How Are Trend Colors in the Apparel Industry Decided? ~ Introducing the Key Trend Colors for 2025-26 AW ~

Hello! I’m Kimura from the trend blog.

Do you know how trend colors in fashion are decided?

“Color selection” is an important element involved in every phase, including product planning, sales promotion, and VMD (visual merchandising).

In this article, we’ll explain how “trend colors” in fashion are determined, and also share the latest trend color information for the 2025-26 autumn/winter (AW) season.

 🎯 The process until a trend color is decided

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

They are formed through the following process and then rolled out to the market.

 STEP ① Research and analysis by trend forecasting organizations 

The starting point of trends is research and reports from specialized trend forecasting organizations.

Based on global data, cultural trends, and psychological analysis, these organizations forecast social trends two to three years ahead and present “key colors” and “theme colors” accordingly.

 This information plays an extremely important role as the basis for choosing colors for apparel brands’ MDs, designers, and material manufacturers.

STEP ② Interpretation and proposals by designers and brands

Luxury brands and forward-thinking designers reinterpret the forecast colors in their own worldviews and present them as collections. Through runways and exhibitions, media and buyers begin to pay attention, and color adoption starts to spread.

STEP ③ Exhibitions and proposals by material manufacturers

Yarn, fabric, and processing manufacturers also develop materials and propose samples based on each key color at this stage. International trade shows such as Première Vision (Paris) also serve as places where color palettes for the next season are shared.

STEP ④ Expansion into and penetration of the mass market

Mass-market brands (such as ZARA, H&M, and UNIQLO) launch product lines that incorporate trending colors, spreading them through the market. Awareness that “this season’s color is this” is formed through in-store promotions and social media campaigns.

🖌 Featured trend colors for autumn/winter 2025-26 *速報 as of May 2025

The key colors announced by WGSN × Coloro for 2025-26 AW are the following five colors. All were selected around themes such as “technology,” “emotion,” and “return to nature.”

🟥Cherry Lacquer 

Coloro code: 010-36-34 

Pantone code: 19-1534 TCX (approx. Merlot) 

Tone: deep, glossy red (wine-red family) 

Impression: passion, classic, richness 

Recommended materials: leather, velvet, glossy silk, and taffeta 

Usage suggestion: for hero items such as jackets and bags. Pairs well with dark green and bordeaux. 

ApparelX recommended products

・SLK200 pure silk crepe 20 momme #109 bordeaux

A 20 momme satin crepe luxury silk textile made in Japan, available in 36 color variations. It can be used not only as lining for fur coats and jackets, but also for dresses and blouses.

・3770 polyester velvet #GAR #RUB

A wrinkle-resistant velvet made from polyester. A glossy type made with super-bright thread. It has excellent drape, so it can be used for a variety of items.

🟨Celestial Yellow 

Coloro code: 040-86-27 

Pantone code: 12-0824 TCX (approx. Sunlight) 

Tone: a soft, gentle pastel yellow 

Impression: hope, dreamy, soothing 

Recommended materials: wool gauze, fuzzy cotton, chiffon 

Usage suggestion: for knits, kids’ items, and loungewear. Pairs well with greige. 

ApparelX recommended products

・22146 80 single yarn cotton chiffon #18 yellow #24 yellow

A chiffon with an impressive natural texture made from 100% cotton. A lightweight, softly voluminous, gently textured thin material with moderate sheerness.

・117 30 combed jersey, soft finish  #9 champagne #107 pale banana #332 mellow yellow #427 pastel yellow

A sturdy jersey textile with little fuzz.

With its rich color variations, it should also be easy to match with other accessories.

 🟦Retro Blue 

Coloro code: 120-52-20 

Pantone code: 18-4027 TCX (approx. Blue Mirage) 

Tone: a nostalgic blue with a muted feel 

Impression: nostalgia, sense of security, intelligence Recommended materials: wool, tweed, denim, jacquard 

Usage suggestion: for set-ups and shirts. Combine with brown to create a vintage feel. 

