One of the questions I get asked most often is: how do you choose your colours? It sounds like it should be a fun, easy part of the job. And it is fun. But it's also much more considered than people expect.

It starts with what I'd actually put on my own kids

My first filter is always personal. Would I actually reach for this? Does it feel right for the way real families dress? I have strong feelings about colours. I want things that look good in real life, not just on a grid.

Every colour has to work with every other colour

This is the constraint that makes colour selection genuinely hard. It's not enough for each colour to be beautiful on its own, it has to mix and match across the whole collection. I test every potential combination before anything gets signed off.

We don't chase trends

Cubs Closet colours are designed to feel current but not trend-dependent. I want a piece you buy this autumn to still feel right in two or three years — because that's how long it should be lasting. That rules out a lot of options that might feel fresh right now but date quickly.

The swatch sample process

Once we've narrowed down to candidates, physical swatches are ordered and tested in different lights — natural daylight, indoor lighting, on different skin tones. Colours behave differently in person than they do on a screen, and the physical test is the final word.

Curious about what's coming next? Follow us on Instagram — that's usually where new colours make their first appearance.