At the beginning of Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear, Pantone released their color forecast for 2018. From rich reds and deep purples to vibrant greens and delicate oranges, there’s a color and palette for every event. Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear has come to a close, and now it’s time to discover how accurate Pantone was. Let’s take a look at the Spring 2018 Pantone color trends.

This is a breakdown of the color palettes, using only the designers that included Pantone in their collections. Clearly, Playful was the most popular by a large margin of 10%, with big names like Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana displaying the Playful pattern in their collection. Intricacy was the least popular, with only 3% of collections showing Intricacy. This might be because Intricacy is reminiscent of a fall color palette, so we might see more of it come Fall 2018 Ready-to-Wear. Regardless of the breakdown, all of the Pantone palettes are beautiful, and each designer brought their own twist to the colors.

Discretion

Discretion is a quiet corner in a romantic bistro, where two lovers share a slice of strawberry cheesecake and discrete looks of longing and love. A candlelight flickers between them, waving in the whispers that leave their lips as they exchange secret parts of their souls, parts that have not been uttered before. They sit on booths of maroon, which stick slightly to their skin as they get up to leave, holding on to the feeling of a kindling flame.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Discretion: Polignac, Blush, Cream Pink, Coral, Pale Yellow, Dark Silver, Moonstruck, Maroon, and Bright Purple, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Alena Akhmadullina’s version of Discretion uses floral to show off the pinks and purples, while Creatures of Comfort relies on separates to blend these colors together. Duru Olowu’s lavender gown with rich flowers is an interesting take on an evening gown, and Osman’s cocktail dress shows off the darker side of Discretion. Naeem Khan’s tiered gown is the perfect display of Discretion’s different hues.

Far-Fetched

Far-Fetched is a hike through Cinque Terre National Park, along the Ligurian Coast in Italy. It’s November, a soft breeze moseys its way past coastal towns, bright and beautiful, their lights twinkling in the dawn as people wake up and get ready for the day. The early morning light reflects off of the water, mirroring the vibrant houses of the vivacious inhabitants of the Ligurian Coast.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Far-Fetched: Rust, Mandarin, Wine, Toasted, Beetroot, Candy Pink, Tango Red, Pale Yellow, and Gray Dawn, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood displays Far-Fetched with a pair of textured shorts, while Bibhu Mohapatra mixes patterns to create an elegant ensemble. Etro’s athleisure leggeings and top, paired with a relaxed jacket, really embodies the worldly nature of Far-Fetched, while Jenny Packham shows off the East-meets-West aesthetic that’s been so popular this season. Valentino’s boho dress uses floral that almost looks like watercolor for a beautifully detailed dress.

Intensity

Intensity is a lagoon cradled in a coastal cave. The bright blue of the water is home to fish of breath-taking hues, which swim quickly through the sea weed that reaches up towards the ceiling of the cave. As the sun sets, it invades the quiet cave, bright red bursting in and bouncing off the rock walls of the cavern, throwing the fiery light upon the water. A wind picks up, but the cave is safe and silent, only the sound of the wind whipping past, and the lagoon lapping up against the stony walls of the cave.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Intensity: Horizon Blue, Deep Teal, Rust, Salmon, Blackberry, Cornstalk, Red, Black, and Toasted, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Ace & Jig displays Intensity with a bohemian dress layered over a raglan top and under a wrap skirt. Custo Barcelona’s patchwork dress shows off some intense juxtaposition, while Emilio de la Morana’s mismatched skirt and sweater are the perfect way to take Intensity into professional settings. Paul Smith’s oceanic floral is ideal for a vacation to a secluded island, and Zuhair Murad’s Intensity gown is a sure show stopper.

Intricacy

Intricacy is a small kitchen in small cottage on a cold, March evening. An inexperienced chef paces back and forth, past the oven that holds their latest attempt at a raspberry souffle. The intricate recipe lays still on a granite counter, covered in flour and batter. The scent of souffle wafts through the room, steaming the windows as the last of the evening’s light disappears behind the horizon.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Intricacy: Black, Deep Charcoal, Chocolate, Cornstalk, Ermine, Chili Pepper, Buttercup, and Capers, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Aalto’s version of Intricacy relies on separates, while ADEAM blends the colors into a stunning ensemble. Arthur Arbesser’s abstract boat neck top shows Intricacy in an intricate fashion, and Giamba’s boho dress is the perfect piece for brunch. No. 6’s display of Intricacy is darkened floral dress with puffy sleeves, ideal for cocktail parties.

