People often ask me what my favourite part of my job is, and I always say it’s the rush you get the second I’ve realised I’ve just uncovered a trend—something new and fresh (and that I can’t wait to tell all of you about!). Having said that, I don’t believe in following trends just because they feel current—they have to speak to you on a level that you know you’ll still love them, even when their time in the style spotlight comes to an end.
Again, when people ask me which trends are worth investing in, I rarely give a specific answer. Instead, I direct them to colour trends. In fashion, colour trends move more slowly compared to other trends: I guess there’s only a finite amount of them, so they tend to have a longer lifespan than individual pieces. Fashion is cyclical, this we know, and colour trends have a tendency to come back around rather quickly. So, if looking timely is important to you, you can trust that said colours are sure to be prevalent again.
With this, I wanted to find out which fashion colour trends that 2024 has in store. To do so, I searched through thousands (really, thousands) of runway looks. Out of them all, I can confidently say that 2024’s palette centres around nine colours—and classy ones at that!
From the new neutral that will work with everything you pair it with to Pantone’s official Colour of the Year (which just so happened to be a catwalk hit also!), scroll on to see the top colour trends across fashion in 2024. You may even have some of them in your wardrobe but, if not, I’ve shopped out some of the chicest pieces in each hue for you. You’re welcome.
The term “quiet luxury” might not be as current was it was in the middle of last year but the aesthetic—which centres largely on anti-trend, minimalist and classic pieces—has firmly made its mark on 2024’s colour trends. Farther down my list you’ll be presented with brown, which falls into the quiet-luxury colour category. Another? Pale yellow. This shade has become something of a new neutral—so subtle is the yellow tone that it might look like a deep cream in some lights, a beige in others. It’s this adaptability that, I’d argue, makes it a wise colour investment. If you ask me, it’s little wonder its runway popularity has surged.
The entirety of the blue colour spectrum was evident on the spring/summer 2024 runways but it was this specific shade of pale blue that had every fashion editor’s head turning. Styled with an array of clashing colours—everything from zesty neons to cherry red (more on that in a minute), sky blue might just be the most “fashionable” colour of the year. This is one of the rare colours in the kaleidoscope that suits everyone—every skintone and hair colour—making its appeal universal.
Colour institute Pantone recently proclaimed “Peach Fuzz” its Colour of 2024, and it’s clear to see that the inspiration behind the decision was found on the spring/summer 2024. Along with soft peach shades, orange itself proved to be a recurring catwalk theme, seen everywhere from Bottega Veneta—where orange-peel tones were amplified in leather—to Carven, where wispy chiffon added to the delicacy of its apricot hues.
Okay, so I know what you’re thinking—grey isn’t really a trend! I get that, but when it featured in so many outfits across the entire breadth of runways, it’s definitely a tone with noting. The key here is in the styling—wearing all-grey outfits if perhaps one of the easiest runway trends to emulate, as most of us will have enough grey pieces to do so already with items we already own. Still, if you’d like to invest in something fresh to celebrate grey’s new fashion status, there are plenty of chic pieces to choose from.
Pink might have been a key colour over the last twelve months but, the closer to 2024 we’ve edge, the more we’ve seen a shift towards red tones in its place. Generally thought of as a more grown-up and polished, bright-red has been cropping up across the fashion scene in the form of coats and knits. These are still worthwhile investments of course but, come summer, expect to see more red dresses than ever before!
Of all the ’90s trends that have made a comeback over the past few years, brown is the one with the most staying power. Back in a way that we’ve never before seen, brown has taken over boots, bags, shoes and clothing this season, and it’s reign is set to continue well into 2024—just ask Loewe, Ferragamo, Givenchy, Gucci, Hermès, Max Mara, Michael Kors, and Saint Laurent, for it appeared top-to-toe in the spring/summer collections of them all.
Akin to grey above, I’m sure some of you will argue that white is not a “trend”. It’s classic! It’s timeless! Here in, however, lies its power. Designers made white feel even fresher by exploring it in different fabrications—cotton, leather, chiffon, silk, wool—and that’s precisely how we should be wearing it this year; layered up in a myriad of ways. There were, however so many white dresses to gawp at which, although not entirely surprising considering it is spring/summer we’re talking about, this leads me to think that the market—both high-street and high-end—will focus heavily on this staple. For now, get your white-outfit fix by way of knitted dresses, jackets and tailoring.
Last year, green proved to be a big colour trend with grass-green shades sprouting throughout the collections. For 2024, designers have continued their exploration of the colour but leaning towards, as the rest of line-up suggestions, a more subtle interpretation. Call it sage, pistachio or laurel, celadon or, well, light green, that’s up to you. So long as you wear it, that’s what really matters.
One of the biggest fashion comebacks of the past few seasons has to be silver. The metallic tone had long fallen out of favour to gold (and, for a minute, rose gold). After a tentative return via jewellery, silver burst into the fashion realm, covering everything from trousers (jean-type styles at Hush, H&M, Marks & Spencer and Khaite that have become impossible to get your hands on), dresses, bags and shoes. If you’ve already invested, you’ll be pleased to hear that silver is more than just a thing in 2024—it’s a full-blown obsession.
Next Up: It’s My Job to Spot Shoe Trends—8 Pretty Styles That Will Rule 2024
