Pantone’s NYFW Fashion Color Trend Report Encourages Experimentation
Taylor Swift’s, Sabrina Carpenter’s and Jennifer Lopez’s novel takes on Old Hollywood glamour at the Grammy awards encapsulated the experimentation that the Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report delivers for New York Fashion Week.
Gearing up for the reveal of the fall-winter 2025-26 palette, Pantone Color Institute’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman was not in search of any reassurance. But as an avid Grammys watcher, and a former attendee of the awards event, she said the juxtaposition of looks on the red carpet bode well for the Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report.
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“Nurturing with a bit of nostalgia” is how Eiseman sized up the new range, “but the modernity comes from the mixtures to allow yourself to really experiment.” Swift’s Poppy Red Vivienne Westwood minidress and coordinating lipstick flagged one of the leading colors for the season. Carpenter turned up in another — a strapless Bronze Brown gown to pick up her Grammys. And Lopez’s Stéphane Rolland long-sleeve black turtleneck with a naval-baring blouson shimmery skirt may translate to consumers in other ways, according to Eiseman. Such daringness could give viewers “permission to be more experimental and try something that they haven’t done before, even though they might not be going to [those] extremes,” she said.
This season’s leading shades are Lemon Grass, Brandied Melon, Lyons Blue, Damson, Primrose Pink, Winterberry, Hot Chocolate, Chili Oil, Poppy Red, and Bronze Brown. Culinary-inspired names have been gaining traction in recent seasons, as evidenced by Mocha Mousse being Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year. Eiseman said, “There is that need for nurturing and the most obvious way to get that is through food. And when you actually eat it, there is a satisfaction that you get creatively and physically. That extends to your other senses as well.”
This fall’s reassuring and interchangeable colors also follow Pantone’s Fashion Color Trend report for spring, which favored neutral and grounded shades. Shades of brown, which have become more popular in recent seasons, continue to be in the mix. Brandied Melon, Hot Chocolate, Chili Oil, and Bronze Brown have landed on the main list of contemporary shades, and French Roast are among next fall’s five seasonless shades.
The latest Fashion Color Trend Report also hints at nostalgia, which has been “hanging in there” from a fashion perspective. There’s no question that consumers’ zeal for thrifting “has definitely played into that,” Eiseman said. (As of last year between 16 and 18 percent of Americans shopped in thrift stores and saved $150 per month doing so, according to America’s Research Group.) “But at the same time, it’s fun to modernize vintage and that’s where the color combinations come in,” Eiseman said.
She added, “We have to face it. There’s still anxiety that exists out there in regards to the economy and other issues. People are prone to digging back into the past to think of when times were more even-keeled.”
For some, that could be a combination of varying shades of the same color to create a more tonal monochromatic look, or paring unexpected colors like Lemon Grass and Lyons Blue or Primrose Pink with Vapor Blue. Given how the new roster served up a bit of pop, Eiseman said, “This allows people to have more fun with fashion and not be so mired down by rules and regulations.”
NYFW Fall 2025 Color Palette
Lemon Grass 12-0626: A bit tart, this lemony green has a touch of tang that sparks the imagination, according to Eiseman. Alessandro Michele created a statement gown in this hue for his Valentino couture debut. Marc Jacobs also worked it into his runway lineup at the New York Public Library earlier this week. And Kelly Rowland opted for a hooded sleeveless Lemon Grass dress for the 15 Percent Pledge dinner.
Brandied Melon 16-1340: As the name implies, this muted orange is typically more of a fall orange or what Pantone calls “a subtle spice,” Eiseman said. More along the lines of terra cotta, Brandied Melon relays a certain warmth, as in seated by a fire with a snifter. Alexis Mobile and Cacharel are among the early adapters.
Lyons Blue 19-4340: This tinted teal evokes nostalgia and the type of luxury associated with velveteen fabrics, Eiseman said. From a Ferragamo handbag to Gabriela Hearst’s menswear and a Chanel haute couture evening gown, Lyons Blue can be worn at all hours and for a variety of occasions. The Los Angeles Dodgers baseball hat that Billie Eilish sported to perform at the Grammys qualified too.
Damson 18-1716: An intense purple that is more commonly found in lipsticks and in hair color. Selena Gomez turned up on the red carpet last fall with Damson-colored nails or what her manicurist Tom Bachik called an “edgy mani.” Damson delivers contemporary glamour, but with a vintage feel, Eiseman said.
