NYFW FW26 Color trends: Yellow ochre, moss green, shades of brown and more
In the late 1990s, fears surrounding Y2K were widespread, and designers responded with somber palettes that mirrored the mood of technological unease. In many respects, NYFW FW26, revisited that same tension.
Color on the runways was predominately black, closely recalling the pared-back minimalism seen at Calvin Klein, Jil Sander and Prada between 1997 and 1999. With anticipation building around Ryan Murphy’s forthcoming series on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, images of her streamlined Calvin Klein tailoring, slip dresses and minimal evening gowns have resurfaced,evoking the spirit of those times.
Yet rather than reading as pure nostalgia, this restrained, minimal aesthetic feels strikingly relevant—less a throwback than a reflection of the current mood. Here are the major color trends seen on the NYFW FW26 runways.
Brown
Shades of chocolate, caramel, camel and soft brown were used for a series of soft and luxurious looking items, such as sheepskin jackets, suede skinny leg pants and soft leather pencil skirts.
Yellow Ochre
Colors that the customer might consider to be ‘off-kilter’ have grown in popularity in the past few seasons. That includes ochre, a shade of warm, brownish yellow. Designers used ochre for sweaters to team with tailored skirts and pants. At Libertine, ochre-colored tulle was attached to a black car coat over a metallic gold ensemble.
Moss Green
Designers have been using a rather muted and earthy shade of moss green as a neutral for a few seasons. It’s versatile enough to work on a variety of fabrics. Frederick Anderson used it on lace to create a leaf effect. Kim Shui showed a moss green suit with burgundy accessories, a recently familiar combination on the runway.
Pale Blue
Shades of blue from indigo to mid-toned sky blue worked together as a diversion from an otherwise darker palette. Jane Wade used a mid-toned layer for a plaid dress with paniers, while Prabal Gurung added chiffon in a similar shade to the bottom of a navy-blue velvet gown.
Total Red
Once again harking back to the ‘90s, From a drop-waisted satin dress at Tory Burch to a suit with skinny pants at Carolina Herrera, designers showed head-to-toe red. With the mostly dark and neutral palettes on display, saturated red cut through that mood, acting as a disrupter.