Trend Report: A/W 27/8 Color Forecast
- Kerry Croft
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Design strategies
Explore fresh possibilities for Luminous Blue, our Color of the Year 2027: use this hue for a renewed dopamine hit of confident and inspiring color
Apply Russet to convey stability and simplicity: this grounding shade connects to the earth and offers comfort and reassurance in uncertain times
Amplify a dream state and otherworldly qualities with Peaceful Lilac: use this pastel, which is visually striking yet soft, to engage the senses
Use Maize to connect with nostalgia: appeal to the need for comfort and protection by using Maize to connect with the past
Invest in Deep Green to promote longevity: use Deep Green for its transseasonal appeal and to align with the need for commercial “Shadowy Darks” that feel luxurious and natural.
Future Consumer 2027: Emotions - Witherwill: this emotion, which means “the longing to be free from responsibility,” will come to define 2027, as people continue to be overwhelmed by the pressures of a polycrisis. A defining sense of uncertainty sees Key Colors that reflect a sense of comfort, restoration and nostalgia come to the forefront.
Luminous Blue
Color of the Year 2027
1-28
Luminous Blue is a vivid hue that embodies a powerful duality. It is energetic and empowering while still feeling real and reliable. Associations with tradition, culture and wisdom continue, but we draw on its vibrancy, dynamism and sense of awe for a true dopamine hit.
As we approach the A/W 27/28 season, consumers will likely experience AI fatigue, resource depletion and a growing preference for artisanal products, leading to a revival in craftsmanship. This shift will inspire a new wave of creativity drawn from nature as a source of solutions to complex problems. The blending of past and present will continue to be a key influence for this shade, as we aim to protect humanity’s wisdom in the face of technological advancements.
Color strategies
Embrace the dynamic quality of Luminous Blue across all industries as a familiar yet directional bright with transseasonal appeal
Inspired by natural, rich pigments found in countries like Morocco, India and Mexico, use Luminous Blue to evoke a sense of handmade quality and help people feel more connected to their shared humanity
Use this awe-inspiring hue to look to the past while pointing towards the future, embodying slow processes, quality and the intelligence of the hand, serving as a counterbalance to the spread of artificial intelligence
Emotions: freedom, curiosity, confidence, wisdom, trust, dynamism, wonder, awe, adventure
Color combination strategies
Experiment with dopamine-hitting shades that play into luminous brights
Be bold and creative with color combinations, using Luminous Blue alongside neon levels of Vibrant Red for pulsating primaries
Russet
Key Color A/W 27/2813-30-24
19-1532 TCX
Coloro / Pantone
In a time of ongoing global political uncertainty, Russet embodies a sense of familiarity and nostalgia for simpler times. Amid great turmoil, it can evoke feelings of stability and peace. As society experiences unrest and dysregulation, this color serves as a counteractive hue, representing security, groundedness and a sense of calm.
Sitting between red and brown, Russet is a natural pigment derived from rich, fertile land, providing a connection to the earth and a deep sense of grounding. It recalls the ripening fruits of the earth and autumn days and associated feelings of change and transition. Its inherent reliability establishes it as a foundational shade, instilling a feeling of trust. Its presence is interwoven throughout diverse cultures across the globe, solidifying its status as a culturally significant hue.
Color strategies
Russet is an essential red-brown tone that conjures up associations with abundance, love, strength and courage, and can be seen as a confident, versatile and assertive new neutral tone
Use this versatile color to meet consumers’ desires for hues that provide more than just aesthetic appeal, offering qualities of reassurance, trust and stability
Use Russet to connect to the environment. Consider using natural dyes and pigments, and embrace natural color levels
Emotions: trust, safety, groundedness, protection, rebalance, nourishment, captivation, confidence, fulfilment, resourcefulness
Color combination strategies
Lean into the grounded and trusted level of Russet to move on cult classics with a retro yet contemporary edge
Accent foundational classic tones like brown and beige with Russet and refined pastels
Peaceful Lilac
Key Color A/W 27/28
135-78-11
14-3812 TCX
Coloro / Panton
Peaceful Lilac is visually striking and mesmerizing. In a world of disruption and polarization, it will allow consumers to tap into their senses and take refuge in peaceful, fantastical, dreamlike and otherworldly realms that can be virtual or physical. Both warm and cool, it has a strong association with rave music, dance and countercultures, where it symbolizes freedom, unity and self-expression.
There is a glowing, futuristic quality to this color that is equally hypnotic and transformative, focusing on the creative positives of AI. Visually, Peaceful Lilac represents feelings of enchantment and anticipation of an altered state of consciousness. Although a pastel shade, it bursts with complexity, including softness and quietness, but with an engaging energy. It can provide rest from the noise of the outside world, with a sense of healing and mystery for autumn and winter.
