Ben’s Top 5 color trends for 2025

I love understanding what people want through discovering new socio-cultural shifts and zeitgeist mapping, creatives who are shaping the culture, and when nostalgia informs the future. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and collaborate on projects using some of the leading global trend forecasting systems, such as Doneger and Trend Union. They are incredible resources for early trend and color direction insights, helping commercial brands understand consumer needs and adopt brand-right trends.

1. Elevated neutrals

With the influence of quiet luxury escalating to broader audiences, elevated neutrals continue to evolve into tinted levels of warm and cool neutrals reminiscent of 90s minimalism that possess sophisticated nuance.

2. 2004 Vintage sport 

Mid-2000’s were a moment when vintage levels of American team sport uniform hues became a part of celebrity pop culture, and aspiring youth culture fully embraced them.

3. Synthetic brights

AI and digital color trends have informed us over the past few years and have presented saturated levels that are hyperreal, have a youthful connection to Y2K rave culture, and feel unachievable in physical states, although not always true.

4. Navy is the new Black

WSGN’s Future Dusk was 2025 Color of the Year, but before this was announced, trend forecasting systems identified that deep blue violets and navy created a space for refined alternatives to classic black.

5. Dark cherry and Beetroot 

Continuing on tinted blacks, Dark Cherry and Beetroot were identified by several trend forecasting systems to be darkly romantic in lush, saturated, and glossy surfaces, but also serve as a false black that translates to performance materials and visuals.