Global Colour Toolkit S/S 27

Get to know your comprehensive color toolkit for S/S 27, including seasonal, annual and long-term palettes and analyses of the key color groupings and themes

Need to know
Opportunity

This season, we have updated the full seasonal, annual and long-term palettes and thoroughly re-evaluated our previous palettes to ensure they meet trans seasonal and commercial needs. As part of WGSN’s responsible colour strategy, we also analyse the A/W 27/28 colour palette, electing selected annual and long-term colours to carry over alongside a refresh of our seasonal palettes.

For S/S 27, the entire palette of 50 colours offers carefully balanced and varied hues of neutrals, brights and darks.

Brights are highly saturated, with two neons to inject seasonal newness. Pastels are also at a higher saturation level this season, moving away from the dusted levels of previous seasons to shades with more strength and power.

There continues to be a need for supporting neutrals; this season, neutrals move in a warmer direction to perfectly balance the cool blues and nature-driven greens in the palette. Sophisticated darks continue their relevance, showing the importance of #ShadowyDarks in bringing cross-season appeal.

Design strategies

Develop a cohesive and responsible trans seasonal toolkit by investing in the collaborative use of seasonal, annual and long-term colour palettes
To create successful palettes and enhance concept and storytelling, examine emerging colour trends and colour themes for product development, marketing and merchandising
Identify key colour stories and potential colour combinations by using Coloro’s nine-segment colour groupings like pastels, brights and darks

Related colour forecast: Colour Evolution S/S 27

STEPIC forecasts: Future Consumer 2027: Emotions, STEPIC Strategies 2027: Executive Summary

Proof points

Data extracted using WGSN’s Vision AI tool identifies changes in the share of colours within our forecast images for S/S 27 versus A/W 26/27.

Seasonal colour

S/S 27

These 18 seasonal global colours will drive newness and create seasonal impact in S/S 27, with an injection of luminous brights and powerful pastels that can be used as colour accents alongside #Neutrals, #Grey and #DarkBrowns.

Key updates:

Green hues, especially New Forest and Cut Grass, remain essential in the seasonal palette due to their calming qualities and association with nature

Radiant Mint and Ultra Pink are two neons that inject seasonal freshness

This season, the range of orange hues expands to include Soft Salmon to Tangerine, which are more vivid and playful

Annual colour

S/S 27 and A/W 27/28

These 18 colours will have broader relevance for S/S 27 and A/W 27/28. The annual palette offers a new direction, especially looking towards blues and greens for trans seasonal appeal.

Key updates:

This season, there is a shift towards true-blue hues, moving away from green-based blues. Luminous Blue emerges as a key colour

Neutrals embrace trans seasonality and long-term appeal in the annual palette. Clay, Dusted Taupe and Wet Sand offer familiar earthy pigments, evoking authenticity and functionality

Long-term colour
S/S 27, A/W 27/28 and beyond

Our global long-term palette of 14 colours is forecast to be relevant into 2027 and beyond. These foundational hues are chosen with longevity in mind.

We have updated our selection of whites, greys, neutrals and core darks to drive long-term decisions with a sustainable focus. Over 40% of colours are carried forward every A/W season, reflecting the importance of choosing colours responsibly.

Key updates:

Blossom replaces Italian Clay, aligning with the need for more commercial levels of pink to offer versatility and longevity

Dark Burgundy replaces Cranberry Juice as the shift towards richer and more luxurious darks continues

Brown Bark replaces long-term shades of Sepia and Ground Coffee to bring a true balancing brown to the long-term palette

Grounding Green replaces previous long-term shades of Sea Kelp and Dark Olive as a functional green with moss qualities

Bright White replaces Optic White, signaling the need for a sharper true white to counterbalance Black