Power Shift: Fashion’s Colour Palette Is Getting Bolder And Brighter

Individuality is back in style.

Fashion consumers appear to have cottoned on to the fact that ‘quiet luxury’ ends up with woman all looking the same.

This is seeing designers rethinking what and how they design for their customers.

The result of which is The Return of Colour.

The Return of Colour

While Pantone selected “Cloud Dance” (a crisp white) as its Colour of the Year, we are seeing a vibrant contrast emerging as bold colour (and pattern) making a major comeback.

In Australia these are the colours that are in right now:

Butter Yellow (Panna Cotta): This is the undisputed hero of the Australian summer. It has effectively replaced beige as the “new neutral.” It’s everywhere from linen sets to swimwear because it feels optimistic and suits the Australian summer so well.

Mocha Mousse & Rich Chocolate: It’s a big and unusual shift for summer — we are seeing deep, “whipped” browns instead of black. It provides a grounded, luxurious base for the brighter colours. Expect to see these colours throughout Autumn/Winter 2026 together with burgundy and chocolate brown becoming the new black for Winter;

Paprika & Cardinal Red: Moving away from the brighter “Cherry Red”, this summer is all about earthier, spicy reds. It’s a “sultrier” take on the red trend, often seen in sheer fabrics and silk.

Blues are Icier: Sky blue often called “Blue Aura,” is a cooling shade It is most often associated with a “Coastal Chic” aesthetic, which tends to be a perennial for Australians when thinking about their summer style.

Mint & Seafoam Green: A fresh, calming green that has replaced the viral “Brat Green”. It’s softer, more wearable, and leans into the “health and wellness” aesthetic. Expect it to evolve into forest tones as the summer fades.

next in colour

Over at WGSN & Coloro their colour of the year selection is: “Transformative Teal”

The Vibe: A fluid, blue-green shade that feels both organic (ocean) and digital (biotech).

It symbolises “redirection” and resilience.

This is a hint as to where colours are trending.

Basically, it is expected that colour intensity will increase.

We will not be back to neon colours just yet but the trend for reviving 80’s styling hints at the fashion colour palette becoming bolder, brighter and more ‘theatrical’.

Keep an eye on these emerging shades:

• Vibrant Violet: A royal, almost ’80s-inspired purple. It’s a “power colour” that will contrast heavily with the yellows.
• Tangerine Disco: A rich, sunset orange. It’s theatrical and pairs perfectly with the chocolate browns already in our wardrobes.
• Metallic Silver: Silver and metallics more generally continue to be worn lovingly as part of other micro trends continue to be adopted and adapted such as “Mermaidcore”.

The key to wearing these colours is finding the shades that work best for you.

Why the “Return of Colour” matters for you:

The persistence of these colours suggests a psychological shift.

In 2025/26, we used colour to feel “optimistic.”

By 2026/27, the trend forecasters (like WGSN and Dulux) suggest we will use colour to feel “alive and expressive.”

The colours are getting bolder as the shift to maximalism and 80’s styling becomes more prominent.

ready to return colour to your wardrobe?

We all love classic black but an easy wardrobe update is to return colour to your style.

If you are ready to update your wardrobe or your style contact Bottlegreen and Yellow Personal Stylist.

We can show you how to integrate the recents trends into your wardrobe without leaving you with ‘stranded assets’.

Our 5 Easy Wardrobe Refresh Tips might help too.