What is the ‘it’ colour for spring?

September 19, 2026 — 5:00amWhat is the “It” colour for spring?Aqua makes a splash in Paris at an autumn/winter 2026 show.WWD via Getty ImagesMaybe we’ve been overpowered by power reds, gotten drunk on case-loads of burgundy, grown sick of green … but fashion has a serious case of the blues. Two shades are duking it out for supremacy – oxide blue and its sunnier sibling, aqua – both of them trickling down from Celine runways (is the label going to replace Pantone as the established colour-of-the-year forecaster?). Perhaps the winner will even supersede cerulean blue – the subject of Miranda Priestley’s famous monologue in The Devil Wears Prada – in a yet-to-be-written sequel.While oxide blue has claimed jackets and tailored shirts, aqua offers a cool transition into summer, calling to mind the sparkling waters that lap Greek beaches or, indeed, Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay on a good day. It colours softer pieces, such as silk dresses at Veronika Maine, feathered and beaded going-out tops at Scanlan Theodore and wide-leg satin pants at Unison. Interestingly, given its soft, feminine character, it has also crossed the wardrobe into menswear territory at Country Road and Rodd & Gunn.From our partners