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Many of us feel safe in black clothes. It is notoriously slimming and goes with anything. But according to Rita Hraiz, the colour is not flattering to most women and wearing too much too often can actually make you feel down.

‘I don’t stock black clothes in my shop’ says Rita, ‘Black suppresses and hides you.’

We first met Rita on her stand at Esthetica, the part of London Fashion Week dedicated to ethical fashion. Her patch was a vibrant sea of colour which stood out against the surrounding, more muted clothes on offer.

She is passionate about colour and believes that it has the power to enhance your wellbeing and help you achieve what you want in life. She has certainly knows her stuff having ‘earned her stripes’ in fashion. Rita began working in the industry in the 80s. With her label Le Choix, she sold her collections to Topshop, Hennes, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Sacs Fifth Avenue, Galleries Lafayette in Paris and other boutiques all around the world.

Now she owns two of her own shops, under the name of ‘Mudra‘, with a third opening in May. Her clothes are also stocked at other boutiques throughout the UK. Made by hand in Nepal (‘with love’), they are 100 per cent cashmere or pure silk. Their design is timeless, luxurious and cut to flatter every shape.

The pieces in the stores are all coloured according to theories set out by leading colour authorities, Theo Gimbel and Rudolph Steiner. The theory goes that, like music, each colour has its own note from the shorter denser waves at the red end of the spectrum to the longer, faster waves of blues and purples. Rita believes that colour can be theraputic and this is borne out by shades chosen for the interiors of schools and hospitals. Yellow, for example, is said to stimulate the intellect so is great for educational institutions.

Deep red Gives you energy if you’re feeling below par and helps you to make an impact. Also has a grounding effect.
Orange The colour of fun. It stimulates creativity and embraces our sensuality.
Forest green Another one that energises but also cools and harmonises.
Lime green Very uplifting, zesty and fresh.
Chestnut Rich and warming, a very fertile colour.
Magenta Soothing, nourishing and emanates gentleness.
Azure blue Calming, spacious and suits nearly all of us.

So each colour has its own theraputic quality, but can anyone wear any colour? Rita believes that we all have different needs – we can choose to wear a certain colour to help us to achieve what we want to on any given day. Purple, for example, is great if you’re going to a meeting and want to make an impact. So how do we know which colours to go for?

‘Most of us are drawn to particular colours and we should trust that instinct.’ says Rita. ‘I’m drawn to blue as I have a hot personality and blue is cooling.’ Rita offers consultations to individual clients and doesn’t believe that colours can only be chosen according to the person’s own ‘colouring’ such as hair and skin tone. It’s about personality and what you need in your life as well.

Colour can truly effect our physical and mental well being and wearing the right colour can positively enhance moods and awaken the senses, whilst nourishing and freeing the wearer from constraints.    Rita Hraiz

Well I must be going. I’m off to the charity shop with all my black clothes…

Rita Hraiz’s Mudra stores are in Knightsbridge, Glastonbury and, from May, London’s Kings Road. Mudra offsets its carbon footprint by planting trees in Mongolia.