Our customer service department occasionally receives the following comment: "I received a beautiful dress from you, but the color shade is different from the photo". Why is this the case, how do we try to prevent this problem and what can you do about it? We will explain everything in the following article.
- The influence of lighting on color perception
- The influence of the display on color rendering
- The influence of linen texture
- The influence of the camera on color capture
- Different batches of material
- Photo editing
- How do we minimize the differences between a photo and reality?
- 🎯 RECOMMENDATION - How to choose the right color?
Why do the colors in the photos look different than in reality?
If you've ever ordered clothes online and were surprised by the shade of the fabric when you opened the package, you're not alone. Color differences between the photo on the online store and the actual item are common and are caused by several factors.
📸 Different types of lighting
Light plays a key role in how we perceive color. We photograph our products in a variety of lighting conditions – in natural daylight, in our photo studio with professional lighting, and in other natural environments without additional lighting.
At your home, the situation may be completely different:
🔹 Artificial lighting (incandescent lights, LED lights) distorts colors - some light sources add a warmer (yellowish) or cooler (bluish) tint.
🔹 Natural light changes throughout the day - the same fabric may appear brighter in the morning, while appearing dimmer in the evening.
🔹 Shadows and reflections in a room can also affect how we perceive color - for example, white linen next to wooden furniture can appear slightly creamy.
💡 Tip #1: Want to be more confident about the color? Check the color of the clothes you receive outside in daylight and not at home under artificial light.
🖥️ Displays and monitors – everyone shows colors differently
You may have noticed that the same photo looks different on your phone, laptop, or tablet. This is because each display has different brightness, contrast, resolution, and color temperature settings.
🔹Mobile phones often enhance contrast and colors appear more saturated.
🔹Laptops and monitors can have different display modes - some are more "cool" (bluer), others "warm" (yellower).
🔹Automatic brightness adjustment on newer devices changes colors based on ambient light.
💡 Tip #2: Is the exact shade of color important to you? Before purchasing , view our product photos on different devices (mobile, laptop, desktop). This will give you a better idea of the range of shades the product can vary within.
🌿 The nature of linen fabric – unique texture and light reflection
Linen has a specific a natural structure that affects how light hits the fabric. Its surface is not completely smooth like synthetic materials, which causes subtle reflections and changes in hue depending on the viewing angle / photo.
🔹 Darker linens may appear more saturated in direct light, but may lose intensity in dim light.
🔹 Light linens (especially white, cream) can have a slightly warm or cool tone, depending on the light.
🔹 The weight and density of the fabric also affect how light penetrates the material - thinner and lighter linens are slightly translucent, which can optically lighten the color.
💡 Tip #3: Linen always looks a little different depending on the lighting conditions, so when choosing a color, check out our other products in the same color . Do you like the "wine" color of the dress? Find other products in wine that are photographed in other environments (by the sea, in the studio, in the sun, in a Czech meadow) and you will have a better idea of how the color will look in this environment.
📷 The influence of the camera and its quality
Every camera captures colors a little differently – whether it’s a professional DSLR, a mobile phone, or an older digital camera. Over the years, we’ve taken our product photos using several types of cameras and mobile phones. New product photos are taken with a professional DSLR camera. By using the latest technology, we improve the quality of the photos and their color accuracy .
🔹 Professional cameras capture subtle color nuances more accurately, but the result still depends on exposure and white balance settings.
🔹 Mobile phones often automatically boost contrast and color saturation, which can make colors appear more "vivid" than they actually are.
🔹 The cheaper cameras we used previously have a smaller dynamic range, which means that colors may not match reality in certain lighting conditions. We are gradually replacing older product photos with new ones that capture color shades more accurately.
💡 Tip #4: If you want to see the color as faithfully as possible in different situations, look not only at photos, but also at product videos in the same color of the product . Focus on shots taken from multiple angles and under different lighting conditions.
🧵 Different batches of material – why can the same shade have slight variations?
If you order the same shade of linen clothing twice, you may notice a slight color difference between each piece. This is common with natural materials and is related to the fabric's manufacturing process.
🔹 Hand-dyed or custom-woven linens may have slight variations from batch to batch. Even if the same production process and dyeing recipe are used, minor variations during production (temperature, dyeing time, water composition) can affect the final shade.
