The prominence of the colour across runways and red carpets is part of a wider return of maximalism in fashion, showing that this season, more is officially more
Pantone’s 2026 colour of the year is a white by the name of Cloud Dancer, but the unpredictable world of fashion has other ideas. From Bella Hadid’s wardrobe to the runways and red carpets, the colour taking over this season is a bold and vibrant cobalt blue.
The shade is the ‘‘new chocolate brown”, according to Harper’s Bazaar. It seems we’ve finally all had enough of the tyranny of influencer-beige.
At London Fashion Week, the colour appeared in a glossy head-to-toe tracksuit from Natasha Zinko, and a plaid dress complete with matching velvet buckled shoes at Tolu Coker’s Notting Hill carnival-themed show.
Cobalt blue started popping up on the catwalk in 2023. We saw a satin evening coat and dress at Givenchy’s spring/summer (SS) 2024 show in October that year, tentacled scarves and snoods at Sunnei fashion week the following February, and a sculptural blouse at The Row’s pre-fall show. Balenciaga, Schiaparelli and Valentino gave their nods of approval to the shade on their SS25 runways.
Blue was at the centre of Akris, Giorgio Armani and Lanvin’s collections for SS26 shown in September 2025, with the latter even draping the runway itself in it. Wales Bonner, Jil Sander and Celine all used it as a vibrant base layer under more neutral pieces.
By the end of 2025, the colour had begun seeping into the real world. On the red carpet, Dakota Johnson attended last year’s Zurich Film Festival in a sheer cobalt blue drop-waist Gucci dress, while Greta Lee stepped out at the Paris premiere of Tron: Ares in a slim-fitting, futuristic Luar wrapover trouser suit. In the world of menswear, Alexander Skarsgård showed up at the British Independent Film Awards in November in a custom Valentino suit over a shiny electric blue shirt.
The rise of cobalt blue is part of a wider return of maximalism, as the new crop of designers begin to push back against the palette of neutrals and the trend for “quiet luxury” that has defined fashion in recent years.
Bright, eye-popping primary colours were all over the SS26 runways last autumn: Versace sent models down the runways wearing bright red T-shirts paired with purple blazers, Loewe showcased a Crayola box of colours through glossy heat-sealed leather jackets and bell-shaped dresses, and Saint Laurent unveiled a bright tangerine dress with layers of extravagant ruffling accessorised with oversized baroque jewellery.
The trend for maximalism isn’t just confined to colour. For her debut collection as Bottega’s new creative director last September, Louise Trotter showcased iridescent jackets and skirts made from recycled fibreglass, as well as a fringed floor-length cape with nappa leather trim that took 4,000 hours to make. At Balenciaga, Forme and Toteme, artisanal texture took centre stage through fringing, crocheting and embellishment. This season, more is officially more.
All this colour is a particularly welcome addition to a bleak winter landscape, after feeling like we’ve been living inside various shades of grey for months on end.
Thankfully, bold colours are surprisingly easy to pull off for anyone looking to upgrade their wardrobe with some brightness. Cobalt blue is a flattering shade that suits every skin tone, and pairs particularly well with neutrals and greys making it ideal for both daring fashionistas and demure corporate settings.
Try adding some easy colour to an otherwise-subdued outfit with a blue jumper (it looks great with denim) or finish off with a statement coat, such as this quilted cocoon-shape jacket from Whistles.
For those not ready to give up on their monochrome wardrobe quite yet, look to accessories: a lambswool triangle-scarf ticks two trends at once while keeping your head warm. Alternatively, look to the popular “pop of red” styling trick, but with blue instead. Dip your toes into the trend with a pair of Uniqlo socks, or your whole foot with the satin Adidas Originals by Wales Bonner Karintha Lo.
Still not convinced? Try carrying around a Fitzcarraldo Editions book — the other big trend of the year is reading.