Sometimes it pays to be an early bird. Last year, I wrote about purple as trend forecasts were beginning to predict a stronger presence for the color in 2026.
Now there’s no need to predict anymore.
Purple is here.
From vivid, almost regal purples to deeper shades of plum and aubergine, purple is making its presence felt in fashion. Softer lilacs, lavender and amethyst tones are part of the story too.
Why is purple having a moment right now?
Purple had already begun gaining ground in spring and summer collections, but as the seasons move towards autumn, the shades are becoming deeper and richer.
Runways have featured bold royal purple, deep plum and cooler violet tones, appearing both as statement colors and as smaller accents and accessories.
And there is something quite different about today’s purple compared with the pastel purples we saw a few years ago.
Now it can be rich, dark and even a little dramatic.
Purple is also part of a wider return to color. After seasons dominated by neutrals, stronger colors and more adventurous combinations are finding their way back into fashion.
Which shades of purple are in fashion?
There isn’t just one fashionable purple.
That is part of the beauty of this color family: it stretches from the palest, almost ethereal shades to deep, nearly black tones.
Some of the most interesting shades include:
- Royal purple – bold, pure and eye-catching
- Plum – deep, slightly reddish and luxurious
- Aubergine – a dark purple that can lean towards brown or almost black
- Amethyst – a jewel-like purple that can have either cool blue or warmer red undertones
- Lilac and mauve – softer variations of purple
- Lavender – a cool, pale alternative to deeper autumn shades
And perhaps that is exactly what makes purple so appealing right now: you don’t have to embrace the trend through one precisely defined shade.
You can choose your purple.
Is purple difficult to wear?
Purple has a bit of a reputation for being a difficult color.
For many of us, it isn’t one of those safe wardrobe staples like black, navy, beige or brown. And a strong purple can feel quite dominant when worn over a large area.
But that is also why purple works so beautifully in smaller doses.
If a purple dress or coat feels like too much of a leap, try the color in a knit, scarf, bag, shoes – or jewelry.
And that brings us to perhaps the most interesting thing about purple.
What colors go with purple?
Purple changes surprisingly much depending on the colors you place beside it.
With a neutral shade, it can become understated. Paired with something dark, it takes on a more dramatic character. And beside another strong color, the result can be wonderfully bold.
So one of the most interesting questions isn’t simply whether to wear purple, but what to wear with it.
[IMAGE: Current color combinations with purple – the visual answer to the question.]
If you already have purple in your wardrobe, there is no need to think of it as a one-season trend. An old plum-colored sweater, blouse or scarf can suddenly look completely different when paired with a new color.
Purple jewelry – from amethyst to rich crystal tones
Purple works particularly well in jewelry because even intense shades can be worn in a relatively small area.
Amethyst is probably the best-known purple gemstone, but shades of purple can also be found in crystals, glass beads and many other jewelry materials.
The metal you pair with purple changes its character too.
Gold can bring warmth and richness to purple. Silver emphasizes its cooler side, while darker metal tones such as pewter or bronze can give deep purple a slightly mysterious, old-world feel.
That is what makes purple such an intriguing color in jewelry design: the same color family can create remarkably different moods.
What if purple just isn’t your color?
Of course, there is no reason to wear a trend color simply because it happens to be fashionable.
But trends can give us a good excuse to look at a familiar color differently.
Perhaps there is a plum sweater in your wardrobe that hasn’t been worn for years. Maybe your amethyst jewelry suddenly looks completely different with a brown jacket. Or perhaps instead of bold purple, your own shade turns out to be a soft lilac.
In the end, the most interesting thing about purple right now may not be which shade is the most fashionable – but what you choose to wear with it.
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