Coloro, the universal color system, and WGSN, the global authority on trend forecasting, announced that Orchid Flower will take the lead among the five key colors predicted to gain worldwide popularity in Spring/Summer 2022.
Joanne Thomas, head of content for Coloro noted that “Orchid Flower has an intense, hyper-real, and energizing quality that will stand out in both real-life and digital settings. It is also versatile enough to work across seasons and continents. In a challenging time, this saturated magenta tone will be a great way to create a sense of positivity and escapism.”
Jenny Clark, head of color at WGSN added, “This season’s colors are driven by a desire to be uplifted and energized while staying grounded and balanced. Consumers will reconnect with tones that spark joy, whether from a nostalgic or sensorial experience. These colors will either ground or entice us with their delicious and textural charm.”
Vibrant pinks are making an impact across activewear and occasionwear, especially for women, and this will continue with Orchid Flower, which will resonate across fashion, swimwear, interiors, and beauty. With its purple undertone, it will appeal to men and women and be driven initially by the youth market.
The partnership that brings these predictions unites WGSN’s trend forecasting expertise with Coloro’s revolutionary system of 3,500 tones. It brings accurate and reliable color forecasting, with added intelligence from Coloro’s technical team on how to achieve the tones on different substrates.
“Working alongside WGSN gives us access to unparalleled trend expertise and creates a unique opportunity to collaborate directly with their forecasting team to identify the season’s colors that are critical for business to be aware of in advance,” Thomas added.
In the color forecast, WGSN and Coloro have balanced the desire for newness with the need for familiarity, with green, blue and yellow tones that feel reassuring and consistent, and juicy pink and orange tones that bring excitement and optimism to the season.
With prolonged periods of isolation, nature and its vitality will have a clear appeal, but technology will also be celebrated as connections through digital tools become a more necessary and valued part of everyday life. The new season’s key colors reflect this duality, ranging from authentically organic hues to artificially enhanced tones.
The following colors include:
Olive Oil
Green is a consistently important color, thanks to its association with nature, and for S/S 22 we will see it shift to the nourishing plant-based hue of Olive Oil, which feels restful and balanced. This is a rich trans-seasonal tone with a timeless, comforting quality, and much like its namesake, it makes a great base to combine with other colors. Olive Oil will have broad appeal across outdoor active apparel, workwear denim, soft lingerie sets, footwear, accessories and interiors. For menswear and womenswear, it will have particular relevance for practical, functional styles, which are gaining momentum.
Butter
Yellow has grown in popularity over the past three years, encompassing both saturated brights and pale tints. For S/S 22, a desire for wholesome and nourishing experiences will drive yellow toward the softer tone of Butter, which has a creamy, almost edible quality. This is a comforting and adaptable color that will pair well with power pastels and accent brights. Warm buttery shades are already up-trending in luxury womenswear, and for S/S 22 we will see this expand into menswear, lingerie, and interiors – especially for luxurious and elevated styles. Butter also has a genderless appeal, making it perfect for kidswear, loungewear, and casual wear.
Mango Sorbet
Optimistic colors such as Mango Sorbet will have a much clearer appeal in S/S 22. This invigorating, tropical hue fuses the popularity of orange with the brightness of yellow and can be used to add a much-needed dose of energy to seasonal palettes, enhancing feelings of wellbeing and health. Mango Sorbet will be perfect for swimwear, activewear, and outdoor apparel, and will work as a surprising off-kilter bright for womenswear – especially for contemporary silhouettes. With its juicy quality, it can also be used to give a lift to homewares and interiors.
Atlantic Blue
The dependable, versatile and trustworthy appeal of blue makes it a perennially popular color. For S/S 22, we have chosen the grounded, reassuring and trans-seasonal tone of Atlantic Blue, which echoes the hues of organic indigo dyes and the ocean, making it perfect for sustainable and heritage designs. Deep blues such as this are already being championed by slow-fashion brands and will be ideal for menswear. Atlantic Blue will also work as a classic core for womenswear, activewear, and interiors, and as a directional tone for beauty color cosmetics.