Color strategies
Embrace Peaceful Lilac to bring a sense of calm and softness to the A/W season, highlighting the importance of barely there, tinted and restorative pastels
Use Peaceful Lilac to counterbalance the mid-tones and darks in the palette and align with themes of otherworldly and dreamlike states inspired by AI
Emotions: serenity, restoration, inclusion, contentment, empathy, hope, mystery, enchantment, creativity, empowerment
Color combination strategies
Restorative pastels create a dreamy and otherworldly palette to update gelato pastels in tinted and barely there shades
Focus on creating color harmonies with Peaceful Lilac sitting center stage
Maize
Key Color A/W 27/28
036-65-235-0942 TCX
Coloro / Panton
Maize is a foundational shade that provides reassurance. Its yellow tone symbolizes joy, optimism and positivity, offering a glimmer of hope for the future. In periods of despair and profound uncertainty, this radiant golden yellow hue can inspire and uplift, fostering the motivation needed to move toward a more promising future.
Maize connects to the earth through grains and seeds, which are naturally wholesome and nutritious. The gold level of this shade also speaks to wisdom, knowledge and divine qualities. It can evoke the renewed importance and value of gold, adding a sense of luxury and glamour.
Color strategies
Use Maize to bridge different spaces, showing the versatility in this hue, whether leaning into a nostalgic, nurturing style or a radiant, luxurious aesthetic
This shade speaks to seasonless levels of color, and can be applied broadly across materials. It speaks of a respect for resources and sustainability for the long term, which is why Maize returns to the seasonal palette for A/W 27/28
As dependable mid-tones become a key color direction, use the pared-back level of Maize to align with the need for nostalgia, familiarity and reassurance
Emotions: pleasure, happiness, joy, optimism, enlightenment, nostalgia, balance, comfort, fulfilment, contentment
Color combination strategies
Harness a sense of nostalgia with fresh color combinations of Maize, dependable mid-tones and playful pastels
Use ‘old faithful’ colors of Dark Burgundy and Ginger Biscuit alongside Maize to drive longevity
Deep Green
Key Color A/W 27/28
2-30-14
19-5230 TCX
Coloro / Pantone
Deep Green is an intense dark that is in equal measures luxurious and mysterious, lending itself to contradictory connotations of sophistication and intriguing edginess.
On the luxury side, it has a strong association with heritage hues, reflected through traditional and opulent materials and jewel tones that evoke a sense of timelessness. The color also evokes the deepest nature, representing calm, growth, harmony and renewal. There is a haunting quality to this shade, which can represent the wildness of nature beyond our control.
For this reason, it offers a sense of stability and reassurance while evoking intrigue in an uncertain world.
Color strategies
Deep Green is a gender-inclusive and transseasonal hue, connecting with the importance of alluring darks, and will resonate with consumers for its sense of longevity
Use Deep Green as a tinted alternative to black, offering universal appeal and aligning equally with utilitarian, nostalgic or luxurious design stories
Showcase the importance of transseasonal colors with Deep Green, aligning with the consumer desire for color to do more and go beyond one season. With Deep Green sitting in the annual palette, there’s an opportunity to move this shade seamlessly from S/S 27 to A/W 27/28
Emotions: stability, reassurance, hope, connection, balance, empowerment, confidence, wilfulness, melancholy
Color combination strategies
This palette of “Shadowy Darks” brings an alluring quality to the A/W season, with Deep Green being supported by long-term shades of Dark Burgundy and Black
As the importance of darks remains prevalent, invest in shades that offer transseasonal appeal
Seasonal color
A/W 27/28
These 16 seasonal global colors, with a range of restorative pastels, dependable mid-tones and bold brights, will drive newness and create seasonal impact for A/W 27/28.
Color strategies
New addition Calming Aqua creates a sense of awe and enlightenment
Purple hues diversify this season, ranging from restorative and powerful pastels to dependable mid-tones and shadowy darks
Yellows remain essential this season, with Maize returning to the seasonal palette alongside Quiet Yellow to offer emotional warmth to the seasonal palette
Annual color
S/S 27 and A/W 27/28.
These 11 colors will have a broader relevance in S/S 27 and A/W 27/28. The annual palette offers a new direction, particularly with a focus on blues and greens for transseasonal appeal.
Color strategies
The shift towards true-blue hues remains essential in the annual palette, moving away from green-based blues. Luminous Blue continues as a key color
Neutrals embrace transeasonality and long-term appeal in the annual palette. Dusted Taupe and Wet Sand offer familiar earthy pigments, evoking authenticity and functionality
Autumn dawn neutrals
Combine elegance and an ethereal feel with grounded tones, creating a lightness for practical pieces within an approachable palette.
Design strategies
Marry up elegant colors from the wellness world to the richly botanical hues of The Great Outdoors looks
In the vein of soft utility, continue to progress beyond traditional workwear shades and core colors for functional items
Don’t shy away from colors that suggest the murkier, messier side of nature – use the rich tones that suggest decomposition and the cycle of life. Investigate botanical and natural dyes
Appeal to a more eco-conscious consumer who prioritizes health and the environment, reaching for cleaner, less-impactful options
Applications: integrate practical and functional looks into everyday wear by combining key color Maize and Classic Beige with Eucalyptus and Peaceful Lilac.
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