Pantone unveils AW18 colour forecast ahead of London Fashion Week

Pantone has revealed the 12 key colours and five classic colours we can expect to see from designers on the runway for the AW18 season.

Its latest Fashion Color Trend Report Autumn/Winter 2018, created for London Fashion Week, includes a bold palette of autumnal hues "complemented by some more surprising shades".

Pink Peacock

Alongside more traditional autumnal shades the global colour authority has also introduced two more experimental shades for London; PANTONE 15-1515 Mellow Rose, "a beloved and subtle", traditional English shade, alongside PANTONE 18-2045 Pink Peacock, a striking statement colour.

"The two lend a slightly enhanced tone of playfulness to the London palette, providing even more variety and intriguing combination options and further optimising the ability for individual self-expression," Pantone said.

Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman, said the palette had been devised to allow designers and consumers to develop their own looks as they increasingly turn away from widespread adoption of trends.

Mellow Rose

“As designers and consumers increasingly rebuff ‘trend adoption,’ and instead embrace self-expressive colours that evade old-fashioned seasonal structure, we are seeing very unexpected and non-traditional choices, such as PANTONE 15-1515 Mellow Rose and PANTONE 18-2045 Pink Peacock in the autumn/winter palette for London. Exploring nuances within colour families and experimenting with surprisingly delightful combinations and materials, freshens and reinvents the colour story,” she said.

Eiseman added that while the colours can be mixed and matched to create individual looks, they can be equally striking when used in isolation. "This is even more true now than in previous seasons. Adding an unexpected element allows for the artistry and originality that moves fashion forward," she said.