ApparelX recommended products

・1SG022 REFABLISH®︎ denim  #3 blue #4 light blue

We developed an original yarn by blending cotton sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative with recycled polyester made from PET bottles. By making the yarn into a two-ply yarn, we gave it strength, suppleness, and volume.

We focused on the fiber ratio to make the most of the strengths of cotton and polyester. It dries quickly and is less likely to wrinkle 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

A jacquard lining with a kersey pattern. It is a soft, luxurious material.

🟧Neon Flare 

Coloro code: 038-40-36 

Pantone code: 17-1464 TCX (approx. Orange Popsicle) 

Tone: a vivid orange that seems to emit light 

Impression: energy, creativity, pop feel 

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

Usage suggestion: as an accent for activewear and accessories. Pair with purple for a neo 90s single-yarn feel.

ApparelX recommended products

・182 10 shantung #106 mikan #107 carrot

A standard rayon lining fabric with a glossy grosgrain-like texture. We stock over 100 colors, and it can be used for bags as well as small accessories.

Feature: acrylic-coated back

・GINGA-046 0.6mm color transparent sheet #8 orange

A color transparent sheet with a beautiful vivid color. Recommended for pool bags, tote bags, pouches, and more. It won’t fray even when left uncut, so no edge finishing is needed.When combined with a patterned lining, the pattern will show through and create a different look.

⬛️Future Dusk 

Coloro code: 129-35-18 

Pantone code: 19-3921 TCX (approx. Blueberry) 

Tone: midnight blue close to blue-purple to navy blue 

Impression: mystery, futurism, digital mood 

Recommended materials: glossy satin, metallic, technical materials 

Usage suggestion: for dresses, coats, and costumes that stand out on camera. Pairing with silver enhances the near-future feel.

ApparelX recommended products

・SLK160 pure silk satin 16 momme #145 dark navy

A 16 momme satin luxury silk textile made in Japan, available in 45 color variations. It can be used not only as lining for coats and jackets, but also for dresses and blouses.

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

A 2.5-layer laminate is applied to a base fabric with excellent stretch in the weft direction. It is a medium-weight material that can be used on its own, and its moderately firm texture and the fine, distinct look unique to nylon are its defining features.

It offers a good balance of moisture permeability and waterproofness, and also has excellent wind resistance. In addition, it retains its water-repellent performance even after 10 washes.

💡2025-26 AW trend color color-combination pattern suggestions

These are practical “color-combination pattern suggestions” based on the 2025-26 autumn/winter trend colors.

For each color, we combined base colors, accent colors, and neutral colors, organizing them so they can be used in product development and visual design.

Cherry Lacquer

A deep, glossy, rich red. Ideal for classic, mode-inspired color schemes.

Celestial Yellow

A calm pastel yellow that feels hopeful. Natural and emotional.

Retro Blue

A blue with a sense of reassurance and nostalgia. Suitable for traditional and genderless styling as well.

A vibrant orange full of energy. Perfect for futuristic, pop-inspired color schemes.

A mysterious blue-purple with a digital feel. Ideal for an advanced, cosmic atmosphere.

✍️ Summary 

What do you think? The trend colors for autumn/winter 2025-26 are not just fashion trends; they are like a mirror of society, expressing the mood of this era and people’s psychology through color. After the pandemic, our lifestyles and values have shifted significantly, and the role expected of fashion has also changed.

What many brands are now expected to do is read the meaning and background of these colors, interpret them with their own unique perspective, and elevate them into products. Trend forecasting organizations such as WGSN, Coloro, and Pantone provide a “shared vision,” but that is only the starting point. How will the color be expressed through materials and patterns, which target will it be used for, and how will it be fused with the brand’s worldview? This is where each brand’s unique storytelling emerges. The trend of “interpreting color from a brand perspective” through original interpretations and variations is becoming stronger, and this increases empathy and visual impact for consumers. Brands that handle color skillfully can create products that carry value and emotion, not just something “stylish,” and as a result this also leads to brand differentiation and improved loyalty.

This autumn/winter season, instead of simply following trend colors, why not incorporate them into your own brand as colors that can tell a story? I think that could become a strength in communicating your brand identity.

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