You will be redirected back to your article in seconds
Skip to main content

Fall/Winter 21-22 Color Stories Aim to Delight and Renew Moods

Color is crucial to collection building and it’s an aspect of fashion design that will hold even more emotional weight on the purchases made in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

In a recent webinar, trend forecasting firm Fashion Snoops described three color shifts that will sweep over several product categories for Fall/Winter 21-22. Inspired by fantasy, meditation and optimism, the themes are due to help quell consumers’ concerns and anxieties about the future.

Night Glow

Described by Fashion Snoops as hyperreal, luminescent, nocturnal, reflective, vibracious and charging, Night Glow brings to light the natural elements that tend to go unnoticed.

The story, said Fashion Snoops founder Lilly Berelovich, examines colors that toe the line between natural and supernatural, with many inspired by creatures and flowers that have mystical and surreal colorways. And it looks for lightness in dark colors—a metaphor, perhaps for finding hope in the bleakness that so many are currently feeling as they practice social distancing or come to terms with health and economic hardships.

The color palette consists of brightened versions of familiar colors, said Jenna Guarascio, Fashion Snoops director of content strategy. Hyper-pigmented purple, burnt orange, cobalt blue and reddish pinks live here. The colors, she added, pop and come to life when they’re grounded with stark black.

Three color shifts will sweep over several product categories for Fall/Winter 21-22.
Versace Shutterstock

Lucid, a calming lilac, leads the palette, adding a sense of fantasy, magic, wonder and creativity. “Bewitching and charming,” Berelovich said the color at once feels rare in nature but familiar and uplifting.

Related Story

The color’s calming quality makes it an ideal choice for cozy F/W 21-22 knitwear and intimates, while its coolness pops on synthetics for the activewear category, she added.

Dreamstate

During a time where it feels like the world is standing on the edge on uncertainty, Dreamstate evokes a feeling of endless possibilities. Described as otherworldly and portal, the palette of surreal earth tones is inspired by dreamy natural landscapes.

It’s as if the colors are coming out of hibernation, Guarascio described, adding that they are bound to speak to the emotional element that many will all be feeling when the world return to calm.

Three color shifts will sweep over several product categories for Fall/Winter 21-22.
Tod’s WWD/Shutterstock

Shades of grey and peach mingle with artificial pink and burnt corals, or as Guarascio described, “surreal mid tones melt into warm foggy neutrals.” Combined, the warm colors create a sunset sensation, while the berry hues add a sleepy, calming effect to products.

Flow, an earthy coral shade of red, is the key color. Described as having a “strong sensibility” without being overpowering, the color balances femininity and masculinity, Berelovich said. And as such, she noted that it can be applied to both luxurious satins and soft mohair and active fabrications like neoprene and sleek nylons.

Soothers

In Soothers, Fashion Snoops explores the importance of being content.

Described as tranquil, pensive, airy, light and soft, Soothers pushes away chaos. The color story offers a soft gaze and allows consumers to find satisfaction in small things.

“Even during chaos, there’s an optimistic belief in the goodness of human kind and hope that we’re nicer to each other in the future,” Berelovich said.

WWD/Shutterstock
Alexandre Vauthier Dominique Maitre/WWD/Shutterstock

The palette offers “ethereal light-infused” pastels that are pleasing to the eye yet simplistic. Grey-tinted lilacs, pale peach and diluted shades of pool blue come together to create a visually calming yet delightful story, Guarascio said.

Optimism, a mint green with a yellow cast, is the theme’s core color. The color, Berelovich said, evokes comfort and joy with a sense of humility and humor. It calms anxiety, yet feels unexpected and quirky.

Look for these colors to enhance fuzzy sweaters, lofty knits, suede, faux fur and faux leather, she said, adding that these are hues “that you want to wrap yourself in.”