Style Serum · Colour of the Year
2027
Serum Violet
The colour that started modern dyeing, deepened.
Our editors' pick for the year ahead: a deep, saturated violet that leans slightly towards blue, with Lilac Glow (#C3A6F0) as its companion shade.
AI-generated campaign illustration, not a photograph of a real collection.
Why Serum Violet
Purple has changed who wears colour. Tyrian purple, made from sea snails, was once a mark of status. In 1856, 18-year-old William Perkin made mauve, the first synthetic organic dye — the start of cheap, bright colour for everyone. That discovery turns 170 this year.
Saturated violet is back on the runway. Heuritech called purple the trend colour of Spring/Summer 2026, "from lilac to aubergine", and Vogue reported strong purple at Balenciaga, Valentino, Prada, Versace and more. Serum Violet carries that deeper shade into 2027.
The next chapter of colour-making. Researchers and start-ups are using bacteria that naturally make purple pigments to explore dyeing with microorganisms. It is early and small-scale, but it gives brands a good question to ask their mills: how was this colour made?
Different on purpose. WGSN and Coloro have named Luminous Blue for 2027 and paint brands have chosen greens. We picked a colour none of them had named.
Sources and the full reasoning are in our announcement story. Style Serum's Colour of the Year is an independent editorial choice; it is not affiliated with Pantone, WGSN or Coloro.
SS-2027 · Serum Violet
Screen values. CMYK is a starting point only — ask your printer for a proof, and request lab dips from your mill before bulk dyeing.
Lilac Glow
#C3A6F0 · RGB 195, 166, 240
Companion shade — the lighter, softer violet that sits beside Serum Violet.
The palette
Serum Violet
#6B3FA0
Colour of 2027
Lilac Glow
#C3A6F0
Companion
Aubergine
#2E1A3D
Deep base — the near-black end of violet
Marigold
#F2B13A
Warm contrast — violet's opposite on the colour wheel
Chalk
#F4F1EA
Quiet neutral
Lime Spark
#D4F23A
High-energy accent
See a palette, two looks and styling tips for every month of 2027 →
Four ways to pair it
Tonal violet
Aubergine + Serum Violet + Lilac Glow
Head-to-toe dressing, ombré knitwear and layered tailoring — from near-black aubergine to soft lilac.
Marigold festival
Serum Violet + Marigold
Complementary contrast for occasionwear, festive and bridal capsules, block prints and packaging.
Gallery clean
Serum Violet + Chalk
Minimal tailoring, shirting, homeware and retail displays where the violet does the talking.
Night shift
Serum Violet + Lime Spark
Activewear, sneakers, beauty launches and digital campaigns that need to stop the scroll.
How to use it
Ready-to-wear
Use it as a full look in tailoring, outerwear and knits, or as one strong piece against Chalk. Wool and brushed fabrics soften it; satin and patent finishes make it louder.
Occasionwear
Pair it with Marigold, its opposite on the colour wheel, for festive and bridal capsules, or go tonal from Aubergine to Lilac Glow for evening. Ask mills which dye routes they can offer for the shade.
Beauty
Graphic eyeliner, nail lacquer, hair colour and packaging. Lilac Glow works as a softer shade in the same range, and it reads especially well against Marigold and gold.
Accessories & footwear
Patent bags, sneakers with a Lime Spark sole, silk scarves and eyewear frames — easy ways for shoppers to try a bold colour.
Retail & visual merchandising
Windows, shopping bags and in-store signage. Use it in large blocks with plenty of Chalk around it so it doesn't overpower product.
Digital & brand
White text on Serum Violet has a contrast ratio of 7.38:1, which meets the WCAG AA standard for body text. Avoid black text on it (2.84:1).
For media and creators
Press kit
Free to use for editorial and social coverage of Style Serum's Colour of 2027. Please credit "Style Serum" and link to this page. The campaign photo is an AI-generated illustration; don't present it as a real collection or product.
Free download · 20 pages · PDF
Serum Violet Colour Book & Lookbook
Colour codes, the six-shade palette, materials, seven looks across fashion, beauty and product, four pairing formulas, a through-the-year guide and production notes for mills and printers. Photographs are AI-generated illustrations.
Social card
1200 × 630 · JPG
Square post
1080 × 1080 · JPG
Story / reel cover
1080 × 1920 · JPG
Palette card
1080 × 1350 · JPG
Campaign photo
1920 × 1088 · JPG
In the news
For brands
Bring Serum Violet to your brand
Launching a Serum Violet capsule, beauty shade, fabric or campaign? Partner with Style Serum to tell the story. Every collaboration is clearly labelled as sponsored, and our editors keep full control of the Colour of the Year itself — it is never for sale.
- ■Brand Spotlight on your Serum Violet launch — from $750 / feature
- ■Partner Voices series on colour, materials or craft — from $2,500 / series
- ■Display placements beside our colour and Trends coverage
Founding-partner rates in USD, before tax.