Collection · 24 palettes

Fashion Color Palettes

Colors that survived centuries of wear — in fabric, dye, and silhouette.

Japanese textile tradition is one of the oldest and most sophisticated color systems in the world. Every combination in the Wada catalog began life as a textile recipe — dyestuff combinations achievable with plant-based pigments on silk, cotton, and hemp. These aren't digital abstractions. They are combinations that have been worn. The ones here translate most directly to contemporary fashion: editorial lookbooks, clothing brand identity, collection decks, apparel packaging, and the kind of runway reference that a fashion designer's studio would actually pin to the wall.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.

Edo era

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

The faded blue of Shinsengumi jackets against shrine-gate vermillion — restrained power.

Heian era

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Imperial purple set against lunar silver — Heian courtly luxury at its quietest.

Heian era

Wisteria & Indigo— 藤と藍

The soft lavender of wisteria blossoms against deep indigo.

Edo era

Turmeric & Indigo— 鬱金と藍

Warm turmeric yellow against true indigo — the everyday textile of Japanese farm life.

Edo era

Bitter Orange & Navy— 橙と紺

The sharp orange of the daidai citrus set off by deep indigo navy.

Heian era

Lapis & Chalk— 瑠璃と胡粉

Lapis lazuli blue against oyster-shell white — the color of Buddhist scripture.

Muromachi era

Bellflower & Ink— 桔梗と墨

The deep violet of the bellflower set against ink — formal, discreet.

Edo era

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Mid-grade indigo with the quiet sheen of silver — an understated Edo merchant robe.

Edo era

Edo Purple & Mouse Grey— 江戸紫と鼠

The cool Edo purple worn by kabuki actors against mouse grey — theatrical understatement.

Showa era

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Plate 241 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red Orange, Pale Lemon Yellow, Isabella Color, Dark Medici Blue.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Plate 242 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Burnt Sienna, Diamine Green, Black.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Ivory Buff +2

Plate 243 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Ivory Buff, Olive Green, Slate Color.

Showa era

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2

Plate 244 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Vinaceous Tawny, Andover Green, Antwarp Blue.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2

Plate 247 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Apricot Yellow, Benzol Green, Deep Lyons Blue.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Khaki +2

Plate 248 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Khaki, Grayish Lavender - A, Dark Slate Purple.

Showa era

Hay's Russet & Ecru +2

Plate 249 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Ecru, Olive Ocher, Dark Medici Blue.

Showa era

Pyrite Yellow & Peach Red +2

Plate 250 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pyrite Yellow, Peach Red, Sea Green, Nile Blue.

Showa era

Red & Yellow +2

Plate 251 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red, Yellow, Diamine Green, Slate Color.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Raw Sienna +2

Plate 252 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Raw Sienna, Sulphine Yellow, Green Blue.

Showa era

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2

Plate 253 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Lemon Yellow, Apricot Orange, Cotinga Purple, Slate Color.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Sulpher Yellow +2

Plate 254 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Sulpher Yellow, Olive, Laelia Pink.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Pyrite Yellow +2

Plate 255 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Pyrite Yellow, Calamine BLue, Black.

Showa era

Vinaceous Cinnamon & Orange +2

Plate 256 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vinaceous Cinnamon, Orange, Dull Viridian Green, Black.

From the archive

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.

All 378 palettes (348 Wada + 30 editorial) in five formats
Figma design tokens (W3C-spec JSON, drag into any file)
Tailwind v4 + v3 configs — drop into any project
CSS custom properties — every plate, one stylesheet
378 museum SVG plates — print-ready at any size
Full JSON — colors, names, eras, moods, dominant hues

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