The Rise of Crimson: Regional Brands Embrace Pantone’s Darlin’ Red

From Pantone’s New York Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2024/2025 trend forecast to Gucci’s ‘Ancora’ fashion show for Fall/Winter 2024, crimson-tinted reds have been making a significant impact on runways and in the latest fashion collections. International labels like Valentino and Jacquemus have also incorporated the Pantone hue Darlin’ in their Spring/Summer 2024 collections. Recently, this vibrant shade has been appearing in regional brands as well.

In various indigenous cultures, Darlin’ has been a sacred hue, used in ceremonial body painting, textiles, and spiritual rituals. In the Western world, it has been associated with royalty since the Victorian era, exemplified by Queen Victoria's regal velvet dress in Winterhalter's 1856 painting. Today, it continues to symbolise activism and rebellion, as seen in the red power fist and its prevalence in punk and counterculture aesthetics. Its current popularity suggests a growing cultural appetite for bold self-expression, as consumers move away from safe and predictable styles.