New “sentiments of simplicity and spontaneity” combine to create a striking Spring/Summer 2022 color forecast for London Fashion Week, according to the Pantone Color Institute, the color authority’s trend forecasting arm.
Comprise of ten trend-driven colors that span “lighthearted airy pastels” to “visually arresting brights” and five grounding colors, the palette aims to inspire playful creativity and “unconstrained expression that is full of life,” Pantone stated.
Super Sonic, an electric blue, and Fragile Sprout, an acidic green/yellow, are among the most intense colors.
Coral Rose serves as the season’s key floral tone with an “energizing presence [that] brings a sense of excitement,” while Bubblegum sends a message of “playfulness and positivity.” Potpourri offers a lighter take on pink as a fresh pastel.
Orchid Bloom, a soft shade of lavender, is a tech-y alternative to ever-present pink. Cascade green brings cooling properties. Popcorn, a soft shade of yellow, mirrors the warm and cheerful qualities of Illuminating, one of Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021.
Brown continues to have a strong presence. Coffee Quartz, which Pantone describes as a “flavorful brown” adds a glamorous look and feel sure to come to life on silk and satin fabrications, while Sudan Brown, a “rich earth-baked” hue, speaks to the popularity of the outdoors as fashion inspiration.
The report’s core colors are classic and seasonless in nature.
Clean and clarifying White Alyssum represents consumers’ need to cut through the chaos. Northern Droplet is a pale gray that instills feelings of tranquility, while “the silent power of deep gray Poppy Seed contains timeless familiarity,” Pantone described.
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The sandy shade Humus promotes well-being and Fair Green provides calming and restorative qualities.
“Our use of color is connected to the cultural mood. As we explore a new future, we are looking for opportunities to do something completely different,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute executive director. “Colors that celebrate our desire to break the boundaries satisfy our fervent need for the playful creativity and unconstrained visual expression we are seeking as we enter into this time.”
Released ahead of the fashion week, the firm’s forecast is so far on the nose as designers like Osman present head-to-toe Super Sonic looks, Self-Portrait shows body-con dresses in Popcorn and Edeline Lee mixes Sudan Brown and Cascade.
The colors selected for London Fashion Week mirror Pantone’s forecast for New York Fashion Week, albeit with some subtle differences in intensity and meaning.