Playful

Playful is a ride in a hot air balloon along the Amalfi Coast on a breezy spring day. Bright flowers can be seen from the basket, merging together into walls of brilliant colors nestled in the hills. The rolling waters cradle boats, so far below they look like toys in a young child’s bath, bumping along on the whim of the wind that whistles by the basket, held up by puffs of hot air in a colorful balloon, seen by everyone below.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Playful: French Vanilla, Sunny Lime, Peridot, Veiled Rose, Angel Blue, Tango Red, Buttercup, Pesto, and Directiore, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Alice + Olivia’s tiered dress and matching blazer do Playful justice, while Dolce & Gabbana utilize a playful pattern. Gucci matches a Playful jumper with a cheetah print jacket, and Rahul Mishra uses simple lines and intricate embroidery for a detailed demonstration of Playful. Sachin & Babi’s Playful top and trousers are the ideal ensemble for an evening at the Met.

Resourceful

Resourceful is a library, late in the afternoon of a chilly spring day. The sun slowly settles into the horizon, sending bright oranges and reds through the windows of the library, the perfect time of day to curl up in a comfy chair with a big book for company. The light illuminates the spines of the books, which almost shiver with the anticipation of being picked up and enjoyed by passersby. Endless possibilities lie on the chestnut shelves, tales of love and adventure settle in next to murder mysteries, soaking in the last of the day’s light.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Resourceful: Navy, Mazarine Blue, Baby Blue, Deep Teal, Mandarin, Peach Fuzz, Peach, Burnt Orange, and Moonstruck, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Ace & Jig show off Resourceful with a multicolored skirt layered over a striped dress, while Andrew Gn displays Resourceful with an East-meets-West inspired dress. Chloe’s folk art themed dress shows off Resourceful in a beautiful fashion, and Leonard’s sequined gown shows off Resourceful’s colors in a shining new light. Natasha Zinko’s floral robe is perfect for relaxing in style, or looking relaxed when you’re out and about.

TECH-nique

TECH-nique is a light show at a botanical garden, set in the evening. Brilliant laser lights bounce off orchids that reach up and out, the lights giving the illusion that they’re dancing, a soft subtle sway. Vines climb up the sides, clamoring for attention from the lights that flash past them, settling on the rose petals at their base. The differently colored lights pass each other, blending to form new colors, flooding the garden with blues and pinks that become purples in the evening light.

Shop the Mood interpretations of TECH-nique: Directoire, Gray Dawn, Angel Blue, Bright White, Rapture Rose, Beetroot, Majesty Purple, and Tapioca, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood shows off TECH-nique with a stunning blazer and matching pants, while For Restless Sleepers creates a robe and pajama pants for comfort and style. Gucci’s oceanic gown blends tech with nature, and Haus Alkire shows off the shades of TECH-nique in a color-blocked dress. Trina Turk’s striped dress is perfect for grabbing coffee or dancing the night away.

Verdure

Verdure is a quiet cabin on an even quieter lake in the middle of January. The sky is a purple that is only seen on silent winter nights, when snow is about to fall and coat the land in a layer of thick white, a marshmallow blanket covering the cabin, the porch light flickering in the wind. A candle burns in the window, giving light to the lonely iberis plant that sits in a pot on the window sill, awaiting the first snow of the new year.

Shop the Mood interpretations of Verdure: Pesto, Dewkist, Peridot, Pale Yellow, French Vanilla, Bright Purple, Lavender Fog, Morning Mist, and Black, or shop the entire Pantone Collection!

Anna Sui throws a chiffon top over a body suit, paired with jeans, for the perfect blending of Verdure’s colors. Area focuses on a richer version of the color palette, utilizing metallic, while Delpozza creates a paisley skirt that perfectly displays Verdure’s assets. Santoni’s floral coat over a sweater and trousers is a great way to mix solids with patterns, and Zadig & Voltaire combine similar floral patterns for a stunning look at Verdure’s variety.

What’s your favorite color trend? My favorite is Far-Fetched, but I love Verdure, too. Let me know what you think in the comments!