Beyond Burgundy: Colour Trends to Combine

Autumn/Winter 2026/27 is bringing a fresh perspective to the seasonal colour palette. While timeless neutrals remain an essential foundation, according to fashion experts at Accessorize richer, more expressive shades are taking their place alongside them, creating opportunities to experiment with colour without compromising on versatility

Leading the conversation is purple. From electric violet and royal purple to deep plum and aubergine, the shade is emerging as a standout for the season, offering an alternative to the familiar dominance of burgundy. Alongside black cherry, midnight blue, chocolate brown, dark khaki and greige, purple reflects a wider shift towards colours that feel distinctive, sophisticated and wearable beyond a single season.

The growing interest in purple is reflected in Google Trends data analysed by jewellery brand PRYA. UK searches for “purple mini skirt” increased by 350% over the previous month, while searches for “purple tights” rose by 90% and “purple corset” by 80%. Searches for “purple skirt” also increased by 40%, suggesting that the trend is reaching beyond statement occasionwear into everyday dressing.

Purple offers remarkable versatility for autumn/winter, spanning high-impact violet through to the deeper, more understated tones of plum and aubergine. Bright purple brings energy to seasonal dressing, while its darker counterparts deliver the depth and richness traditionally associated with burgundy.

The key to wearing purple lies in considered colour combinations. For a confident statement, pairing purple with red creates an unexpected clash that feels contemporary and deliberate. A violet knit with a red leather skirt or a deep plum top with red trousers introduces contrast while keeping the look cohesive.

For a more understated interpretation, chocolate brown and olive green bring warmth to purple, grounding its intensity and creating a luxurious autumnal palette. A plum bag against an olive jacket or a bright purple jumper with brown leather trousers offers an accessible way to embrace the trend.

Charcoal grey provides a softer alternative to black, allowing purple to stand out without overwhelming an outfit. Paired with silver jewellery, deeper violet tones work particularly well with tailored separates, satin and sheer fabrics. Alternatively, tonal dressing, layering shades from lilac through to aubergine, creates depth and sophistication through colour and texture.

Jewellery is an important finishing touch. According to Arwa Hassan, co-founder and style director at PRYA, polished gold pieces complement bold purple-and-red combinations, while chunky gold rings and cuffs enhance the warmth of purple styled with earthy shades. Silver offers a cooler contrast against charcoal and deeper violet, while sculptural, understated pieces work well with tonal purple looks.

Black Cherry

While purple brings a fresh burst of colour, black cherry offers a more subtle way to update the traditional autumn/winter wardrobe. Sitting between classic red and deep burgundy, this rich, sophisticated shade has a moody quality that feels particularly suited to the colder months. Its appeal lies in its balance of impact and wearability. Black cherry provides the depth of a statement colour while working naturally with familiar wardrobe staples, including camel, cream, grey, chocolate brown and black.

For those who already gravitate towards burgundy, black cherry is an easy evolution rather than a radical departure. It works particularly well in accessories, where a handbag or pair of boots can introduce a rich accent to a neutral outfit, but it is equally effective in tailoring, knitwear and eveningwear.

Together, black cherry and purple offer two complementary directions for the season: one grounded in familiar autumnal richness, the other providing a more expressive alternative to the established winter palette.

Midnight Blue

Black remains a wardrobe essential, but midnight blue offers an equally versatile option with a more unexpected edge. Deep, inky blues have the ability to function almost as neutrals, bringing subtle colour to an outfit without sacrificing sophistication.

The shade works particularly well in outerwear and accessories. A midnight blue coat or handbag can be styled with tonal navy and denim for a refined monochrome look, or contrasted with cream, camel and grey for a softer approach.

For those looking to move away from an all-black winter wardrobe, midnight blue offers a practical investment. Its depth makes it easy to combine with other seasonal colours, including black cherry, plum and chocolate brown, while its classic quality gives it longevity beyond AW26/27.

(Images clockwise from top right: PRYA, Whistles windows, Accessorize khaki bag, Blue boutique, Accessorize midnight blue bag, Whistles and PRYA)

Chocolate Brown

Chocolate brown continues to establish itself as one of the season’s most important colours. From deep espresso to rich cocoa, brown provides warmth and softness, offering an alternative to black that feels both contemporary and timeless.

Its versatility makes it particularly valuable in a capsule wardrobe. Chocolate brown works naturally with cream, camel, caramel and denim, while suede, leather and gold-toned hardware enhance its richness.

It also provides an ideal foundation for the season’s bolder shades. Purple and plum feel more grounded when paired with chocolate brown, while black cherry adds depth to an already rich palette. Whether introduced through chunky knitwear, tailored trousers, a leather jacket or a handbag, chocolate brown offers a dependable base for experimenting with colour.

Dark Khaki

Dark khaki brings a different dimension to the autumn/winter palette. Traditionally associated with utility dressing, deeper olive and mossy shades are taking on a more refined character, offering a subtle way to introduce colour.

Sitting between a neutral and a statement shade, dark khaki is particularly easy to integrate into an existing wardrobe. It pairs naturally with cream, beige, black, denim and brown, while its earthy undertones make it an especially effective partner for purple and plum.

An olive jacket worn with a plum bag, for example, combines two of the season’s strongest colour directions without feeling overly coordinated. For those who prefer a more understated approach to trends, dark khaki offers personality without the intensity of brighter shades.

Greige

Balancing the richness of berry, purple and brown is greige, the understated blend of grey and beige that offers a softer interpretation of winter neutrals.

Its appeal lies in its adaptability. Greige bridges light and dark wardrobes, providing a natural contrast to black while working seamlessly with charcoal, navy, burgundy, brown and winter white. In outerwear and accessories, it offers a considered alternative to traditional black, bringing lightness to darker seasonal outfits.

Greige is also an effective backdrop for the season’s statement colours. A soft greige coat or tailored trouser allows purple, black cherry or midnight blue to stand out, creating a balanced look that feels modern rather than overly trend-led.

For shoppers looking to invest in pieces that work across multiple seasons, greige offers longevity, while still feeling relevant to the evolving autumn/winter palette.

Is Black Finally Being Replaced?

Despite the growing prominence of colour, black is not disappearing from the winter wardrobe. Instead, AW26/27 offers more alternatives for shoppers who want to retain versatility while introducing greater individuality.

Midnight blue delivers the depth of black, chocolate brown brings warmth, and greige offers a softer neutral. Black cherry and plum provide richness, while purple introduces a more directional statement and dark khaki offers a subtle connection to nature-inspired tones.

The result is a palette that encourages experimentation without demanding a complete wardrobe overhaul. A single accessory can introduce a new shade, while considered combinations allow colour to become a more integral part of everyday dressing.

For Autumn/Winter 2026/27, purple is the colour leading that shift. Whether worn as an electric statement, softened through lilac, or grounded in deep plum and aubergine, it brings a fresh perspective to winter style. Alongside black cherry, midnight blue, chocolate brown, dark khaki and greige, it demonstrates that the season’s most compelling colour choices are those that combine individuality with lasting wearability.