Purple reign: how to make fashion's fave new colour work for you

Sorbet-hued pastels have long been a summer staple, but the colour purple has only featured in small doses on the runway.

That's all changing this season as flirty shades of lilac, lavender and soft mauve take centre stage as fashion's new favourite colours.

The international Spring/Summer 2018 runways were a strong indication that Millennial Pink has a new rival with designers like Tom Ford, Victoria Beckham and Michael Kors showing collections with a strong purple focus.

Locally, designers showed their take on the lilac trend at the recent SA Fashion Week. Thebe Magugu, Rich Mnisi and Sheila Madge's Autumn/Winter 2018 collections featured bold lilac separates and prints with strong lilac undertones.

Luckily the colour of the moment comes in a variety of shades making it a great trend for everyone to try.

Follow these tips to wear purple like a pro:

1. Try on numerous shades in order to find the ones that best flatter your skin tone. If you tend to wear vivid colours such as cobalt blue, try a rich shade of lavender. If you prefer darker colours such as navy, try a jewel-toned violet. For lighter skin tones, try a soft lilac, and for darker skin tones, try a soft mauve shade.

2. Complement lilac with pieces that have a cool blue undertone.

3. Tone down purple by pairing it with a purple-and-black-print or team your lilac buy with a black jacket or black jeans.

4. If you're not shy to go full colour, try a tonal look that incorporates pieces in different shades of purple for maximum effect.