Welcome back to Day 02 of our Autumn/Winter 2024-2025 Handbag Color series! Today, we’ve got some garlic hanging around our necks as we examine “Vampire Black” or “Midnight Black” and explore how deep, rich shades—like midnight, onyx, and carbon—bring dimension and elegance to handbags in a way that the classic black never could. This seems to me to be a deep or vampire black because it’s so rich.
Black remains a staple in fall and winter handbag trends, bringing a timeless elegance and versatility that designers continue to reinvent each season. For 2024-2025, handbag experts highlight not only classic deep blacks but also a range of subtler black shades and textures that add richness and visual intrigue.
Pantone [i]has acknowledged shades of Black like:
- "Midnight Black," offers a soft yet intense dark. It is a deep, almost navy-tinted black. It can often be found in elegant handbags that bring a sense of classic refinement. [ii]
- "Carbon Black," features a slightly warmer tone with a hint of grey or graphite. It appears frequently in structured jackets and accessories, giving a softer, industrial aesthetic. [iii]
- "Onyx Black," is a sleek, cooler variant, perfect for accentuating different materials and finishes on handbags. It is the darkest and richest black. It is popular in outerwear and leather goods, offering a bold and timeless look for fall and winter fashion. [iv]
These shades bring depth to black bags, making them adaptable for pairing with warm or cool-toned outfits depending on the shade used.
Expect to see black used across textures like quilted leather, metallic accents, and velvety finishes. For example, a classic leather tote in Carbon Black could serve as an all-day, every-day bag, pairing well with a wool coat and suitable for all ages. Meanwhile, sleek clutches in Midnight Black with metallic chain embellishments offer evening elegance, ideal for pairing with a little black dress or a bold red outfit for a night out.[v]
Handbag styles this season range from chain-adorned black crossbody bags to oversized totes and textured clutches, giving both teenagers and adults diverse options. You can explore more of these styles on fashion sites like Marie Claire's handbag trend highlights for winter 2024 or the Pantone color reports on their official website.
In the next post, we’ll dive into “Deep, Dark & Delicious Brown: Cuddle Up with That Cup of Cocoa.”
Endnotes:
[i] Pantone Color Institute (n.d.). PANTONE® PQ-19-4003TCX color chip. Pantone. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/color-finder/PQ-19-4003TCX
[ii] ArtCraftBlend (2024, August 20). 150 Shades of Black. Art Craft Blend. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/color-finder/PQ-19-4003TCX
[iii] Color Meanings (n.d.). 134 Shades of Black. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.color-meanings.com/shades-of-black-color-names-html-hex-rgb-codes/
[iv] Color Name (n.d.). Find the color you love. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.color-name.com/
[v] 134 Shades of Black
References:
- (n.d.). PANTONE® Black Onyx PQ-19-4003TCX. Pantone. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/color-finder/PQ-19-4003TCX
- Art Craft Blend (n.d.). 150 Shades of Black. Pantone. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.artcraftblend.com/blogs/colors/shades-of-black
- Color Meanings. (2020). 134 Shades of Black Color With Names, Hex, RGB, CMYK Codes. [online] Available at: https://www.color-meanings.com/shades-of-black-color-names-html-hex-rgb-codes/.
- color-name.com. (n.d.). Color-Name.com: Find name of the color you love![online] Available at: https://www.color-name.com/.