“Doing this work is becoming more and more difficult, almost every day,” Lidewij Edelkoort starts on stage during her SS27 trend seminar at Modefabriek, referring to the impact of global uncertainty. “But we keep trying to make sense of things, of the world and our profession. We need to continue. Nothing is lost yet. I absolutely still believe there is hope.”

From there, Edelkoort introduces a surprisingly wholesome starting point for her forecast: “I hope you love food.”

This article explores Edelkoort’s key colour directions for SS27, followed by fashion trends shaping the season.

‘The Cookbook of Colour’ for SS27 includes cheese yellow, black, dark pastels such as old rose and grey

The culture of cheese

Light, greyish yellow neutrals derived from cheese stand out as a new and refined colour direction. The palette works naturally with white and also combines well with blue (think blue-veined cheese) or with grey. The latter, Edelkoort states, is “very unusual, very sophisticated,”, aligning with the ongoing minimalist Olsen twins–inspired influence in fashion.

“Today, all the cool fashion brands seem to have an O in their name, like The Row, where in the past, it was the A,” Edelkoort notes here.

The Craft of Black

Inspirations range from smoked garlic and roasted vegetables, aligning with a broader fascination for craft, mysticism and witchcraft. Black appears in multiple expressions in fashion, shaped by material choices such as transparent fabrics and black lace.

The waist becomes a focal point, often tightly wrapped or belted. The double belt makes a comeback as an accessory, recalling Edelkoort’s memory of a multi-wrap belt that became a bestseller during her time working in retail at department store De Bijenkorf ‘a very long time ago’.

The Curiosity of Dress

Very opulent, appetising, over the top dark pastels such as old rose, which gain unexpected richness. “Used in beauty on beauty and beauty”, a kind of old romance seen in abundant styling. Dirty pastels make a good combination paired with chocolate tones.

Taste of Origins

Drawing inspiration from ingredients found in Colombian and Mexican cuisine, a family of softly coloured yet neutral hues appears in yellow, orange and purple tones reminiscent of coloured corn and sweet potatoes. These colours can be mixed freely and combine harmoniously.

The Sandwich Sensation

Edelkoort also introduced a colour concept she referred to as ‘the sandwich sensation,’ visualised through a towering sandwich made of multiple layers of bread and toppings. Built on the idea of using ‘the rest of the rest (materials, ed.)’, the concept translates into fashion through multicoloured layering, crochet and textile constructions. She illustrated the concept with an archival Viktor & Rolf look, calling it “a completely random form of étage”.

Consumption of Grey

Grey expands into a broad spectrum for SS27, from almost-black shades to mauve-tinged tones inspired by ceramics, metals (‘the new metal might be tin’) and dyed textiles. The color works naturally with beige. Another beautiful combination is grey paired with muted blue and softened brown in a single look.

According to Edelkoort, the renewed relevance of grey is closely tied to the need to bring layering back into fashion. “Now everything in a store is flat,” she notes, referring to garments at the same eye level/has the same horizon when you take a closer look in store. “There is nothing more boring, obviously, than having clothes the same length on top of each other, because you can’t play.” Fashion no longer moves.

For SS27 - or starting right now, Edelkoort urges her audience to reintroduce ‘the layering process’. “Differences in length also create a more complete message in how people dress.”

Next up: Edelkoort’s fashion directions for SS27 from The Food of Fashion

Fibrous Fashion

In the trend ‘Fibrous Fashion’, layering (here it is again, ed.) is the primary design language. Textile is treated as a spatial medium, built up through wrapping, gathering, smocking, pleating and embroidery. A linen Jacquemus sleeve with wrapping around the wrist and a mushroom underside on the screen among others illustrate this tactile approach.

“A lot of room brought together,” as Edelkoort describes it, where volume is not added but compressed into smaller, controlled proportions, resulting in what she calls “a form of semi-controlled opulence”.

Frugal Fashion

This movement began around a year and a half ago and marks a clear shift away from streetwear. In its place emerges cultural workwear and a more functional and above all more formal way of dressing. Edelkoort: “Still infused with fantasy, humour, very cool, amazing colours and layering.”

Food containers emerge as a new point of reference for outerwear design. Lunch boxes, - also a reflection of our economic times, carrying one's own sustenance, Edelkoort points out - inspire utilitarian shapes, materials and details, resulting in silhouettes such as waxed leather coats with an ‘urban picnic’ feel. Dyed fabrics and bold finishes add a graphic touch.

Frenetic Fashion

Frenetic Fashion explores erratic, restless shapes inspired by peppers and paprikas, resulting in “garments that seem to have a life of their own”. Forms move away from the body, supported by heavier materials and sculptural construction. Transparency plays an important role, combined with high shine through patent leather and similar coated surfaces. Seen at designers such as Balenciaga and Jil Sander.

During the Q&A, Edelkoort is asked about the state of sustainability in fashion. “It’s nowhere, to be honest.” Not globally and not within the fashion industry. “It's taken a back burner due to what's going on in the world.”

“From the fashion industry, I expect very little,” the trend guru states. “True sustainability would mean creating beautiful garments from high-quality materials that can last thirty to forty years, and after that, the reuse of materials, as was common practice in the past.”

She believes that real change must come from us, consumers: through sharing knowledge, publishing, and educating students, citing Finland as an example where consumption and life skills are taught in schools.

But there is hope as well. She tells the story of an Italian wool weaver who works with 99 percent recycled wool and even sends vans to collect leftover materials from clients, a family business with a legacy dating back to the war. Edelkoort: “So it [sustainable fashion] is possible.”

p>Sources:
- Trend presentation by Lidewij Edelkoort at Modefabriek, Monday, January 19, 2026.
- AI tools were used as a writing aid.