178-195.
WGSN & Coloro. (2024). Future Dusk: 2025 colour of the year (Report No. 2025-COY). WGSN Group.
Yuan, Y. J. (2024). The application of AI technology in stage art design. Shiting Jie, (5), 105--107.
Zeng, L. (2025). Research on fashion color design teaching in the context of digital intelligence technology. Western Leather, (17), 79--81.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jiawei Wu (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Similar Articles
- LEI ZHOU, Mingjie Yu, Structural Interculturalism and Organological Reform：The Seven-Tone String Zheng “Zheng Xiaomeng” in Dialogic Practice with the Polish Suka , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 2 No. 03 (2026): Volume 02, Issue 03
- Xiaohui Guo, Zhouyang Fu, Zhennan Lyu, Article THE PULSE OF AN ERA: ANALYZING PUBLIC RECEPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF REALISTIC OIL PAINTINGS: AN EVIDENCE FROM CHONGQING CITY, CHINA , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 1 No. 02 (2025): Volume 01, Issue 02
- TONGWEI XIE, Zhengyue Zhao, The Generative Logic and Evolutionary Pathways of Emerging Occupations in the AIGC Era: An Analytical Framework Based on Technology-Skill-Society Dynamics , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 2 No. 03 (2026): Volume 02, Issue 03
- Qishen Zhang, Cultivation of Contemporary Calligraphers’ Humanistic Literacy -- Taking the Philology as an Example , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 2 No. 03 (2026): Volume 02, Issue 03
- Junyang Li, Research on the Current Situation and Inheritance Issues of Yangxian Lantern Shadow Opera , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 1 No. 02 (2025): Volume 01, Issue 02
- ziyi xing, A Study on Self-Presentation in Instrumental Performance Short Videos in the Digital-Intelligence Era , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 2 No. 03 (2026): Volume 02, Issue 03
- Seohyun Yoo, Enhancing After-Sales Experience in Community Grocery Apps: A User-Centered Redesign of the Duoduo Shopping Interface , Art & Design for Humanity: Vol. 1 No. 01 (2025): Volume 01, Issue 01
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.