How are trend colors decided in the apparel industry? - Introducing the hottest trend colors for AW 2025-26

Hello! This is Kimura from the trend blog.

Do you know how fashion trends are decided?

"Color selection" is an important element that affects all phases, including product planning, sales promotion, and VMD (visual merchandising).

In this article, we will explain how fashion's "trend colors" are decided, as well as provide a summary of the latest trend color information for the 2025-26 fall/winter (AW) season.

  🎯 The process of deciding on a trend color

Trend colors in fashion are decided systematically and strategically, not based on intuition.

It is formed and deployed in the market in the following manner.

STEP 1: Research and analysis by trend forecasting agencies

Trends start with research and reports from specialized trend forecasting organizations.

These organizations use global data, cultural trends, and psychological analysis to predict social trends two to three years into the future and then suggest "key colors" and "theme colors" based on that prediction.

This information plays an extremely important role for apparel brand merchandising, designers, and material manufacturers as it provides a basis for choosing colors.

STEP 2: Interpretation and proposals by designers and brands

Luxury brands and cutting-edge designers will reinterpret the predicted colors in their own way and present them as collections. Through runways and exhibitions, the colors will attract the attention of media and buyers, and their penetration will begin.

STEP 3: Exhibitions and material manufacturer proposals

At this stage, thread, fabric, and processing manufacturers also develop materials and propose samples based on each key color. International exhibitions such as Première Vision (Paris) are also venues where color palettes for the next season are shared.

STEP 4: Expansion and penetration into the mass market

Mass-market brands (ZARA, H&M, UNIQLO, etc.) develop products incorporating trendy colors and spread them throughout the market. Through in-store promotions and social media promotions, the perception that "this color is trendy this season" is formed.

🖌 Hot trend colors for Fall/Winter 2025-26 *Current as of May 2025

The five key colors announced by WGSN x Coloro for AW2025-26 are as follows. All of them were selected based on themes such as "technology," "emotion," and "return to nature."

🟥Cherry Lacquer

Coloro cord: 010-36-34

Pantone cord: 19-1534 TCX (Merlot approximation)

Color: Deep, lustrous red (wine red)

Impression: Passionate, classic, profound

Recommended materials: leather, velvet, lustrous silk and taffeta

Suggested uses: Use it as the focal point of jackets, bags, etc. Goes well with deep green and burgundy.

ApparelX Recommended Products

・SLK200 pure silk Crepe 20 momme #109 Bordeaux

This is a high-quality 20 momme satin crepe silk textile made in Japan, available in 36 different colors. It can be used for lining fur coats and jackets, as well as for dresses and blouses .

・3770 Polyester Velvet #GAR #RUB

Wrinkle-resistant polyester velvet. Shiny type made with super bright thread. Excellent drapeability, suitable for a variety of items.

🟨Celestial Yellow

Coloro cord: 040-86-27

Pantone cord: 12-0824 TCX (Sunlight approximation)

Color: Soft, gentle pastel yellow

Impression: Hope, fantasy, healing

Recommended materials: wool gauze, fuzzy cotton, chiffon

Suggested uses: For knitwear, kids' and relaxing wear. Goes well with greige.

ApparelX Recommended Products

・22146 80s Cotton Chiffon #18 Yellow #24 Yellow

This 100% cotton chiffon has a natural texture that gives it an impressive look. It is a light, fluffy, soft material with a moderate degree of transparency.

・117 30 combed jersey soft finish    #9 Champagne #107 Pale Banana #332 Mellow Yellow #427 Pastel Yellow

It is a strong, low-lint jersey material.

It comes in a wide variety of colors, so you won't have any trouble matching it with other accessories.

  🟦Retro Blue

Color cord: 120-52-20

Pantone cord: 18-4027 TCX (approximate Blue Mirage)

Color: Dull, nostalgic blue

Impression: Nostalgia, comfort, intelligence Recommended materials: wool, tweed, denim, jacquard

Suggested use: For a set-up or shirt. Pair with brown for a vintage look.

ApparelX Recommended Products

・1SG022 REFABLISH®︎ Denim #3 Blue #4 Light Blue

We developed an original thread that mixes cotton procured through the Better Cotton Initiative with recycled polyester derived from PET bottles. The thread is double- thread to give it strength, flexibility, and volume.

