When you look at design over a particular season there are multiple strands of inspiration threading through; this autumn however, the overwhelmingly dominant driver is climate change.

We have moved from ‘maybe someday in the distant future’ to ‘right here, right now.’ So, our story, Soon, is apposite. Designers have an important role in ameliorating the effects that are already with us and will play a major part in communicating the need to prevent further damage; this issue reveals a few ways in which they are doing just that.

Ideas never happen in a vacuum, but some future trajectories are clearer cut than others. 1969 is one such story, taking important themes to predict where next for Fury (SS 2023). We see positive activism through music, art, performance, and community projects. This is perfectly expressed through the timely rediscovery of the Harlem Cultural Festival along with curators around the world engaging with Black art and photography, an extraordinarily rich seam of inspiration.

This issue’s Focus welcomes the return of shows in physical rather than digital form with editorial reports and colour insights from the team.

 Also, in this issue…

• Features essays, and interviews exploring the drivers behind the AW 2023/24 forecast
• 40 pages of trend and colour and material direction and analysis
• Global colour palettes and geographic variances for Europe, Middle East, South Africa, North America, Latin America, Asia, India, Australia & New Zealand
• Early adopters of our AW 2022/23 directions Coast and Pastorale
• Focus on Autumn Shows

For AW 2023/24 forecasts, our digital archive, in-depth bi-annual colour, material and finish forecasts, Design Impressions and more, become a Colour Hive member today