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After a transformative year during the pandemic, the Pantone Color Institute has named Very Peri, “a periwinkle shade of blue,” as the colour of 2022. Influenced by the recent rise of virtual technology with the metaverse, futurism and blue light that emits from smart devices, this new shade of blue reflects the realities of modern life.
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“We look at so many areas, from sports to fashion, to see what people are talking about,” said Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “As we move into a world of unprecedented change, the selection of Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue colour family,” she continued.
Unsurprisingly, this trending colour has already made its mark on the runway with purplish blue tones dominating the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 collections. A standout cape look featuring a similar shade to Very Peri was seen during the Valentino Haute Couture Fall 2021 collection and again on a cocktail dress for its following collection.
Saint Laurent presented an entire head-to-toe ensemble in deep purple for its recent men’s collection while Gucci also included the colour in its Spring 2022 collection showcased in Los Angeles. More bluish hues of purple were also spotted at Tod’s, Missoni and Louis Vuitton throughout the Spring 2022 season.
Although variations of Very Peri have already made a presence on the runway, not all trending colours are able to translate commercially. Therefore, it is important to validate colour trends with data to identify merchandising opportunities and understand market demand.
Tracking colour performance
Chart of trend performance for purple in the US market. Source: Omnilytics.
An analysis of purple’s performance in the US market showed it was one of the key uptrending colours last year. According to Omnilytics data, it recorded a positive trajectory up to October 2021 but experienced a slight decline in November before climbing up again at the end of the year.
Similar shades to Very Peri, namely moderate violet and moderate purple, were uptrending above average at 1.4 and 2.5 respectively. These shades were stocked by most major fast fashion retailers such as Shein, Forever 21 and Fashion Nova.
Leading online fashion retailer Shein had the highest number of products tagged under Moderate Violet and Moderate Purple with over 400 SKUs. Demand for similar Very Peri shades peaked in October ‘21 after reaching a sell-out of 48% but dropped again the following month. Following Pantone’s announcement of Very Peri in early December, demand for similar Very Peri shades have surged, recording 58% sell-out rate in February of this year.
The large discrepancy between the number of new-ins against sell-out indicates a huge missed opportunity, where the retailer did not have the assortment to capitalise on the increasing demand. This demonstrates the importance of market research to identify gaps and the right emerging trends for retailers to leverage on.
Identifying category or subcategory opportunities for Very Peri
Uptrending product categories at US fast fashion retailers Shein, Zara, Forever 21, Fashion Nova and Urban Outfitters mostly consisted of non-apparel categories. Overall, the top categories with the highest trend scores include Activewear, Bags, Accessories and Shoes. Activewear with purplish hues was the best performing category for apparel products, while Bags had the highest trend score for non-apparel and overall products with a trend score of 8.1.
A deep dive into Activewear showed Active Outerwear and Active Tops and T-shirts were able to achieve a 100% sell-out at full price. With a low median price at USD $8, Shein was the leading fast fashion retailer within this category, with the highest number of SKUs and sell-out. Popular designs from the Chinese online platform were mostly sleeveless in the racer back style.
Under Bags, Cross Body Bags and Weekenders were the best performing subcategory. Trending designs include small-sized Cross Body Bags with top handles and metal chain straps as seen in the image below. In addition to a 100% sell-out, 67% of the items were also replenished within six months.
Purplish-hued Weekenders were the most popular design for larger capacity bags. Strongly associated with gym bags, the demand for purple-toned Weekenders can also be tied to the increased demand for Activewear in this shade.
Accessories was the third best-performing category with an uptrending score of 7.1. Purple belts and scarves achieved 100% sell out at full price and despite face mask orders being relaxed in most American states, reusable face masks are still a trending subcategory with a replenishment rate of 25%.
Will customers buy into the Very Peri hype?
As seen in the chart of trending product categories at US fast fashion retailers earlier, the popular categories were mostly found in the non-apparel and Activewear while Tops, Dresses and Bottoms recorded low trend scores. However, as indicated by the key fast fashion retailers’ trade movement, demand for Purple-coloured products should not be ignored due to its high sell-out rate, especially towards early of this year. This proves demand for Purple-tone products is present, however, for niche product categories only.
Although the colour was commonly spotted on the runway and street style images, highly seasonal colours like Very Peri may lack mass appeal as core colours typically make up a higher portion of the sell-out. Retailers that invested heavily into Purple shades for the wrong product category could potentially incur an overstock, leading to deep markdowns and unnecessary losses.
With granular data analysis, retailers are able to understand market preferences and identify product assortment opportunities clearly, allowing them to make informed decisions in the product development processes and reduce the risks of overstock. This practice can also be applied for any colour or product trend. Merchandising that is backed by data ensures retailers can meet the needs and wants of their customers confidently.
After a transformative year during the pandemic, the Pantone Color Institute has named Very Peri, “a periwinkle shade of blue,” as the colour of 2022. Influenced by the recent rise of virtual technology with the metaverse, futurism and blue light that emits from smart devices, this new shade of blue reflects the realities of modern life.
“We look at so many areas, from sports to fashion, to see what people are talking about,” said Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “As we move into a world of unprecedented change, the selection of Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue colour family,” she continued.
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About the Author
Sufiana Sharuddin
Sufiana Sharuddin is a published fashion writer, honing her interest in the industry during her time at Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design. She currently covers a variety of topics within the industry including business, technology, trends and current affairs.
