Key Colours for A/W 2023
Colour, colour, colour! What would the world be without it? As a designer I am constantly drawn to colour, despite covering myself in an array of black and grey tones, my fondness for colour may surprise an onlooker. The heralding of Halloween is a time I hold close to my heart especially when I get to see all the warming hues of autumnal oranges and browns that clade our shelves. This year’s pallet seems to have some more bright colours added to the mix, probably to help uplift our spirits as we come out of the pandemic era and into a cost-of-living crisis.
Bright red is the first colour you can expect to see this Autumn and Winter- think poster paint red, primary red and rose red opposed to the more typical wine and burgundy reds of Autumn season.
Another surprising colour for this season is Yellow. Even though bright yellows are associated with Spring and Summer, this year a bright mustard is gaining prevalence in collections.
However, this season isn’t all bright; what would a collection be without some help from more muted and classic black and grey tones? Just like that of the British cloudy skies in the Winter these colours can help break up the brights and create a nice contrast. They are great for party seasons because let’s not forget what the great Coco Channel said- every woman should have a little black dress in her wardrobe. A little black dress with a bust of colourful accessories can create the perfect party outfit.
Barbiecore Pink! There is no surprise here. Barbie mania has dominated the fashion world since its release in July and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Bright pinks are a key colour within the party season, and I would go so far as to say that you can guarantee to see them well into next years Spring and Summer seasons as well.
Digital lavender is also staying around and has dominated our colour trends for the past year and a half. It was named the colour of the year and doesn’t appear to be letting up. It perfectly encapsulates the worlds need for a peaceful atmosphere.
Lastly could we even call it an Autumn/Winter palette without some more typical colours for the season such as coral orange and jade sage green. These colours breathe comfort into the whole palette which is much needed after a long period of uncertainty that has been followed up by more uncertainty.