Trend forecasting platform WGSN, together with colour authority Coloro, unveiled the key colours for the autumn/winter 23/24 season earlier this year. The duo’s selection aimed to reflect how people are adjusting their varying lifestyles to focus on building a vision of the future, with hues that also looked to draw motivational forces to drive consumers.
Speaking on the selection, Jenny Clark, head of colour at WGSN, said in a release: “Our key colours capture the evolving behaviours of the consumer and are sensitive to their shifting emotional states and changing lifestyles. “These versatile colours have trans-seasonal characteristics which reflect the importance of choosing colours responsibly, and we expect them to transcend into 2024.” To get an idea of how these colours could be used in design, FashionUnited has compiled imagery of each tone spotted on the runways of the SS23 catwalks.
Digital Lavender
Named 2023 Colour of the Year, Digital Lavender is linked closely to the rise in digital wellness and escapism, seen through consumers’ pursuit of immersive digital experiences centred around health-boosting and mindfulness. The colour itself is described by the duo as “soothing”, offering balancing properties that connect with this movement. Its use was spotted in everything from lightweight lace gowns, as sported on Yuhan Wang’s runways, to floor-sweeping leather coats, a style Marni adopted.
Astro Dust
This “captivating” tone, as described by WGSN, comes alongside the commercialisation of space travel, with the “deep mineral” hue evoking a “dusty and desolate landscape” and the desire to explore remote terrains. The two organisations suggested using Astro Dust for materials like leather, as seen in Y/Project’s menswear, or texturised outwear, an element explored by Rick Owens in voluminous layerings. Like Astro Dust, Galactic Cobalt also drew inspiration from the new Space Age, as well as cues from digital transformation and the metaverse. This “intense and dynamic” blue, according to the report, will connect with consumers who are looking for escapism and extended reality. As suggested by WGSN, this hue can be elevated through transformative finishes, like metallic tones as seen in both LaQuan Smith and Jennifer Blom’s collections. Meanwhile Off/White utilised the colour throughout almost the entirety of its line, which was driven towards a sense of tactility, also noted by the forecaster.
Sage Leaf
Sage Leaf also ties closely into a state of wellness, with the “quiet and settling” green looking to instil a sense of contemplation, rest and reflection, WGSN stated. The report added that the tone works well for considered and reductive design, as consumers begin to look towards curing overstimulation and stress. Mirroring the duo’s suggestions of utilising the colour for elevated military, the tone could be seen in looks of this calibre on Craig Green’s runway. In contrast, as seen in Coperni and Loewe’s collections, the green could also be used for soft textured materials, like velvets.
Apricot Crush
Named Colour of the Year for 2024, already, Apricot Crush comes with “restorative” qualities that align to “balancing lifestyles and nourishing body and mind”. Stepping up from soft pastels, this invigorating orange looks to provide an injection of energy into the season’s palette. While WGSN suggested the colour worked well for a range of beauty products, it also said this gender-include tone could successfully be applied to outerwear, as seen on Dawei’s runway, and knitwear, where it was applied by Hermès.