It has a certain mystery and a regalia touch to it. No wonder, it has been associated with royalty, power and wealth for centuries. Purple fabric used to be so outrageously expensive that only rulers could afford it. In fact, it’s believed that Queen Elizabeth-I forbade anyone except close members of the royal family to wear it. Purple’s elite status stems from the rarity and cost of the dye originally used to produce it, giving it a supernatural aura for centuries. Purple still continues to be the preferred choice of the Royalty, where we often spot Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton donning this royal hue on various outings.
Purple was undoubtedly the colour trend on the 2019 runways, with the striking shade featuring heavily on a number of International labels as well as Indian designers. Designers from Alessandro Michele at Gucci to Jeremy Scott at Moschino all coincidentally offered sartorial interpretations of different hues of purple in their latest collection. The blue-based purple had been forecast as 2019’s top global colour, to be used across fashion, home and lifestyle designs and brands. The colour has been likened to the vast and limitless night sky, symbolic of what is possible. As a worldwide colour authority, Pantone also revealed that the purple tone has long been symbolic of experimentation and non-conformity, appearing at the forefront of modern Western culture and runway fashion.
The perky shade is equally buzzing and popular with Indian designers as well. Celebrated designers in the likes of Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Anita Dongre, Jayanti Reddy, Amit Agrawal, Tarun Tahiliani showcased a generous share of different shades of purple in their festive collection, 2019. “For centuries, purple colour has been associated with royalty, and it communicates originality, and visionary pointing towards the future. Being one of the versatile hues in the world, this colour has been a favorite at the runway. This is a shade that looks beautiful, both in monochromic style and in a mix and match way,” said Designer Punit Balana.
The purple palette ranges from darker tones like mauve to plum to violet to wine and lighter hues like lilac and lavender which were all significantly dominant in the winter festive collection of various designers. Lighter Fabrics like organzas and chiffons to richer textiles like brocades, satins and velvets look dreamy and gorgeous in this classy colour tone.
Image consultant, Ronika Gandhi, who also owns a bespoke studio in Baroda talks about the colour theory and its translation to body image as she shares, “Purple is a cool color having serene and calming effects, which makes it look more Royal and sophisticated. When combined with a warm hue like yellow it will create an interesting combination. Wearing a purple outfit can make one look slimmer and minimize their body frame. An evening gown in lustrous fabric in purple with pearl or golden detailing will give feminine, bold, rich and serene look.”
These days, Purple has also become a hot favourite for wedding season where brides are opting for this shade for their pre wedding functions. Ronika gives some styling tips on to how to incorporate this shade in your wedding trousseau as well as a formal meeting. “A purple color lehenga and choli with light green duppata for morning wedding and team it with a deep shade of red for an evening ceremony. Opt for plum purple if you are going for a formal/business events. There is nothing more striking than a Purple pantsuit!”
Opt for a Banarasi Brocade saree or lehenga for a daytime event for an understated elegant look or go for a velvet lehenga to feel like royalty. “Owing to its versatility, purple has become a festive favourite as you can easily take this shade from morning to evening. Brides can incorporate this unconventional shade in their wedding trousseau in form of a cocktail gown or as their sangeet OOTN,” says designer Namrata Patel from label Covet.
“The beauty of this hue can be accentuated with unique colour combinations. While blending it with neutral tones like beige and gold is a classy way to tone down this vibrant shade, you could also team it up with a forest green shade for a sangeet soiree, add a touch of floral punch for a fancy mehendi brunch or club it with red to wear it for the wedding functions,” added Namrata.
This luxe hue has found a well claimed spot in men’s festive wardrobes as well. Its classy, regal and suave! Whether it’s a brocade sherwani for the pheras, a nehru jacket for the mehendi or a velvet blazer or Jodhpuri for the grand reception, purple has become the hot favourite for debonair men, who want to move away from the conventional nudes and maroons.
Fashionistas like Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone are often spotted playing pretty with purple for their Red carpet looks, film promotions and photo shoots. From Runway fashion to festive trends and from Bollywood look book to bridal trousseau, the colour Purple is truly ruling the charts and hearts of the fashion world!
It’s perky yet so elegant, sophisticated and in vogue! Purple is the new millennial pink! This season, ditch the overrated reds and boring blues, embrace the hottest hue and keep it classy.
