Pantone unveils NYFW autumn/winter 2025 colour report

Pantone, the authority on colour, has said that New York Fashion Week’s colour palette for the upcoming autumn/winter 2025 season will spark curiosity with a hint of nostalgia.

For AW25, colours for NYFW are “imbued with a poetic nuance, creating a blend of casual relaxation with subtle elegance,” explains Pantone, offering a “lively colour dialogue between well-known, traditional neutrals and dynamic and bold and deep seasonal hues”.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said in a statement: “Imbued with a feeling of effortless glamour, colours for NYFW autumn/winter 2025/2026 are approachable and accessible.

“As fashion looks for new ways forward, originating new silhouettes, materials and textures, familiar colours are being reinvented with a contemporary transformation. True creativity doesn’t always lie in the pursuit of the novel, but includes the art of reimagining, giving lots of room to play and experiment, creating individualised looks that are new and fresh.”

This season’s top 10 colours offer a blend of familiarity with contemporary colours, which Pantone adds “express hope for the future”. Leading the pack are shades of lemon, orange, teal, and cosy hues of brown alongside a gentle pink, two vibrant reds, and an intense purple.

NYFW autumn/winter 2025 colour palette

Pantone 12-0626 ‘Lemon Grass’ is a lemon-infused green with a slightly sweet, floral note. This shade has already been spotted on the catwalk for Marc Jacobs combined with ‘Bronze Brown’ and Alessandro Michele’s debut Valentino couture collection.

Pantone 16-1340 ‘Brandied Melon’ is a muted orange with “a subtle spice” that offers warmth to the colour palette.

Pantone 19-4340 ‘Lyons Blue’ is a deep tinted teal, which Pantone says evokes “a luxury reminiscent of bygone eras”.

Pantone 18-1716 ‘Damson’ is an intense purple that delivers “contemporary glamour conjures a dramatically vintage feel,” adds Pantone.

Pantone 12-2904 ‘Primrose Pink’ is a delicate and soft pink hue, which offers balance to the colour palette. Chanel incorporated the enlightening hue into its spring/summer 2025 couture collection, as did Armani Prive and Michael Cinco for its eveningwear.

Pantone 17-1640 ‘Winterberry’ is a sultry that “gives pleasure and ignites the senses”.

Pantone 19-1325 ‘Hot Chocolate’ is a cosy and comforting hue that doubles as a decadent indulgence, as seen at the recent catwalk show from Istanbul-based brand Les Benjamins.

Pantone 18-1440 ‘Chili Oil’ is a robust red that is often associated with autumn, but Pantone states it is “seasoned yet seasonless for AW25.

Pantone 17-1664 ‘Poppy Red,’ is exuberant and spirited, while also being both sensual and celebratory. The hue made a statement at Marc Jacobs catwalk showcase at the New York Public Library earlier this week, featuring oversized bow detailing.

Pantone 18-0937 ‘Bronze Brown’ is a lustrous golden brown offering an elegant and natural authenticity.

NYFW AW25 seasonless shades

The 10 standout colours for NYFW sit alongside five new seasonless neutral hues, which offer “comfort and ease,” adds Pantone.

Pantone 11-0601 ‘Bright White’ is an optical white with a “brightened presence,” which clarifies and cleanses. As seen in Derek Lam 10 Crosby’s AW25 collection.

Pantone 19-1012 ‘French Roast’ is a strong, full-bodied brown shade with “an earthy and tasteful undertone illustrative of honest luxe”. The shade was seen in the recent Jean Paul Gaultier spring/summer 2025 haute couture collection.

Pantone 14-4203 ‘Vapor Blue’ is a hazy blue, adding a cooler hue to the colour palette.

Pantone 19-3926 ‘Crown Blue’ is a dependable, constant and “ever-faithful classic blue” that offers an expressive of longevity in design.

Pantone 19-1716 ‘Mauve Wine’ is imbued with a “natural grace and beauty,” and adds a message of refined sophisticated to the colour palette.