EmeraldPantone 18-5845 TCX
#0F6B4F · RGB 15, 107, 79
#0F6B4F · RGB 15, 107, 79
Deep, confident green; the festive key colour.
- Best for
- Anarkalis, lehengas, bandhgalas, silk sarees
- Pair with
- Champagne gold, Deep wine, Ivory
Colour Forecast · India 2026–28
India Colour Forecast 2026–28
Nine colours for Indian fashion from Festive 26 to Festive 28, in three families: festive jewels, calm handloom, and earth and indigo.
Forecut Editorial · 11 October 2026
Download PDF ↓Key colours
- Indigo (Pantone 19-3864 TCX · #2f3f7a): Blue, from deep indigo to blue-and-white, was the most-seen colour story at Lakmé Fashion Week 2026. Use it on denim, handloom kurtas and printed co-ords.
- Emerald (Pantone 18-5845 TCX · #0f6b4f): Jewel tones still lead festive wear, but in richer, more refined shades: emerald, sapphire and deep wine, often with champagne or antique gold.
Festive jewels
Richer, more refined jewel tones for weddings and festive evenings, paired with soft metallics rather than bright yellow gold.
SapphirePantone 19-4050 TCX
#1F4E9C · RGB 31, 78, 156
#1F4E9C · RGB 31, 78, 156
A clear, rich blue that bridges festive and evening.
- Best for
- Organza lehengas, sherwanis, evening sarees
- Pair with
- Champagne gold, Ivory
Deep winePantone 19-1940 TCX
#6E1F33 · RGB 110, 31, 51
#6E1F33 · RGB 110, 31, 51
A dark, warm red for winter weddings.
- Best for
- Velvet bandhgalas, lehengas, blouses
- Pair with
- Champagne gold, Emerald
Champagne goldPantone 14-0935 TCX
#D8C08A · RGB 216, 192, 138
#D8C08A · RGB 216, 192, 138
A soft metallic that replaces bright yellow gold.
- Best for
- Tissue sarees, zari borders, trims, footwear
- Pair with
- Emerald, Ivory, Indigo
Calm handloom
Quiet, natural shades that let the weave and the hand-work show. Right for handloom, day functions and everyday ethnic wear.
SagePantone 15-6414 TCX
#9FAE8F · RGB 159, 174, 143
#9FAE8F · RGB 159, 174, 143
A muted green-grey with a natural, hand-dyed feel.
- Best for
- Handloom kurtas, Chanderi sets, linen
- Pair with
- Ivory, Dusty rose
IvoryPantone 11-0104 TCX
#F3ECDC · RGB 243, 236, 220
#F3ECDC · RGB 243, 236, 220
Warm off-white; the base of quiet luxury.
- Best for
- Sherwanis, chikankari, handloom sarees, menswear
- Pair with
- Every colour in the palette
Dusty rosePantone 15-1611 TCX
#D9A3A6 · RGB 217, 163, 166
#D9A3A6 · RGB 217, 163, 166
A soft, grown-up pink for day functions.
- Best for
- Pastel sarees, organza dupattas, blouses
- Pair with
- Sage, Champagne gold
Earth and indigo
Grounded heritage colours that work across ethnic, fusion and western wear, from denim to block prints.
IndigoPantone 19-3864 TCX
#2F3F7A · RGB 47, 63, 122
#2F3F7A · RGB 47, 63, 122
The most-seen colour story at Lakmé Fashion Week 2026; the key colour for everyday.
- Best for
- Denim, handloom kurtas, printed co-ords, footwear
- Pair with
- Ivory, Champagne gold, Rust
RustPantone 18-1248 TCX
#B5522B · RGB 181, 82, 43
#B5522B · RGB 181, 82, 43
A warm earth red with a craft and natural-dye feel.
- Best for
- Block prints, Kolhapuris, kurtas, accessories
- Pair with
- Indigo, Ivory
How to use the palette
- Build festive capsules from one jewel tone plus champagne gold and ivory.
- Use sage, ivory and dusty rose for handloom and day-function ranges.
- Run indigo across every category, from denim to sarees and footwear, and warm it with rust.
- Pantone TCX (cotton) codes are the nearest match to each screen colour. Confirm with a physical Pantone book and lab dips before bulk dyeing.
Statuses are Forecut's forecast for India: Festive 26 (Oct 2026 – Feb 2027), Summer 27 (Mar – Jul 2027), Festive 27 (Aug – Dec 2027), and long-range outlooks for Summer 28 (Mar – Jul 2028) and Festive 28 (Aug – Dec 2028). Sources: India trends summarise public coverage of Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI 2026 (Harper's Bazaar India, Free Press Journal), Aza Fashions festive and ethnic trend guides, Lashkaraa colour and silhouette trends 2026, Pearl Academy Gen Z trend reports, Gully Labs, Global Indian (Prada SS26 Kolhapuri-inspired sandals) and Outlook Business (Gen Z and e-retail).