In order to take advantage of the advantages of cotton and polyester, we paid particular attention to the fiber ratio, making it easy to dry and wrinkle-resistant even after washing. Since it does not use indigo dye, there is no need to worry about color fading and it is easy to care for.

・3850 kersey pattern jacquard lining #204 saxe blue

The lining is a kersey twill pattern. It is a luxurious material with a soft texture.

🟧Neon Flare

Coloro cord: 038-40-36

Pantone cord: 17-1464 TCX (approximately Orange Popsicle)

Color: Bright, radiant orange

Impression: Vitality, creativity, pop feel

Recommended materials: nylon, shiny jersey, PVC, etc.

Suggested uses: Accentuate activewear and accessories. Pair with purple for a '90s vibe.

ApparelX Recommended Products

・182 10 Shantung #106 Mandarin Orange #107 Carrot

A standard rayon lining textile, this is a glossy grosgrain-like fabric. We have over 100 colors in stock and can use it for bags and accessories.

Features: Acrylic coating on the back

・GINGA-046 0.6mm Colored Transparent Sheet #8 Orange

This transparent sheet has a lovely vibrant color. It is recommended for pool bags, tote bags, pouches, etc. It will not fray even if you cut it, and there is no need to finish the edges. If you combine it with a patterned lining, the pattern will show through and you can enjoy a different atmosphere.

⬛️Future Dusk

Color cord: 129-35-18

Pantone cord: 19-3921 TCX (approximately Blueberry)

Color: Blue-purple to midnight blue close to navy

Impression: Mysterious, futuristic, digital mood

Recommended materials: Shiny satin, metallic, technical materials

Suggested uses: For dresses, coats, and costumes that look good on film. Combine with silver for a futuristic look.

ApparelX Recommended Products

・SLK160 pure silk Satin 16 momme #145 Dark Blue

This is a high-quality 16 momme satin silk textile made in Japan, available in 45 different colors. It can be used for lining coats and jackets, as well as for dresses and blouses.

・1254 40d nylon ST 2.5 layer laminate #30 midnight #501 aquamarine

The base fabric has excellent stretchability in the horizontal direction and is laminated with 2.5 layers. This medium-weight material can be worn alone and features a moderately firm texture and the fine texture that is unique to nylon.

This high-spec material has a good balance of breathability and waterproofness, and is also windproof. It also retains its water-repellent properties even after 10 washes.

💡2025-26AW Trend Color Pattern Proposal

This is a practical "color scheme proposal" based on the trend colors for Fall/Winter 2025-26.

For each color, we combined a base color, accent color, and neutral color to organize them so that they can be used in product development and visual design.

Cherry Lacquer

A deep, glossy, and profound red. Perfect for a classic and modern color scheme.

Celestial Yellow

A pastel yellow that exudes calm and hope. Natural and emotional.

Retro Blue

Blue exudes a sense of security and nostalgia. It also suits traditional and genderless designs.

A vibrant, vibrant orange for a futuristic, pop color scheme.

A mysterious, digital blue-purple color that creates an advanced, space-like atmosphere.

✍️ Summary

What did you think? The trend colors for Fall/Winter 2025-26 are not just fashion trends, but a mirror of society that expresses the mood of the current era and people's psychology through color. After the pandemic, our lifestyles and values ​​have been greatly shaken, and the role expected of fashion has also changed.

What is required of many brands today is the ability to read the meaning and background of these colors, interpret them from a unique perspective, and sublimate them into products. Trend forecasting agencies such as WGSN, Coloro, and Pantone present a "shared vision," but this is merely a starting point. What materials and patterns will the color be expressed in, who will it be used for, and how will it be integrated with the brand's worldview? This is where each brand's unique storytelling is born. There is a growing tendency to "interpret colors from the brand's perspective," which involves unique interpretations and variations, and this is a factor in increasing empathy and visual impact on consumers. Brands that are skilled in using color are not just "stylish," but can also create products that are imbued with value and emotion, which ultimately leads to brand differentiation and increased loyalty.

This fall/winter season, rather than simply "copying" trend colors, I think incorporating them into your brand as "colors that you can talk about" will help convey the identity of your brand.

At ApparelX , we carry a wide variety of products to support each brand, so please take a look.