Here Comes the Guide – Dessy and Pantone Announce PANTONE WEDDING color guide

New Wedding Planning Tool Provides Inspiration and Portable Color for Matches Made in Heaven

January 20, 2010, NEW YORK & CARLSTADT, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE) - The Dessy Group, a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid dresses and bridal apparel, and Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT) and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced the PANTONE WEDDING™ color guide, the ultimate color reference tool for brides and wedding planners. The PANTONE WEDDING color guide is part of PANTONE WEDDING, a collection of color tools that make it easy for a bride to achieve a perfectly color-coordinated wedding – from inspiration to "I do."

"Since the launch of PANTONE WEDDING, we have been inundated with calls from other wedding vendors," explained Alan Dessy, chief executive officer of The Dessy Group. "The color guide is the reference tool the wedding industry has been waiting for to connect and coordinate wedding products and services. Wedding vendors, brides and all wedding professionals now have the ability to communicate and match colors quickly and accurately from day one of the planning process."

With over 190 colors to choose from, the guide provides inspiration for brides to develop unique color themes, as well as a professional, definitive way to express their creative vision for that all-important day. Small enough to fit inside a purse, it can be carried on shopping trips to eliminate any color guesswork and aid in color coordination. With the PANTONE WEDDING color guide, brides, wedding planners and wedding vendors can now speak the same color language when matching bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, accessories, menswear, flowers, invitations and tabletop design.

"For years, designers have relied on PANTONE Products as a source for color inspiration and a means to ensure color accuracy throughout the creative process, from initial vision to final execution," said Laurie Pressman, vice president of Pantone's fashion, home and interiors division. "With the PANTONE WEDDING color guide, we are empowering brides with the same type of professional color tool to select, communicate and match their wedding colors with confidence, ease and accuracy."

PANTONE WEDDING color guide

The PANTONE WEDDING color guide includes all 194 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available for spring 2010 from The Dessy Group, including PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, the 2010 color of the year. Chromatically arranged by color family, each color in the color-on-paper fan deck is numerically referenced and named for easy identification and communication. Designed for portable use, the guide is 4 ¼ inches wide by 1 ½ inches high and 2 inches deep, with a full page devoted to each of the 194 colors.

PANTONE WEDDING Color Tools

In addition to the new color fan guide, PANTONE WEDDING includes perfectly matched individual paper swatch cards in all 194 PANTONE WEDDING Colors for spring 2010 that can be used on their own or in combination with Dessy�s popular fabric swatches to communicate wedding colors. Each paper swatch card, measuring 8 ½ by 11 inches, can be divided into 14 chips with the Dessy color name and PANTONE WEDDING color reference number on the back, and given to bridesmaids, wedding vendors and anyone with a color-related task. To make color selection and coordination even easier, the Dessy Web site (dessy.com/PANTONE) features a special section dedicated to PANTONE WEDDING with interactive tools, including inspirational Style Boards, to help brides choose their wedding colors and accompanying bridal apparel.

Pricing and Availability

The PANTONE WEDDING color guide is available immediately for U.S. $35. PANTONE WEDDING individual paper swatch cards in all 194 colors are also available for U.S. $10. Individual fabric swatches are available in 6-by-6 inch swatches or by the ½ yard and range in price from $15 to $40. All products are available at dessy.com.

About The Dessy Group

The Dessy Group is a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid dresses, social occasion dresses, flower girl dresses and destination wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and Sandals Destination Wedding Dresses.

Founded in 1939 by Margot Rosenthal, A & M Rosenthal, now The Dessy Group, got its start designing bridal veils and attendants headpieces. In the 1950's, Margot's daughter Ronnie and her husband Andrew took over the business and added bridesmaid dresses to the Dessy line. Today, the business continues to thrive under the leadership of Alan Dessy and design direction of Vivian Dessy Diamond.

About Pantone

Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world's color authority for more than 45 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com.

About X-Rite

X-Rite, Incorporated, is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone, develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite's expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.