Black Coats Are Timeless, But People With Taste Are Wearing These Trendier Colours This Winter

Each autumn, when we all lug out our outerwear from storage, we’re usually met with the ever-faithful black coats, and maybe the occasional navy or chocolate brown alternative. This season, however, brings with it coat colour trends that will make even the most staunch minimalists reconsider. ‘Tis true—there is always room for the classics. Yet, a bright red coat or a sultry marine green leather trench makes an intriguing case for why they’re worth adding to our autumn capsule wardrobes.

This is by no means blasphemy against the tried-and-true coats that return year after year, but in fashion there often comes a period of time when you itch for something slightly different, and it seems outerwear could use a tinge more colour. It’s not just me: maximalism is back for 2026.

The vertiginous prints and bold layering of boho appeared earlier this year, pushing quiet luxury out of the narrative, and the same happened over the summer. Maximalist trends made their mark, so it was only a matter of time for autumn and winter’s version to appear. This year, much of it is through outerwear. Just look at the carpet coats and cobalt blue jackets that took the beginning of autumn by storm.

Black, grey, brown and beige were undoubtedly features on runways for autumn/ winter 2026, but there was a marked increase in outerwear constructed in various new colours—even shades that haven’t been seen in years (ahem, purple). Bright apple red and cobalt are both present. A new shade of green has drifted in, too, alongside mulberry and soft white.

Even designers renowned for their quieter palettes could be swayed to include louder colours and those featured in this roundup. Celine sent a purple leather trench down its runway, and Jil Sander, a purple blazer. Even Toteme had a single, soft white coat shining as a warm beacon amongst its line that heavily leaned toward black and grey.

So, let’s lock in and explore the coat colour trends that are joining us for the colder weather and making this time of year leagues more vibrant.

The 6 Major Coat Colour Trends of 2026

1. Soft White

Style Notes: This colour trend answers the question of just how much we can dilute butter yellow before it disappears. Soft white is proof that people are still reaching for warmth in their wardrobes, but maybe not necessarily in the brighter, more saturated butter yellows of spring and summer. It brings more comfort than stark, pure white tones and cancels any notion that white can’t be worn past early September, as this hue was meant for white winter outfits. Ultra-plush fur coats at Chloé were perfect visual examples of the warmth this colour exudes, but you don’t need tufts of fur to get the point across. Joseph, Tom Ford, Fendi and Proenza Schouler had sharp, tailored coats on their runways in the hue, yet soft white still came across as one of the cosiest colours going.

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2. Apple Red

Style Notes: Poppy red was set to be a strong colour this year and featured heavily in this summer’s colour trends. But the orange-tinged shade is getting a more autumnal update for the new season. Apple red has cooler, bluer undertones, which undoubtedly feel right for the changing landscape and temperature. Runways have reflected it, too, moving into this slight change of tone. Though it’s often reserved for a pop of colour, bright red as a coat magnifies the unexpected red theory and adds a maximalist aesthetic to your outfits. It’s bold and certainly garners attention, but it’s surprisingly easy to style. You can go all out with a fur coat à la Michael Kors, but you can also adopt a trench or tailored coat, like Balenciaga did, and pair it with neutrals or bold contrasting hues for a more everyday approach that’s still vibrant.

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3. Mulberry

Style Notes: This season typically brings with it some variation of a rich burgundy, and this year mulberry is the chosen shade. It has a mix of brighter red and purple undertones and sways further from the chocolate brown hues that sit beneath an oxblood. It also feels distinctly autumnal. Michael Kors leaned heavily into the red-tinged version, whereas brands such as Hermès developed sleek leather coats in a slightly darker colour. Regardless of what specific shade you choose, it matches well with a few other of 2026’s colour trends and neutrals such as brown and navy.

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4. Marine Green

Style Notes: In a sea of olive and khaki, another certain shade of green grabbed my attention this season, and that’s marine green. Evoking images of sea glass and darker points of ocean waves, it’s a water-inspired colour that feels appropriate for autumn dressing, especially after aquamarine took charge in summer. Marine green sets itself apart from other shades because of its cooler undertones that give it an appearance closer to teal. It looks great as a leather jacket or coat, as we saw swishing down the runway at Giorgio Armani. It also serves well as a more structured blazer coat, which appeared at Etro and Lacoste. For other pairings, this shade holds its own but also stands out with charcoal grey and navy.

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5. Purple

Style Notes: Just a year or two ago, I was discussing with a fellow editor the long absence of purple. Every year, new shades were crowned trendy, and purple never seemed to be part of the initiation. This year is different. In spring we saw inklings of the purple colour trend, and toward the end of summer celebrities backed purple, too. It’s not necessarily one shade of purple that’s trending either, but essentially the whole spectrum. Whether you like lighter shades, such as lavender or lilac, or prefer a darker tone like aubergine or royal purple, they’re exceptional options for creating a more colourful autumn capsule wardrobe. All forms of coats received a vibrant purple transformation on the runways, including at Pierre Cardin, Celine, Burberry and even a handful of draped trenches in a range of purple shades at Issey Miyake’s show.

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6. Cobalt Blue

Style Notes: Like poppy red, cobalt blue was an enormous colour trend this summer, but it now looks a touch softer and richer for autumn. Whilst many summer cobalt garments had near-electric pigments, those for the cooler months are more akin to navy without truly treading into that territory. Cobalt shines as a trench or leather coat (just look at Sergio Hudson’s liquid trench), as a satin puffer and as fur outerwear. It brightens up outfits with no effort at all. Although it’s controversial, I think cobalt (and other shades of blue) pairs wonderfully with black and the runways back this, too.

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