These are the 7 Key Colour Trends to Wear for Winter 2025

Sorry to break it to you, dear reader, but winter is officially upon us. The clocks have gone back, which means we are in for shorter daylight hours and darker evenings. You may be dusting off your SAD lamp, but fear not, as there is one thing we can control to spark a little bit of (sartorial) joy, and it’s our winter wardrobe palettes. Cloudy days may be ahead, but I’m here to tell you that you can bring kaleidoscopic colour into your world, courtesy of the Autumn/ Winter 2025 catwalks. Bursting with joyful hues, artful shades and unexpected tones, the runways for this season purveyed a selection of key colour moods which I know will permeate the mainstream soon.

From expensive aubergine, to bitter chocolate, Yves Klein Blue, whipped cream and pumpkin spice latte, I’ve spotted 7 key colour trends which pull from nature, art, and yes, food. Good enough to eat, these colour palettes will help break through the typical black and slate tones we associate with the colder months, so that you can step out feeling and looking expensive, rich and infinitely chic, all the way through to February. To get ahead of the curve and to lighten up your life, read on for my key colour trends that AW25 has to offer, with a selection of key shopping pieces to help get you into the mood.

1. Lavender Haze

Style Notes: Powder pink dominated this summer, and so soft lavender feels like a natural progression as we move into the winter months. Miu Miu, Valentino, Gucci and Giambattista Valli toyed with this shade across flowing dresses and knitted separates, for a kitch and nostalgic approach to styling. Not to be scoffed at, this hue pairs well with slate grey, and most surprisingly, mustard yellow. This sweet shade is spot on for party season, as it is a chic departure from black and dark looks. Meet me at midnight!

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2. Scarlet Obsession

Style Notes: Pillar-box red always finds its place in winter wardrobes, adding a festive flair. I took note of the biggest designers using this tone for head-to-toe looks, namely McQueen, Balmain, Chanel and Blumarine. Burgundy will always be famous, but scarlet-hued pieces have a much more eye-catching appeal. Don’t hold back—the brighter the red, the better. This shade of red makes for a great choice for eveningwear looks and festive fits, as well as statement knitwear. Go bold, and go red.

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3. Bitter Chocolate

Style Notes: Chocolate brown will always have a dear place in my heart. When worn in a full ensemble, this hue just has a knowingly expensive allure. This winter season, go a touch darker, to an almost black-brown shade, giving a bitter chocolate feel. I saw this trend in full effect on the catwalks of Ferragamo, Burberry, Victoria Beckham and Chloé. Softer than true black, this is the shade elite dressers are already wearing now that the clocks have gone back.

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4. Whipped Cream

Style Notes: Butter yellow had us all drooling over the spring and summer months. As we move into greyer days, I’m seeing this hue muted into more of a cream, nougat and milky palette, which is equally delectable and wearable. Teaming well with black or bitter chocolate leather accessories and boots, cream tones have waved a soft hand over knitwear, dresses, trousers and even jackets. Chloé, Sacai, Dior and Toteme were the flag-bearers of the trend, all showing how tactile and comfortable this hue looks when worn H-to-T.

5. Yves Klein Blue

Style Notes: If you’re feeling blue, in an artful way, reach for the classic Yves Klein shade this winter. I spotted Gabriela Hearst, Issey Miyake, Akris and Dries Van Noten (designers who often pull inspiration from the arts), utilising this shocking shade on their runways to full effect. If scarlet red is not your thing, Yves Klein Blue is likely more for you, and is a colour which will never go out of fashion. Just ask anyone in the art world. To dip your paintbrush into this trend, try chunky knitwear, coats and accessories which are awash in this shade.

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6. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Style Notes: For something a bit more punchy and in tune with spooky season, pumpkin spice latte shades are a fun way to experiment with your look. Fendi, Miu Miu, Hermes and Coach gave this tonal palette a go, with clothing and accessories in true pumpkin orange, burnished browns, rich ochre, cinnamon and nutmeg, drawing inspiration from both nature and your favourite hot seasonal drinks. These tones are so easy to mix with bitter browns, burgundy and mustard yellows. Mine’s a full-fat with extra foam, please!

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7. Expensive Aubergine

Style Notes: Another foodie trend has swept over winter fashion, and this time it comes in the form of aubergine. Otherwise known as eggplant, this shade is a rich, earthy purple, and I have already spotted it doing the rounds on looks sported by Instagram’s best dressers. It started on the runway, predominantly at The Attico, ALAÏA, Christopher Esber and Chloé. Not burgundy, and not chocolate brown (but it does certainly pair well with them), this deep and expensive-looking shade of purple gives a regal and rich appeal, and looks great on leather outerwear, trousers, dresses and skirts alike. A once maligned colour, purple is undergoing a rebrand—this is how to don it now.

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