Primrose Pink 12-2904: A delicate and soft pink, Primrose Pink is the lightest in the palette and it offers a little balance from a colorist’s perspective. Dua Lipa holds a Primrose Pink handbag in a Chanel ad and Josie Natori has worked the soft shade into her fall collection.
Chili Oil 18-1440: “A vital maroon with depth, its name is often associated with the seasoning, but it also seasonless,” Eiseman said. Mono Stereo featured this color in its latest collection, as did Jacobs.
Winterberry 17-1640: A sultry and sensuous red that “ignites the senses and creates attention.” Winterberry cropped up in Armani Privé’s opulent gowns. It can also be found in far more relaxed styles like Vans Old Skool sneakers. And look for a glimpse of it in Nardos Imam’s next collection, during NYFW. But this one is not as vivacious as the Poppy Red, which is “more here-I-am-look-at-me,” Eiseman said.
Hot Chocolate 19-1325: Think “hygge” – this is a cozy and comforting hue that doubles as a decadent indulgence, according to Eiseman. But unlike New York City’s Serendipity 3, which first started serving its hot chocolate in 1954, Pantone’s version is meant to be indulged in all year long. Retrofete, Donna Karan and Ferragamo need no convincing. RH has worked it into its furniture collaboration too with Arthur Gentil.
Poppy Red 17-1664: Swift is often associated with this exuberant and celebratory red, which is a notch bolder than the color in her beau Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs uniform. It is also big in the beauty world as Isamaya Ffrench can attest. And Poppy Red was prominently worn by Sharon Stone, Suki Waterhouse, and others at the American Heart Association’s Red Dress Concert last week. Patti Hansen showed off her timeless style in a Poppy Red turtleneck at a Michael Kors’ event earlier this week. “Whoever wears it is going to rivet the eye,” Eiseman said.
Bronze Brown 18-0937: This lustrous golden brown has a certain elegance and translates well to fabrications with sheens. Gayle King earned high marks from Eisemen for the Marc Bouwer velvet pantsuit that she wore with a plunging neckline to last weekend’s Grammys. Actress Emma Corrin appears in a Miu Miu ad in a plaid skirt with a dash of Bronze Brown.
NYFW Fall 2025 Seasonless Shades
Bright White 11-0601: “Clarifying and cleansing” Bright White blends well with brown and offers a fresh alternative to the more predictable choices of black, navy or charcoal with white, Eiseman said. White can also be pretty powerful on its own as proven by Anna Sawai and Natalia Vodianova, who each wore Bright White strapless ensembles.
French Roast 19-1012: This solid, full-bodied brown isn’t just for designer handbags or shoes. Its aromatic name evokes an accessible reprieve, especially since there were 83,153 coffee and snack shops nationwide as of last year. French Roast relays a sense of nurturing and “coffee is a pick-me-up,” Eiseman said. Ralph Lauren is a believer, and not just based on his Ralph’s Coffee. Donna Karan has also infused her designs with the color, as has Julie de Libran.
Vapor Blue 14-4203: A cross between hazy blue and gray, this “nuanced color” offers a “a cooler presence,” Eiseman said. Vapor Blue was featured in the recent Jean Paul Gaultier show and can be found in the Air Jordan 1 High OG Dior sneakers. And traces of Vapor Blue can be found in Aknvas’ Christian Juul Nielsen’s inspiration image for fall.
Crown Blue 19-3926: An ever-faithful navy, this one is a deeper blue but it was not quite as dark as the hue of the Adam Lippes-designed custom ensemble Melania Trump wore to President Trump’s inauguration ceremony a few weeks ago. Crown Blue is more along the lines of the slouchy, big-shouldered Area suit that Janelle Monae wore to Sunday’s Grammy awards in Los Angeles.
Mauve Wine 19-1716: This sophisticated hue is a deeper wine tone that is a switch from “yet another black,” Eiseman said. “We call it seasonless, because we are seeing deeper tones being used more and more in spring and summer. They’re being accented with lighter colors,” she said. The elegant shade can be more easily found in a wine shop than a designer boutique. But Mauve Wine can be sported in novel ways too including by choosing just the right eyeliner, as runway models dd at Giorgio Armani’s show last fall in Milan.
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