WORDS BY JOSEPH FURNESS
Besides Bond 25, what’s going to be the biggest thing in 2020? Neo mint. How do we know? WGSN told us so.
No, neo mint isn’t a new Trident gum flavour or a Heston Blumenthal concoction; neo mint is a shade of green — one that brings to mind Guillermo del Toro feature film — and it's expected to be a fashion favourite next year.
Where has neo mint come from?
Neo mint represents the dawn of a new age. The 2020s will be a decade that is concurrently focused on the development of cutting-edge technology and the preservation of the natural world. WGSN believes neo mint represents the world of science and nature uniting.
WGSN Colour Director Jane Monnington Boddy says: "We have clients ranging from activewear giants through to car companies and some of the world’s leading retailers. What is becoming clear is the importance of Neo Mint – a shade that succinctly aligns futuristic development with nature".
Who do we propose wears neo mint?
We’d like to encourage everyone to sport the neo mint hue (do you blame us? We are first and foremost a retail platform).
Never too brashy but far from boring; neo mint works as well on a pleated skirt as it does on a button-up shirt. Pair it with a pastel palette for a springtime look or, if you like your colours to pop, offset the shade with a black ensemble.
“From a fashion perspective, Neo mint embodies the drive towards tones that have gender-neutral appeal, which by 2020 will have moved on from the more feminine hues.” — WGSN
WGSN on why 2020 is the year of the future
“It’s the first ‘AI Olympic Games’, where AI will be helping gymnastics judges to score marks as precisely as possible. It’s the year the world’s tallest building is completed – the neo-futuristic Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, standing 1km high. It will be the year that NASA’s Mars 2020 Rover begins its mission to see if Mars can support microbial life and perhaps one day be habitable for humans. 2020 could also see Uber introducing ‘flying taxis’ in Los Angeles and Dallas. Meanwhile, the V&A Museum’s much-anticipated The Future Starts Here exhibition starts in May, driving more interest towards a pioneering 2020.” — WGSN
5 Ways to Wear Neo Mint
What we love about ACNE is the way they take trends and translate them into entirely wearable pieces, just like this neo mint anorak. Who doesn't love a good-old scandi silhouette?
A neo mint belted wool coat — sounds impossible to pull off, right? Wrong. The evidence? Look 16 of AMI Alexandre Mattiussi’s FW19 macaroon-inspired collection.
At Kenzo’s Pre Fall 19 show, a slew of neo mint garms and accessories come charging down the catwalk. Our favourite piece? The neo denim jumpsuit, naturally.
You simply can’t go wrong with this MCQ Alexander McQueen slogan tee, the easiest way to add a splash of neo mint to your wardrobe.
If your outer layer this year is this neo mint pullover by Stone Island Shadow Project, you’ll be bang on-trend come rain or shine.