Our We Try Before You Buy series aims to take the stress out of shopping and eliminate the number of Post Office visits you make each month to return failed online orders. We test new-season buys and styling ideas so you don’t have to, and this month, our editors experimented with this season’s trending colour, purple, to see how to make it work for their wardrobes and yours.

Granted, it may be the one colour trend no one saw coming (except Who What Wear UK, of course), but however you feel about bold purple, it’s clear that it’s causing a real stir in autumn/winter 2026. With designers making a compelling case for embracing colour beyond the usual seasonal palette of rust, brown and khaki, rich purple has emerged as the shade that fashion insiders are wearing now. Of course, “purple” is a wide term that covers everything from rich aubergine to soft lilac, but if the Celine, Ferragamo and Loewe collections taught us anything, it’s that royal purple is leading the charge.

Before you write purple off as too tricky to style, the autumn/winter collections offered plenty of inspiration for making it feel both modern and wearable. At Valentino, a vibrant purple pencil skirt was styled with a peach knit and fur collar, proving that unexpected pairings can feel remarkably chic. Elsewhere, Issey Miyake, COS and Balenciaga embraced head-to-toe purple, demonstrating how tonal dressing can give the shade a polished and considered feel. Whether you gravitate towards Mugler’s slightly berry-toned grape or Weekend Max Mara’s zingy violet, it would seem there is a statement shade for just about every wardrobe.

Of course, you don’t need to commit to a full runway-inspired look to get involved. If your wardrobe is largely made up of neutrals, a bright knit, a pair of tailored purple trousers or a statement handbag are easy ways to introduce the trend. Those who prefer a bolder approach can experiment with colour-blocking, pairing purple with cherry red for a particularly fashion-forward combination, or lean into the season’s monochromatic mood with coordinating separates or grounding black, chocolate brown or grey.

Over on the red carpets (and off-duty, too), celebrities are leaning into the look, stepping out in purple ensembles so bold that they have people gathering around the water cooler to discuss them the next day. You may not remember what film he was in most recently, but you will remember where you were when you saw Alexander Skarsgård in purple Valentino track pants and red socks. And even if it isn’t quite scarf weather in the UK, Zoë Kravitz just updated her favourite styling signature (adding a pop-of-colour scarf to a largely black-and-white outfit) with an amethyst option in a move other stylish dressers are sure to follow this winter.