🔹 Natural fibers like linen react to dye differently than synthetics, meaning each piece of fabric absorbs dye slightly differently. The weather and plant growth during each season also affect the structure of linen fibers and how they react to dyeing.
🔹 Minor variations in shade are a sign of authentic material - unlike mass-produced synthetics, which have a consistent but sometimes "artificial" appearance.
💡 Tip No. 5: If you plan to combine multiple pieces of the same shade (for example, a top and pants), we recommend buying them at the same time - this will minimize the risk of differences between batches.
🎨 Photo editing – why can photos be different?
We try to make the products in the photos look as true as possible. We cannot use raw photos when presenting them on the e-shop. We have to convert them to web format (.jpg, .webp) in a graphics program and compress them. In doing so, the photos may undergo subtle color correction - for example, adjusting the brightness, contrast, or white balance to achieve the most accurate result. It is not in our power to photograph all products in all the colors in which they are available. In these cases, we use post-processing and adjust the color of the product in a graphics program. This may result in inaccuracy in displaying the correct shade.
⚠️ Warning: Do you see several identical photos of a product that differ only in color (same model, same pose, same environment)? These color variations were created in a graphics program and their shade may differ slightly from the actual shade. In this case, we recommend going back to Tip No. 3 and Tip No. 4 and viewing the same color on other products.
How do we minimize these differences? (What do we do as a brand)
To ensure that the colors in photos are as accurate as possible, we take several important steps:
✅ We shoot in various lighting conditions – We capture products not only in natural daylight, but also in a professional studio with controlled artificial lighting and in regular interiors. This allows you to assess the colors in the environment in which you will actually wear them.
✅ We show more photos – We photograph each product from different angles so you can get a better idea of the structure and shade of the material.
✅ We use consistent color names – Want to see how a dress will look in the sun, but it's only photographed indoors? Find another product with the same color name that's photographed in the sun and you'll get a better idea of how the shade changes in different light.
✅ We use different backgrounds and environments – We photograph products not only on neutral backgrounds, but also in real interiors and outdoors. This allows you to better imagine how colors and materials look in different situations and lighting conditions.
✅ We photograph clothes on different models – We present products on different models to make it easier to imagine how the color and cut will look on different customers. Linen also reflects light in a specific way, which can look different on lighter and darker skin.
✅ We use professional cameras and calibrated monitors - We take photos with high-quality equipment that faithfully captures colors, and when editing, we work on calibrated monitors so that the shades match reality as closely as possible.
✅ We use a variety of devices – We take photos and videos on a variety of devices to best capture the true look of the clothing. A professional camera captures colors a little differently than a professional camera, giving us a wider range of perspectives on our product.
✅ We replace older photos with new ones – Our brand has been operating for many years and during that time we have taken thousands of photos of our products. Some better, some worse. We are trying to improve in this area as well and are gradually replacing older photos with new ones, taken with the latest technology.
Thanks to these steps, we strive to ensure the most realistic display of our products in different environments, so that you don't have any unpleasant surprises when you unbox them. 💛
How can our customer help themselves when choosing a color?
Despite every effort to display colors as accurately as possible, the shades in the photos may vary slightly. How can you be more confident when choosing?
✅ View photos on multiple devices – If you are shopping on mobile, try checking the color on another device, such as a laptop or tablet. Each display displays colors slightly differently.
✅ Compare the color of different products – If you are unsure how a given shade will look in different light, look at another product in the same color. For example, a dress may be photographed indoors, but a skirt in the same shade may be seen in a photo taken outdoors.
✅ Consider the natural properties of linen – Linen has a specific structure and reflects light differently than smooth materials. Light shades can appear more translucent, while dark colors can change depending on the light – they will be brighter in the sun, they may appear more saturated indoors.
✅ Judge the color in daylight - After receiving the package, we recommend judging the colors outside. Daylight best shows the true shade and is the environment in which you will wear the clothes most often.
✅ Not sure about the shade - choose multiple colors - Don't know which color would suit you best? Choose multiple color options in your order, try them out, and you can return the colors you don't like.
These tips will make your choice easier and the color won't surprise you when you open the package. 😊💛
