What is the fashion color for 2023?

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Fresh off the runways of New York, London, Milan, and Paris, here are the top fashion-inspired color palettes trending for 2023.

As the Spring/Summer 2023 runway shows draw to a close at fashion weeks around the world, it’s time to sit back and reflect on the trends from the latest collections–and how they might impact the broader creative community. The main visual component that trickles from the catwalk into advertising, branding, and graphic design is color; it’s impossible not to be inspired by the color palettes that are meticulously considered and curated from the moodboard to that final walk.

So what have been the top color trends for Spring/Summer 2023? From utility and escapism in New York to Y2K in Milan, we explore the trending color palettes that you should consider using in your work next season and beyond.

What Are the Colors for Spring Summer 2023?

Meet the trending fashion color palettes fresh off the New York, London, Milan, and Paris runways and discover how designers can integrate them into their creative projects. Featuring hot takes from the color connoisseurs over at Pantone, the masters of fashion, Vogue, and our design team, here are next season’s most fashionable color trends.

1. New York
2. London
3. Milan
4. Paris

1. New York Fashion Week Color Palette

The color trends that emerged from New York Fashion Week ranged from ultra-calm tones to bright, expressive combinations. According to the Pantone Color Institute, the colors for Spring/Summer 2023 New York show how our relationship with color has changed due to our experiences over the past few years. Designers are selecting color schemes that symbolize our newfound freedom and excitement. Taking a fearless approach, the colors we’ve seen throughout New York fashion week ooze bold attitudes, encouraging experimentation and quirky contrasts.

“Colors for Spring/Summer 2023 are recalibrated for the new era we are entering. Blending escapism with reality, wholesomeness, and joy, we embrace the exploration of extreme contrast in mood and color,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. 

“There is utility and basic-ness to this season’s color story, while at the same time, there is an uplifting vital sense of play that comes through.”

For example, Italian fashion house Fendi’s show was held in NYC to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Fendi Baguette bag – made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City. The collection was inspired by the freedom and excess of the decade that created the iconic handbag – the 90s – tying in perfectly with New York Fashion Week’s overarching theme: freedom of expression. 

Tom Ford’s collection was a “sexy ode to glamourous times,” according to Vogue. With more than a nod to the abundance of the 1980s, the looks were primarily focused on the idea of liberation and transgression.

Envato’s Color Palettes: New York Fashion Week

From Escapism to Utility, Integrate the bold, expressive color palettes from New York fashion week into your next project with these items from Envato Elements.

Escapism

Quiet Presence

Utility

2. London Fashion Week Color Palette

London Fashion Week featured color schemes combining vibrant hues with timeless tones.

Pantone Color Institute revealed that the colors for LFW Spring/Summer 2023 represent a new direction for fashion. This season’s colors blend heritage with innovation, balancing brightness and positivity with contemplative, calming tones. Representing a bold attitude, the color trends of LFW will reframe our perceptions of color through clever combinations and animated pairings.

“As we anticipate our future, we are embracing the freedom to colorfully express our individuality without constraint,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

“Experiencing a creative liberation that transgresses previous norms, we are adapting and inventing novel pairings and contrasting harmonies.”

Molly Goddard showed a collection of signature intensely-colored tulle dresses paired with casual shirts in powerfully complementary tones – such as pink and orange and green and purple. Known for her love of clashing prints, colors, and textures, the designer perfectly embodies this season’s theme of transgression. 

Christopher Kane’s collection was all about the body, including vinyl dresses, lace bra cups, pastel organza, and mini-crini dresses. “One of the flower-embedded vinyl dresses had a cutout pair of medical-illustration hands wrapped around its middle as a belt, a woman creepily turned into a human plastic-covered bouquet,” Vogue reported.

Envato’s Color Palettes: London Fashion Week

From ultra calming neutrals to bright, clashing colors, integrate these top color palettes from London fashion week into your next design with this selection of Elements items. 

Attention

Ultra-Calm

Freedom

3. Milan Fashion Week Color Palette

This season, Milan Fashion Week delivered a big taste of Y2K. The Matrix and other late 1990s and early 2000s movies inspired many of the week’s looks, which featured a lot of black, leather, and micro sunglasses. Color schemes included vivid red, green, and plenty of pink hues. However, as expected for the chic city, neutral colors dominated Milan’s catwalk.

Camel, chocolate, cream, and olive green appeared in nearly every look at the MaxMara and Fendi shows. However, three hues in particular – bright blue tints, celadon green, and a variety of skin-toned neutrals  – were highly emphasized during Milan Fashion Week.

Prada showed a cinematic collection – with the 1968 cult classic horror movie Rosemary’s Baby, pegged as a potential inspiration. Gucci took an entirely different approach, with 68 sets of identical twins parading their collection down the runway, which paired neutral colors with plenty of sequins and glitz.

Finally, in an obvious nod to the return of Y2K, Versace closed the show with Paris Hilton wearing a chainmail dress – in her signature Barbie pink, of course.  

Envato’s Color Palettes: Milan Fashion Week

From strong neutrals to Y2K-inspired brights, integrate the top palettes from Milan fashion week with these items from Elements. 

Neo-Noir

Twinsburg

Y2K

4. Paris Fashion Week Color Palette

With spectacular shows from historic fashion houses – including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and Hermès – Paris Fashion Week 2023 closed fashion month with a bang. 

Victoria Beckham made her Paris debut – having previously shown in London New York – presenting sheer, lingerie-inspired dresses with flourishes of lace, contouring knits, latex leggings, and body suits.

Paul Smith’s collection was inspired by musical icons of the 70s and 80s, featuring louche silhouettes, tuxedo-inspired elements, oversized trenches, gently ruched dresses, and one-tone dressing.

Continuing the retro trend, Saint Laurent also explored a 1980s theme with its collection dubbed ‘radical fluidity.’ Vogue called out Saint Laurent designer Anthony Vaccarello’s powerful use of muted yet regal colors, saying the color palette was “gloriously muted but definitive, taken from the clothes shot on Polaroid from YSL fittings back in the day: soft browns, purples, camels, olives, and taupes, their tones heightened by the substantial jeweled or Claude Lalanne-Esque gold cuffs.”

Envato’s Color Palettes: Paris Fashion Week

Featuring neutral muted tones paired with pops of pastel, add a chic element to your next design with items inspired by these top Parisian palettes. 

Aristocrat

Eiffel

Wedding

And that’s a wrap for the top color palettes from Fashion Week 2023! We hope the hottest looks hitting the runways right now have given you some inspiration for your creative projects. Check out our Color Trends 2022 for more color palette inspiration!

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