Get Ready for the Bold Colour Trend That's Comin' in Hot

Over the past few seasons, neutrals have taken really taken center stage with versatile shades of cream, beige, and grey popping up in the wardrobes of all the cool fashion girls. More recently, though, bolder colours like bubblegum pink and bright green have stood out on the runways and fashion scene. As we look to autumn 2021, that is only continuing, and saturated shades are winning out as the biggest colour trend for the season ahead.

At a time when we're all looking for a dose of fun, it makes sense that designers are injecting their collections with bold pops of colour. While you don't need to part ways with the neutral pieces in your closet, you might want to make space for more vibrant hues. The main takeaway from the autumn winter collections? Rather than a specific shade, we're seeing the saturated colour trend in a rainbow of hues from tangerine to violet—each worn from head to toe for the biggest possible impact.

Ahead, discover the standout colours to know about and get a head start on shopping them now.

Fuchsia

While shades of bubblegum and hot pink have been winning out recently, for autumn we love the rich fuchsia shades moving into focus. This set from Chanel makes a case for a bold suiting moment.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Chanel)

Shop the trend:

Tangerine

Already a dominant colour in Prada's S/S 21 collection, even more brands like Salvatore Ferragamo are on board with saturated tangerine shades for autumn. There is nothing subtle about this show-stopping color.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo)

Shop the trend:

Cobalt

There always seem to be cool new shades of blue that stand out on the runways. For autumn, it's all about rich cobalt—an eyecatching shade most notably seen on outerwear and accessories.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Prada)

Shop the trend:

Scarlet

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Balmain)

We're no strangers to seeing red on the runways, but this time around it's all about the head-to-toe look. Balmain really hammered this home, showcasing a scarlet look that even incorporates the colour down to the sunglasses and heels.

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Canary Yellow

Is there anything more cheerful than a bright canary yellow? In this editor's opinion, not really. Add it to your closet in the form of a long dress to make a statement, or take a more subtle approach by opting for a pretty ring or a pair of sleek heels.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Proenza Schouler)

Shop the trend:

Grass Green

Green is having a major moment right now, but won't be going anywhere once we hit the autumn winter 21 season. So, if you've been hesitant to add shades of bright grass green into your wardrobe, you can rest assured that it'll be sticking around for longer than one season.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Melitta Baumeister)

Shop the trend:

Violet

Purple is a big colour to watch for fall 2021. Lavender is already standing out as the future colour fashion people will be wearing, but if you're looking for a dialed-up version, you'll want to pay attention to vibrant violet pieces as seen on Versace's F/W 21 runway.

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Versace)

Shop the trend:

Next, see our guide to the key trends for spring summer 2021. 

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.