How do colors change when fashion is mostly online? As brands and fashion houses go digital as a new way of communicating, it is also affecting other sectors of the industry, forcing creative companies and agencies to adapt to the ever-evolving online atmosphere.
WGSN and Coloro are two companies that have worked together for a long time and have adapted well to the digital world, as demonstrated by the release of their new color trends report, ‘A Window to the Future of Colour’. In it, they identified the five key colors for the S/S24 season, presented through an interactive, digital experience. They are made up of hues resulting from the current changes in people and the meeting of the natural and online worlds. Visitors to the report’s dedicated online website can view each color individually, test their functions virtually, and view moving images that allow them to interact with each color.
Speaking to FashionUnited, Clare Coulson, a color expert at WGSN, said pushing this digital element is fundamental to keeping up with the dramatic shift towards digital. “There are so many developments in the digital space and in the metaverse that it’s very important for WGSN and Coloro to adapt,” she says. “Even in terms of our key colors, it was important that we analyze them in a digital way to really show what our advice is and what’s happening in the industry.”
The companies that publish annual color of the year and seasonal trend reports combine their individual expertise for each collaboration, leveraging Coloro’s extensive color library and WGSN expertise to identify trends for upcoming seasons.
‘A Window to the Future of Color’ is the duo’s first digitally-focused report. Each color reflects the current changes in society and technology that have led to the selection of shades that move between the digital and physical worlds.
Commenting on the hues, Coulson said, “The colors reflect this period of realignment well. We have so many economic, political and ecological problems that it is really important to deal with them. We believe that by 2024, consumers will be looking for ways to balance that uneasiness with a sense of optimism, and that’s reflected in the colors we’ve chosen. They all have different drivers, but they are all connected to digital reality and as a counterpart to that we also relate to the natural environment and changing lifestyles.”
Radiant Red to Fondant Pink
As Coulson pointed out, although drastically different from each other, each of the five colors is related to both the physical and digital environment. ‘Radiant Red’, for example, is closely related to the care economy, a key societal sector identified by WGSN. ‘Elemental Blue’, on the other hand, is a nod to people’s desire for a decelerated lifestyle that clashes with their heightened sensory awareness and a low-key, industrial one appearance that can be experienced in the environment of the Metaverse. Similarly, ‘Fondant Pink’, a pigmented pastel shade, aims to reflect people’s regained joy, which Coloro says is an antidote to anxiety and ultimately enhances well-being.
The report’s most digitally advanced color, ‘Cyber Lime’, is a neon green that symbolizes the connection between nature and technology. The color, represented by organic shapes in the online experience, aims to energize people. The final colour, ‘Nutshell’, a spicy brown, ties in with the growing resale scene and thrift, and the need to prioritize sustainability over new and align with nostalgic trends.
It’s this sustainability that Coulson says WGSN is striving for, and that people are very interested in because it’s an element that’s constantly changing. As well as asking what dyes and techniques are used by the brands, Coulson noted, “It can also be about thinking more sustainably, so not just having colors that you only use for one season, but making sure that the Colors are trans-seasonal so people can use the items for longer. This is a shift in awareness that we are seeing among consumers and brands. It’s about looking at what’s happening in manufacturing and in the supply chain.”
This intersection between digital and physical trends played a big part in the report’s development, Coulson said, stressing that these two worlds must be viewed as equals. “We need to think about how digital and physical color trends fit together, you can’t just talk about one,” she added. “It’s about how the digital world will enrich the real world and vice versa. Will we see the real world trickling more into the digital world? In terms of color analysis, we will definitely keep an eye on that.”
In recent years, the digitization of fashion has rapidly gained momentum. Many brands have hired virtual marketing strategies and experimented with the potential of Metaverse products, gaming collaborations and e-commerce developments. Not only fashion has adapted to these rapid changes, color analysis experts have also had to deal with the new dynamic of digitization and the question of what it means for the future of color.
“It’s a really interesting time,” said Coulson. “The digitization of fashion will definitely change the industry, but it also allows for a lot more experimentation and creativity. With colors there are so many ways to please the senses, create unusual effects or create very transformative effects that really catch the eye. It’s a really exciting time to explore how this space is evolving and how color analysis will respond.”
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