Experts don’t just invent color trends out of the ether. Instead, shades are chosen well in advance, winnowed from wider palettes of their own. To earn a spot, each color duked it out with similar tones, some darker, warmer or dirtier. These are the finalists, distilled from extensive research into overarching consumer trends and moods, years in advance.

The Pantone Spring / Summer 2018 palette includes the COTY—Ultra Violet—plus 11 other fresh colors and 4 classic neutrals. As you can imagine for a spring palette inspired by the fashion runway, it’s bright, poppy, fun and bold, just what we need to wake up after a long, sleepy winter. We’ve already swooned over Ultra Violet, so we’re not showcasing it here, but you can still experience it in all it’s purple glory.

Read more in our blog or check out the images below