Why the Persimmon Color Trend Is Replacing Cherry Red in 2026

With the weather forecast looking bleak and the political one even bleaker, the winter doldrums are hitting hard. Mood, energy, and morale are low. But at the Fall 2026 New York Fashion Week shows, a bright spot emerged in the form of a new color trend. Could persimmon, the punchy shade in between orange and red endorsed on countless February runways, be the cure to my seasonal scaries?

There’s something about the right, unexpected splash of color that can revive your outfit and spirit in one fell swoop. We saw it with Brat green, an ugly-on-purpose hue that had us staying up past our bedtime and “bumpin’ that”. Cherry red made even the most basic of wardrobe basics feel cheerful. Now, according to the latest collections coming out of New York, persimmon will push us to dress with more personality and, hopefully, to enter happier headspaces.

a model at Proenza Schouler Fall 2026 wearing a bright red-orange persimmon colored dress — Proenza Schouler Fall 2026

Any dose of the red-orange will do. Whether it’s a color-pop crewneck sweater, worn normally or tied around the waist, or a matching set, the effect is the same: an instant, tangy dopamine boost.

I felt it firsthand. Sitting on a wooden bench in a Chinatown loft for Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen’s intimate runway—my last show of NYFW—I was hungry, tired, and fading fast. Out came an exquisitely corseted peplum jacket and satin bloomers in smack-you-in-the-face persimmon. I stood up a little straighter. The cobwebs in my head cleared. The sprightly look reminded me of why I’d been running around Manhattan for the last week: to feel inspired by and excited for what’s to come in fashion.

A model wearing a red-orange persimmon colored jacket and satin shorts on Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen Fall 2026's runway — Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen Fall 2026

Elsewhere, Rachel Scott punctuated her debut Proenza Schouler Fall 2026 show with punches of persimmon on rib-knit dresses, turtlenecks, and satin evening gowns. After a series of quirky-chic looks in minimal blacks, beiges, and whites, Calvin Klein creative director Veronica Leoni opened a saturated second act with a semi-transparent blood-orange raincoat.

A model wearing a red orange persimmon colored raincoat at Calvin Klein Fall 2026 runway — (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

In my opinion, though, persimmon pops best when used as a color contrast. At Zankov, a butter-yellow midi dress was brightened by the earthy-orange knit tee layered over it. Tory Burch used the color as a zesty top layer over khaki button-down shirts. Meanwhile, 2026 LVMH Prize semifinalist Lii capped off blue windbreakers and black blouses with vermillion gloves.

A model on Zankov's Fall 2026 runway wearing an electric orange persimmon colored short sleeve sweater, butter yellow midi dress, chainmail top layer, and brown long-sleeve shirt. — (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

A Tory Burch Fall 2026 model wearing a bright red orange persimmon colored sweater over a tan collared shirt, black patent leather pencil skirt, and green heels. — (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Models at Lii Fall 2026 runway show wearing persimmon red-orange colored gloves with black sweaters, blue windbreaker jackets, and grey and pink fur shawls. — (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

My favorite color pop—and perhaps look of the NYFW season—came from Colleen Allen, another 2026 LVMH Prize finalist you might recognize from dressing fashion girlies like Jennifer Lawrence, Ayo Edebiri, and Greta Lee: a draped velvet, open-back top rendered in electric orange, styled with deep purple trousers. Given the silhouettes and skill of their maker, the separates would have been fabulous in all-black or ivory. But hoosing such an unexpected color combination made it all the more dramatic and delicious.

A model wearing a persimmon orange colored velvet draped blouse and dark purple velvet pants in Colleen Allen's Fall 2026 collection — (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Ultimately, what I love most about this cheeky color trend is that it’s not pegged to a specific season. Yes, it’ll be more widespread when the Fall 2026 collections hit retailers, but the timing doesn’t change the shade’s impact: Persimmon puts a much-needed pep in your step—something we can certainly all benefit from at the moment.