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At long last, it seems that butter yellow is officially on the outs, joining the likes of brat green and Barbie pink in the castoff color pile.
In recent months, we’ve been noticing a shift toward cobalt blue. Our first inkling came over a year ago, when Balenciaga, Chloé, Valentino, and Schiaparelli all endorsed the vibrant shade on the spring 2025 runways. The past few seasons have seen a further uptick in cobalt, with spring 2026 a delight of the daring shade: Victoria Beckham, Gucci, Luar, Tom Ford, and Valentino all included it in their offerings, to Chanel’s Métiers d’art show in December.
Celebrities are beginning to endorse cobalt with aplomb, too. In September, Dakota Johnson attended the Zurich Film Festival in a drop-waist Gucci dress complete with a turtleneck and a ball skirt. As if the striking color wasn’t attention-grabbing enough, the sheer lace bodice certainly didn’t hurt. (Incorporating one endlessly enduring trend—naked dressing—into the new shade du jour is sure one way to keep it going.)
Johnson isn’t the only stylish celebrity ahead of the curve, either. That very same week, Greta Lee promoted Tron: Ares in a slim-fitting, fresh-off-the-runway Luar suit. Alexander Skarsgård, also in the throes of press for his film Pillion, tapped Alessandro Michele to create a custom Valentino suit with an electric silk button-up.
Street style stars have also taken the hue for a spin. Last winter, Jennifer Lawrence traded in her beloved pop of red styling hack for a cobalt blue sweater from The Row. Kendall Jenner used it as an accent piece, pairing a statement scarf with straight-legged jeans and a black jacket, cloche, and flats.
So, whether on or off the red carpet, we’re expecting to see plenty of cobalt in our future.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
