The official Detroit Red Wings colors are red and white. The primary color is red (#CE1126), paired with white (#FFFFFF). These two colors run across the team’s winged wheel logo, home and away uniforms, and every piece of official merchandise. Red has anchored the identity since James Norris renamed the club in 1932.
Two colors. That’s the whole set. And honestly, that restraint is part of what makes the look so sharp.
Detroit Red Wings Color Codes
Here’s the part most designers actually came for. HEX for screens, RGB for anything digital, CMYK for print jobs, and the Pantone match for spot-color work.
| Color | Swatch | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | #CE1126 | 206, 17, 38 | 2, 100, 85, 6 | PMS 186 C | |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | Safe (no PMS) |
Quick note on the red. You’ll see #C8102E floating around on some sites, which is the standard PMS 186 C conversion. The Red Wings specifically use #CE1126, so that’s the one I’d trust for anything official. White has no Pantone equivalent (it’s just the paper or the pixel), so ignore anyone who slaps a fake code on it.
The Colors, One at a Time
The Red in the Red Wings Palette
Red (#CE1126) is the team’s primary color, full stop. It fills the winged wheel crest, dominates the home sweater, and carries basically the entire brand on its back.
What kind of red is it, though? It’s a deep, slightly cool crimson red tone rather than a bright fire-engine red. That matters. A brighter red would read as generic. This one sits closer to the wine-and-blood end of the spectrum, which is why it photographs so well on ice and why it’s held up for nearly a century without needing a “modernizing” tweak.
Small history bit that I like: when the team debuted in 1932, the sweaters were described as a dark red. So the leaning-deep character of this red isn’t a recent design choice. It was baked in from day one.
The White in the Red Wings Palette
White (#FFFFFF) is the secondary color and it does more work than people give it credit for. It’s the base of the away jersey, and it outlines the winged wheel so the crest actually pops against the red fabric.
Pure white. No off-white, no cream, no softened ivory shade in the current spec. On the road jersey the red becomes the accent and white takes over, which flips the whole visual balance without adding a single new color. Clean trick.
Red Wings Uniform Colors
Home uniform: red dominates, with white trim on the numbers, nameplate, and the winged wheel outline.
Away uniform: white base, red as the accent, same crest just reversed in contrast.
Alternate jerseys: the Wings have leaned on throwbacks over the years rather than a permanent third sweater. The 2009 Winter Classic kit revived the 1926-27 Detroit Cougars look, and for the 2025 centennial season they rolled out a red and vintage-white uniform with lace-up collars and a chain-stitched winged wheel, pulling visual cues straight from the old Cougars and Falcons designs.
History and Rebranding
The franchise landed in the NHL in 1926 as the Detroit Cougars, named after the Victoria Cougars roster the owners bought. First season was actually played across the border in Windsor, Ontario, while the Detroit arena got finished.
In 1930 they became the Detroit Falcons. Didn’t help. The team kept losing and kept bleeding money.
Then 1932 changed everything. Grain merchant James E. Norris bought the struggling club and renamed it the Red Wings. He also designed the winged wheel logo, borrowing the wheel-and-wing motif from the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association team he’d played for, the Winged Wheelers. Norris swapped their bicycle wheel for one that nodded to Detroit’s auto industry. Red and white have been the colors ever since, and the logo has only picked up minor tweaks in the ninety-plus years since.
The Red Wings have won 11 Stanley Cups, the most of any American NHL team, and the red-and-white identity has stayed locked in through all of it.
How to Use the Red Wings Colors
For anything on a screen, use the red as #CE1126. For print, switch to the CMYK build (2, 100, 85, 6) or spec PMS 186 C if your printer runs spot colors. White is white everywhere, so no conversion headache there.
One thing I always check before sending a file to print: that the red doesn’t shift muddy under a heavy CMYK conversion. This particular red holds up well, but proof it anyway if the budget allows.
Copy-ready CSS for the developers:
“ :root { --red-wings-red: #CE1126; --red-wings-white: #FFFFFF; } `
That’s really all you need for a fan site, a mockup, or a jersey concept. Two variables and you’re covered.
Related Resources
Building out a full NHL project? Start with the complete NHL team color codes reference for every club’s palette in one place.
Divisional neighbors and rivals worth grabbing while you’re here: the Toronto Maple Leafs color set (the oldest Detroit rivalry), the Chicago Blackhawks palette, and the Colorado Avalanche colors from the modern rivalry years.
If you want to go deeper on the shades themselves, the breakdown of the color red covers its range and psychology, and the guide to white as a design color pairs nicely with any red-heavy scheme.
FAQ on The Detroit Red Wings Colors
What are the Detroit Red Wings colors?
The Detroit Red Wings colors are red and white. Red (#CE1126) is the primary, white is the secondary.
These two run across the winged wheel logo, the home and away jerseys, and every bit of team merchandise. No third color.
What are the Red Wings color codes in HEX and RGB?
The hex color codes are #CE1126 for red and #FFFFFF for white.
In RGB, red is (206, 17, 38) and white is (255, 255, 255). Use these for any digital or web work, including your CSS.
What is the Detroit Red Wings Pantone color?
The red matches Pantone PMS 186 C, with a CMYK build of (2, 100, 85, 6) for print.
White has no Pantone equivalent since it’s just the base surface. So spec PMS 186 C when you need spot-color accuracy on press.
When did the Red Wings adopt their current colors?
Red and white have been the official team colors since 1932.
That’s when James Norris bought the struggling Detroit Falcons, renamed the club the Red Wings, and introduced the winged wheel logo. The palette hasn’t changed since.
What is the primary color of the Detroit Red Wings?
Red (#CE1126) is the primary color of the Detroit Red Wings.
It dominates the home jersey, fills the winged wheel crest, and carries the whole brand. The shade sits deep and slightly cool, closer to crimson than fire-engine red.
Are the Red Wings colors the same as the Chicago Blackhawks?
Both use red heavily, but they’re different palettes.
The Chicago Blackhawks pair red with black, white, and several accent tones. Detroit keeps it to just red and white, which is the cleaner Original Six look of the two.
What does the Red Wings logo color mean?
The red winged wheel ties directly to Detroit, the Motor City.
Norris borrowed the wheel-and-wing motif from the Montreal Winged Wheelers, then swapped the bicycle wheel for one nodding to the city’s auto industry. Red gave it punch.
Is the Red Wings red a specific shade?
Yes. It’s a deep, cool-leaning red, not a bright one.
Some sites list #C8102E (the standard PMS 186 conversion), but the club uses #CE1126. Trust that one for anything official or on-brand.
Do the Red Wings have an alternate jersey color?
The team leans on throwbacks rather than a permanent third jersey.
The 2009 Winter Classic revived the 1926-27 Cougars look, and the 2025 centennial uniform used red with a vintage white and a chain-stitched crest.
What colors should I use for Red Wings fan gear or design?
Stick to red #CE1126 and white #FFFFFF.
For screens, use the HEX values. For print, switch to CMYK (2, 100, 85, 6) or PMS 186 C. Two colors cover a jersey concept, a fan site, or a mockup.
Conclusion
The Detroit Red Wings colors come down to two: red #CE1126 and white #FFFFFF. Simple, and that’s the point.
Back the red with PMS 186 C for print, the CMYK build for press runs, and RGB for screens, and you’re set for any use.
Nearly a century old and the winged wheel palette still holds. Grab the codes, drop them in your CSS, and build something clean.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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