The Magic of Colour
Do you love working with colours and helping people look their absolute best? If so, the Colour Stylist course is made for you! With over 30 years of experience, Colour Analysis Academy—part of Hi Style Academy—has been a trusted name in colour advice and training for aspiring colour stylists.
We began with the classic 4 colour seasons as a foundation, and while that’s still a great starting point, the world of colour has expanded. Today, we’ve developed a system that includes 12 additional colour types and countless combinations, allowing for up to 32 unique types. This ensures that everyone can discover their ideal colours.
Our approach embraces diversity, celebrating all cultures and skin tones. Whether you’re white, black, Asian, Eastern European, Native American, or from another background, we’ll help you uncover the colours that suit you best.
At Colour Analysis Academy (CAA), we offer both hands-on training in our Rotterdam studio and online courses. We can even come to your location anywhere in Europe upon request. Whether you’re a hair salon owner, personal stylist, coach, or makeup artist, incorporating colour into your work is a game-changer.
CAA is part of Hi Style Academy. More about Hi Style Academy.
Merel is blogging
Is the Colour Stylist course right for you? Find out with this test!
The psychological effects of colour: how colours influence mood and perception
Can you do a colour analysis at home on yourself?
Spring Type
Winter Type
Summer Type
Colour is magical and trending! Never before has there been so much interest in colour analysis—and it’s no wonder! Knowing which colours suit you best not only helps you look amazing but also saves time, reduces shopping mistakes, and promotes sustainability. Putting together outfits becomes easier, shopping is faster, and you’ll radiate confidence in colours that make imperfections less noticeable. Colour analysis is embraced by people of all ages and genders.
What will you learn?
Whether you choose hands-on training, in-store sessions, or an online course, you’ll quickly learn to work with the six key colour types. These include the classic 4 seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter— supplemented with Warm and Cool. This system is clear for both you, as colour stylist, and for your clients.
These colour types incorporate essential elements such as warm vs. cool tones, bright vs. muted shades, light vs. dark contrasts, and varying levels of contrast. You’ll learn how to conduct accurate analyses and provide practical tips to help anyone look their best.
During the course, you’ll focus on hair, skin, and eye colours, as well as the client’s overall appearance and personality, which also plays an important role. From there, you’ll be equipped to give comprehensive colour advice. This includes identifying the best base colours for each type to easily build a versatile wardrobe. You’ll also discover the perfect accent colours, the best shades of white, whether gold or silver suits someone better, and more. Of course, tips on hair colours, makeup, and creative outfit combinations are all part of the training.
Once you’ve completed the basic Colour Analysis course, you can advance your skills with the Colour Analysis Advanced program, which introduces 16 colour types. Additionally, there’s a special one-day Masterclass, “People of Colour,” focused on individuals with darker skin tones, Asians, mixed ethnicities, and more.
Who is it for?
The practical and online Colour Stylist courses are perfect for anyone with an interest in colour or a profession in fashion, photography, makeup artistry, hairdressing, or coaching. You can start your career as an independent colour stylist or incorporate colour knowledge into your current work. For hairdressers and makeup artists, understanding colour can elevate your results to a whole new level.
Colour Analysis Academy also trains staff from fashion boutiques, schools, and salons, and collaborates with the beautiful, natural Danish hair brand, Natulique.
Materials
Colour Analysis Academy provides all the materials you need. During the colour analysis training, you’ll have the chance to explore which tools meet your needs.
You can start with a compact set of 10 colours, including silver, gold, black, brown, and more. For those wanting a comprehensive toolkit, the complete set of colour drapes features 74 colours. With this set, you’ll be able to perform detailed colour analyses, showcase combinations, and inspire clients to shop for clothing that truly suits them. Each season, additional colours are made available, so you can keep your drape set up to date.
For workshops or as a complement to the drapes, you can use colour flags. The colour flags look more like collars and come with 7 essential colours, including a reverse side with gold and silver. They’re ideal for clear and efficient analysis, especially if you’re working in a smaller space.
Colour Analysis Academy also offers colour cards, neatly stored in a folder for durability and convenience. These cards are perfect for on-the-go consultations. The default text is in English, but they can be ordered in other languages as well.
Get started
Visit our webshop to explore the materials. Not sure what you need? Book a free video call, and we’ll guide you through the materials online.
Personal colour advice
You’re warmly invited to visit our studio in Rotterdam for personalised colour advice or to arrange a workshop at your own location. Our mission is to train and inspire people around the world, so you can discover your ideal colours in the Netherlands, Europe, or even further afield. For instance, we’re proud to highlight Carmen, who provides excellent colour consultations in Singapore.
At the moment, we have students from Italy, Canada, and Great Britain enrolled in our colour courses. If you’d like more information, schedule a video call with us by filling in the contact form (link: contact form). Of course, you are always welcome to visit us in the Netherlands. Our studio is on a beautiful location, close to the center of Rotterdam, the central station, and nearby hotels.
Clients
Colour Analysis Academy— as a part of Hi Style Academy—is proud to work with renowned companies, including fashion stores, schools, hair salons, jewelers, photographers, and more. We are honored to be the colour trainers for the stunning Danish haircare brand Natulique, as well as for internationally recognized companies such as Rob Peetoom and de Bijenkorf, a branch of Selfridges.
We’ve also partnered with global businesses like Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Deloitte to deliver workshops on colour advice and styling.
Colour analysis in Italy
Some of our future plans with Colour Analysis Academy include expanding our presence in Italy & Denmark. Offering styling advice to some of the world’s best-dressed people might seem a little odd, but colour advice is something entirely different. Even if you already have a good sense of colour, I’m confident I can teach you everything you need to know about your personal palette! This summer, Colour Analysis Academy will be visiting Milan and other cities in Northern Italy.
About the Founder: Merel van ’t Wout
After completing my studies as a designer, I began creating unique clothing pieces, specializing in bridal and formal wear. Thirty-five years ago, during a trip to New York, I discovered the concept of colour analysis. I immediately signed up for the first course I could find, and it changed my life. A whole new world opened up for me—colour is magical and truly life-changing!
Not long after, I started working as a colour stylist and was soon invited to teach courses. Over the years, training future colour stylists has become my main focus. Even after 35 years, my passion for colour hasn’t faded—in fact, I’m still discovering new aspects of it every day.
Working with colour, fashion, and people continues to inspire me. I love developing new materials, sharing knowledge through books, and creating videos on YouTube to teach others about the magic of colour.
Let’s connect!
Feel free to reach out via phone or email or schedule a video call—I’d be happy to tell you more! Use the contact form below to get in touch.