If you thought the seasonal switch from summer to autumn meant relegating colour to the back of your wardrobe, think again. Amongst the sleek sea of neutrals ready to take off, purple is set to become autumn’s most important colour trend—and shoes are proving to be the chicest way to wear it.

Affirming my prediction, I spotted model Elsa Hosk swapping her usual black slingbacks for a deep-purple pair, rendered in glossy leather. In a rich plum shade, the shoes retain all the opulence you’d expect from a winter-ready palette whilst bringing a fresh energy to her look.

A breakthrough trend from the autumn/winter 2026 runways, I’m hardly surprised that those with their fingers on the pulse have already begun weaving the shade into their rotations. Whilst Elsa gave the trend a particularly wearable spin by pairing her purple slingbacks with blue straight-leg jeans and a supple suede funnel-neck jacket in a chic khaki shade, there’s no reason to reserve the colour for daytime. I’d be just as tempted to style a pair with an evening-ready look—think a long-line red dress for a particularly cool colour clash.