“Electric purple” has never been a color I’d consider part of my personal style vocabulary. That said, there was a time before Spanish brand Paloma Wool became the subtly rebellious label we know today—back when they made jewel-toned corduroy jumpsuits. One standout piece was a vibrant purple, the kind that would’ve looked more at home on the Sgt. Pepper’s album cover than on Barcelona’s streets. That bold color palette has since faded from Paloma Wool’s now-cool Instagram aesthetic, and I sold the jumpsuit cheaply on Depop when I decided purple wasn’t for me. Since then, I haven’t considered myself a “purple girl”—not in any shade. Eggplant? Occasionally. Lilac? Absolutely not. Royal purple? Not yet.

Then came fall 2025’s runways, where electric purple started appearing everywhere. While last season favored soft lilacs and lavenders (alongside buttery yellows and cornflower blues), this season went deeper and richer. At Gucci—an interim collection post-Alessandro Michele—there were nods to different eras: Michele’s mod ’60s shapes, Sabato De Sarno’s silky slips, and Tom Ford-esque glamour. But the unifying thread was a Daphne Blake-like purple, appearing in pea coats, sheer dresses, and monochromatic heels-and-stockings combos. The show’s press release called it “a continuum of craft, taste, and culture”—a fitting description for a house in transition, where the bold hue balanced quirky and sophisticated.

Purple has long symbolized royalty and spirituality, and this season, designers used electric purple to convey power and unapologetic luxury. At Miu Miu, it appeared in stomping go-go boots. At Alexander McQueen, Seán McGirr took it gothic with Oscar Wilde-inspired eggplant ruffles. Harris Reed’s Nina Ricci celebrated ’70s nightlife with jewel-toned faux furs and velvet blazers. Colleen Allen’s irreverent collection mixed divisive purples with celery greens and cerulean blues, while Anna Sui dressed her 1930s screwball heroines in purple Fair Isle knits.

Celebrities have already embraced the trend: Timothée Chalamet in an open purple shirt, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly-esque severity in Dries Van Noten, Tracee Ellis Ross pairing Barney purple with acid yellow, and Pamela Anderson in a regal gown.

So, can electric purple work in everyday wardrobes? Designers like Brooke Callahan offer breezy cotton dresses and statement pants in the shade, while Tory Burch, Maria McManus, and Bode provide versatile separates—from sleek tailoring to velvet track pants. Whether you lean toward retro glam, bold minimalism, or effortless cool, electric purple is set to dominate this fall.