Metallic paint, pearl-effect paint, clear lacquer: Up to now, anyone who wanted to enhance their vehicle naturally helped themselves to the shimmer-and-glimmer palette - for most car owners, the bodywork couldn't shine enough. But now other, at first glance more modest-looking coating variants are gaining in fascination: more and more matt car paints are being ordered. According to a trend analysis by the "Deutsches Lackinstitut" (German Paint Institute), drivers of sporty models in particular want to attract additional attention in road traffic with a matt paint finish, usually in dark colours*.

The fact that "matt" now even excites fans of chrome-flashing technology is probably the final proof of the radiance of the new look: matt look, as the technical term is called, is one of the central trends in design. Whether in the kitchen or on the cosmetics shelf, on the wall or on drawing paper - everywhere, non-glossy materials and textures set simple, elegant and lasting accents. In this way, they reflect (only metaphorically, of course) the qualities we now want from the things we surround ourselves with: Harmony, plenty of space for our own thoughts and feelings and, more than ever, closeness to nature.

Unglazed stone tiles for the bathroom, overcast rain-sky grey for the bedroom wall, kitchen elements in warm walnut: no wonder that furnishing ideas like these are so in demand at the moment, given that the two most popular living trends by far are "Farmhouse" and "Bohemian Style". According to an evaluation by the interior design service Modsy, 50 percent of all those interested in furniture and décor in 2020 searched for them on Instagram and Google ** - in other words, for styles whose aesthetics do not correspond to lacquered surfaces, cool shimmering marble or polished metal in industrial chic. The same applies to the philosophy: those who want to design their personal everyday life and thus also their own four walls as sustainably as possible are sceptical about gloss numbers, as their beautiful appearance is often only created with the help of environmentally harmful lacquering processes, aluminium coatings or PVC sealants. Matt colours, on the other hand, do not need such finishes. 

Combined with authentic materials such as wood and stone, linen and felt, they signal naturalness and durability - qualities that perfectly fit the new definition of luxury adapted to the challenges of our time: It is better to invest in lasting values than in short-term fads.

This is not about renunciation or a tired sensual perception. The protagonists of the new trend are much more certain that the matte look is an enrichment for our souls, which are often under great strain in turbulent times - because unagitated, dimmed colours and surfaces create a mood in which thoughts and feelings can develop in peace. Chanel's beauty director Lucia Pia, for example, sees her matte cosmetics series "Desert Dream Spring Summer Collection", launched among other things with a consistently gloss-free lip red, as an invitation to give the imagination a little more room and everyday life a little less: "I was looking for something poetic, a natural filter that makes everything look more dreamy". *** In addition to such welcome mental aids, there is another, quite real added value: because Matt does not reflect the light but absorbs it, the eye can linger undisturbed because it is not dazzled. In this way, the eye perceives the design of the object or the look of the person opposite in a much more multifaceted way, recognises shaping and lines in all details - an effect that sports car owners appreciate just as much as make-up artists.

Reduction of reflection: this special characteristic is also represented by a development from Faber-Castell that gives a basic tool that has always been highly glossy fantastic new properties: the Pitt Graphite Matt is the first graphite pencil with a matt and deep black lead. The pencil thus fulfils not so much the fashionable as the very practical needs of artists and graphic designers from all over the world who want or need to communicate their work in digital ways: When you photograph or scan a drawing made with conventional pencils, the shiny graphite automatically creates reflections - with the result that the representation is partially unrecognisable and you have to look at it longer and from different angles to get a full impression. These problems are now a thing of the past: the new graphite pencil from Faber-Castell guarantees extremely reduced reflection on the paper and thus true-to-the-original reproduction possibilities. Like all Faber-Castell pencils, it is extra break-resistant, lightfast and has an environmentally friendly water-based varnish. Visually, however, the Pitt Graphite Matt differs from the other models: While pencils usually have a slightly glossy finish, it has a matt lacquer. And thus embodies the credo "Matt is the new black".

* https://www.lacke-und-farben.de/magazin/automobil/glanzloser-trend-matte-autolacke/
** https://blog.modsy.com/most-popular-interior-design-trends-instagram/
*** https://hypebae.com/2020/1/chanel-beauty-spring-summer-makeup-desert-dream-collection-eyeshadow-lipstick-highlighter-release