According to Pantone’s latest Color Trend Report for the next AW23/4 season, which was released in conjunction with London Fashion Week (LFW), “dynamic” tones mingle with “subtle and polished colours for unexpected pairings and amusing mixtures.”

Key AW trend tones include Persimmon, Conch Shell, Fiery Red, Fired Brick, Sharp Green, and Spectrum Yellow, which are surprisingly springlike and summery.

According to the colour expert, “the free-spirited assemblage” releases restrictions and launches us into “novel realms.” This season’s colours celebrate uniqueness and inventiveness, balancing our demand for bright, cheerful colour that aggressively vies for attention with necessary, yet refined, subtle, timeless tones.

Hence, Pantone’s 10 main trend colours are: “16-1544 TCX Persimmon, a honeyed coral “with a delicate sweetness”; 15-1624 TCX Conch Shell, a distinctive pink “whose engaging demeanour belies its substance; 18-1664 TCX Fiery Red that’s “sexy and sensual [and] creates excitement”; 19-1337 TCX Fired Brick, “a magnanimous reddish brown with finesse and savoir faire”; 13-0535 TCX Sharp Green, a “pungently keen yellow green… expansive and exuberant”; 14-3921 TSX Lacecap Hydrangea, a floral blue imbued with “the fresh essence of a seasonal bloom”; 14-0957 TCX Spectra Yellow that “speaks to innovation, enlightenment, and energy”; 16-0847 TCX Olive Oil, “a naturally nourishing golden green” that’s “essential to well-being”; 19-3336 TCX Sparkling Grape that “has a beguiling appeal”; and 16-4535 TCX Blue Atoll, a “waterborne blue” that “invites thoughts of tropical escape.”

“unobtrusive colours and tones [that] reveal a delicate presence” are what the new classics are all about.

They are the “contemporary versatile tan taken from tradition” of Pantone15-1216 TCX Pale Khaki; the “stalwart green” of 19-0414 TCX Forest Night; the “ethereal” grey of 13-4108 TCX Nimbus Cloud; the “lightly shaded” fresh off-white of 12-0703 TCX Seedpearl; and the “impenetrable” deep grey of 18-0202 TCX Lava Smoke.

Along with the release of the trend study, the business has announced the inclusion of 229 color combinations to the Pantone Matching System (PMS), comprising 224 blended hues and five base inks.

These are accessible with the company’s other Graphic System products, such as the flagship Formula Guide, which already provide 2,350+ colour options.

“the rising requirement for more nuanced shades across the library” has been addressed with these additions so that designers can more readily incorporate their developing process.

“allows for more variety throughout the design process while keeping close proximity to emerging trends,” as one writer put it, “there are more dark neutrals, blues, greens, and purples” among trend-relevant colours.