Color experts Hallie Spradlin and Joanne Thomas from Fashionsnoops have presented three of their new color palettes and anchor colors that, according to their analysis, will predominate in the fall/winter 2025/26 season. These early predictions paint a picture of a profound season where adventure and a willingness to go beyond the tried and tested are at the core of design considerations.
Savory Brights
The inspiration for the color palette called ‘Savory Brights’ comes from the culinary sector. Tempting tastes, spicy notes and taste explosions play the main role in this color direction for autumn/winter 2025/26. The names of the colors suggest ingredients from the kitchen: ‘Chili Oil’, ‘Lime Zest’ and ‘Soy Sauce’ are used to create a sense of surprise and challenge the taste buds. The palette is complemented by a purple berry tone, a color that will already play a role in summer 2025, called ‘Jupiter’.
The central color of the palette is ‘Urgent Orange’. She brings fiery intensity to the spectrum and is evident in the moodboard with a groovy 60s vibe that is reminiscent of Paco Rabanne, Mary Quant, Sonia Rykiel and Vidal Sassoon.
The bold palette evokes bioengineering and next-gen materials with its overall sense of departure, exploration and innovation. The palette can be seen as a continuation of ‘Eerie Greens’ from Fall/Winter 24/25 and ‘Unsettling Brights’ from Spring 25.
Practical Neutrals
A much more muted palette ‘Practical Neutrals’ consists of timeless colors. This is still about quieter luxury. Refined brilliance, muted materials and conscious shades underline a more sustainable perspective on fashion. The color palette works well for investment pieces, sustainable purchasing decisions and instant classics. Stability, longevity and reliability are associated with these subtle colors full of elegance.
When it comes to materials, the experts name brushed wool fabrics, timeless denim and body-hugging knitwear as well as precious metals. It’s about conscious decisions, stability and sophistication. Here too, two colors from S/S25 are adopted, ‘Puddle’ and ‘Washed Black’. Two non-color options with a timeless quality that reinforce the palette’s cross-seasonal theme. They are complemented by ‘Sophisticated Sage’, ‘Brown Butter’ and ‘Crisp Navy’ as well as ‘Putty Beige’.
Practical Neutrals’ anchor color is ‘Puddle’, a ‘greige’ that exudes stability and timeless versatility. It offers a “versatile canvas” for color combinations, for example it pairs well with bold pastels like ‘Lime Zest’ from the previous palette or a soft purple like ‘Smoothie’. But it also harmonizes with warmer neutral tones such as ‘Brown Butter’ or ‘Blazed Brown’.
The mood board is reminiscent of a “sensible minimalism” that “combines purpose and aesthetics,” as the experts emphasize. A sustainable choice that should be accompanied by durable shapes and materials such as vegetable tanned leather.
Artisanal Midtones
‘Artisanal Midtones’ is a color palette that seems to come straight from nature and is a very artisan inspired color scheme, especially for a fall/winter season. Organic materials, a down-to-earth look and ecological and sustainable dyeing methods are at the forefront of this color palette.
Carried over from the summer 2025 season, ‘Sulphur’ is a bright yellow that provides intensity. ‘Mineral Blue’, ‘OliveTerrain’ and ‘Natural Teal’ are shades from nature that are reminiscent of faded and weathered blues and greens found on the coast. ‘Coral Blaze’, a sequel to ‘Terracotta’, gives the palette a sunny touch that makes it suitable for the colder seasons.
The anchor color ‘Suncloud’ gives the palette radical optimism and radiance. The general mood of ‘Suncloud’ is “an optimistic look into the future,” says Thomas. “A tribute to earthy practices and natural pigments.”
The materials that go well with ‘Artisanal Midtones’ are organic cotton blends, raffia and ceramics as well as gabardine, crepe and satin jersey. Contemporary crafts draw inspiration from traditional sewing, weaving and dyeing processes and balance them with modern productions. A new appreciation for the possibilities that exist in nature, especially when applied carefully and in smaller batches, such as dyes derived from turmeric.
The fall/winter season 2025/26 promises to be a more sustainable and experimental season overall that combines old craft techniques with new materials. A step into a future that reinterprets old knowledge and applies new knowledge consciously and in an environmentally friendly way.