Red and purple, green and blue… A style lesson for fun colour combinations for the back-to-school season
Monsoon/winter wardrobes can often lack bold colour combinations, with tonal brown, beige, navy and black sweeping our wardrobes. While these neutrals will always play a powerful role within a minimal capsule, and there is no avoiding brown for 2025, designers have also had a more experimental approach, with several bold pairings making a case for more daring colour blocking.
At Saint Laurent, for example, Anthony Vaccarello played with bright colours, with a concoction of coral, citrine, emerald, amethyst and jewel tones. “I wanted something clean, with no ornamentation, no decoration, no… nothing”, he told Vogue at the time of the collection. “To just push the silhouette in these saturated colours – it’s the most colour I have ever done – in washed satin, and technical jersey, which I have never used before, at a stretch.”
Although technically part of the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Michael Rider’s debut at Celine is already starting to influence our wardrobes. One standout element that’s easy to replicate is his use of layered paintbox brights. Shirts were styled under colourful crewneck jumpers, with bright blue and grass green being our favourite combination.
Keep reading for five colour combinations that will steer you away from monochrome dressing this season.
Purple + red + brown
Miu Miu is always one to introduce flamboyant, unexpected styling ideas, and its Autumn/Winter 2025 collection was filled with vintage-inspired clothes that looked intentionally awkward and filled with character. You’ll find plenty of off-kilter colour mixing, but we loved how rich purple and a deep tomato red were grounded with chocolate brown.
Navy blue + butter yellow
It’s been impossible to avoid butter yellow this summer. Carry your yellow pieces into autumn by styling them with navy blue separates, as seen at Alaïa.
Mocha + violet
Rich mocha and chocolate tones are the key colour takeaway for this season, and although it looks beautiful when worn head-to-toe, Gucci showed it can pay to add a pop of violet, via a pair of shoes.
Green + blue + brown
Who said office wear was boring? Or that we should limit ourselves to three colours in a look? Certainly not Michael Rider, who, with his first Celine show, gave us a masterclass in colour. The blue shirt and green jumper are a double act we’ll happily recreate.
Blazing red + coral
Saint Laurent was more adventurous with colour this season, and one of our favourite looks was this coral skirt paired with an indulgent red silk shirt. Finish off with lashings of gold jewellery.
