A New Green, a Beacon of Light and Imperfect Surfaces - NCS Colour Unveils the Trend Colours for 2025+
Launching February 6th, 2024
Press release NCS Colour Trends 2025+ NCS Colour, Stockholm, January 17th, 2024
NCS Colour and its trend council has identified retro nostalgia, human design, our senses, the multiverse and imperfection as the predominant influencers of shaping colour trends for 2025 and beyond. Against the backdrop of a world dealing with climate change, political repositioning, economic turmoil, and wars, the NCS Colour trend forecast highlights the emergence of a new era characterised by increased speed and complexity.
NCS Colour Trends 2025+ envisions a design landscape where colours transcend traditional boundaries. With the rise of AI and technological advancements, there is a blurring of boundaries between the physical and digital worlds, blending airy aesthetics. One way to have a sense of control over this new reality is to bring humanity to the forefront. Colours that evoke emotions of comfort, warmth and joy will be vital. Contrasts are present in many aspects, which will be bridged by colours connecting the polarised sides.
“For 2025, like the world, our colour preferences will differ quite dramatically, it is a year of big contrasts.”
– Karl Johan Bertilsson, Creative Director, NCS Colour
In 2025+, the desire for colour in our lives persists, marking the departure from an era where everything had to be neutral. However, the chromatic colour spectrum is undergoing a transformation, with colours moving towards either darker or lighter shades. The depletion of natural resources has driven a reconnection with nature - a desire for the calming colours of nature. A distinct emphasis is placed on bluish tones, covering the greenish and reddish range. Especially the emergence of a new modern green is noticeable, a colour that promises to play an essential role in the colour landscape of 2025.
Furthermore, not only one colour is enough, 2025 is defined by a desire for energy and variation – a need to feel that something is happening. Colours in 2025 will show overlapping hues, blurred effects, and indistinct finishes. The colour palette takes on an airier and lighter quality, marking a subtle shift towards a new era. While this colour direction is expected to evolve gradually, trendsetting individuals will embrace airy and ethereal colours as integral elements in design aesthetics for 2025 and beyond.
"Predicting colour trends in an ever-complicated world is challenging. Over the past 10+ years of trend forecasting, NCS Colour has fine-tuned a method to anticipate trend movements using the intelligence of the NCS System and through collaboration with renowned international colour experts. We are proud to present the 2025+ trend forecast with the goal to inspire customers and offer insights into trend movements, enabling wellinformed colour decisions and the creation of captivating colour harmonies across various industries."
– Elin Askfelt, CEO, NCS Colour
As the world moves towards an unpredictable future, NCS Colour Trends 2025+ invites designers, creators, and innovators to explore the possibilities that these colour trends offer. Stay ahead of the curve by embracing the "blurriness" and variability that defines the colour landscape of 2025 and beyond.
Introducing the Trend Colours
NCS Colour has identified the global drivers, gathered in four collections named: Gaia, On & Off, Inner and Ethereal, each with its coherent colour palette consisting of six trend colours.
1. Gaia
A tribute to nature and water, focusing on blue and green tones. We feel crisis fatigued - a feeling due to resource strain and climate change. This drives our desire for the calming presence of blues and greens in our surroundings. NCS S 2040-G is a new important green, all-encompassing, restful and rejuvenating.
2. On & Off
In this era of extreme values, symbolised by light and dark shades, two colours serve as a bridge between opposing groups offering hope; NCS S 1070-G70Y, a positive beacon of light, and NCS S 5030-R50B balances and connects. We use these colours as needed in our daily lives to stay connected in a divided world.
3. Inner
We seek colours that evoke emotions of comfort, warmth and the joy of the simple things in life. Today's divisive, skeptical, and harsh environment make us turn inward, trusting our instincts and senses. Our colour choices reflect this by embracing mid-tones – warm, earthy, and human hues that show subtle yet enduring strength.
4. Ethereal
This direction seamlessly blends light and airy aesthetics with technology to create immersive experiences, blurring the line between reality and imagination. Light, fluid colours bridge the physical and digital worlds.
Summary
A broader spectrum of colours is still desired, there is a transition away from an era where neutrals were a prerequisite. Colours are still chromatic, but not as whitish and clean as before. They are slightly darker with more of a controlled luxurious feeling. The darker the colours are, the greater the need is for lighter colours, to have as contrasts and to have light. The wish for very light and pale colours is increasing, but they should not be too neutral.
NCS Colour Trends 2025+ is launched Feb 6th, 2024.
The colours are available for find in the trend magazine and the bespoke fan deck. If you prefer digital representations, you can find the colours in NCS+ app.
Learn more: https://ncscolour.com/pages/trend-2025
Media Contact
For media inquiries, please contact:
Therese Carlström Stein, Marketing Director, therese.carlstrom@ncscolour.com
About
NCS Colour is a global provider of colour communication solutions. The NCS Colour Trends forecast is a cross-functional, international colour report, researched and developed by renowned colour experts. The forecast covers fields such as interior, textile, product, and automotive design, with in-depth knowledge from each area. The aim is to give stakeholders and professionals working with colours clear guidance and aid in determination which colours to choose for their missions.
