We all thought rosy hues would reign supreme forever, but Elsa Hosk in a Pantone-endorsed purple has piqued our interest
Few individuals can claim as much sartorial sway as Swedish supermodel Elsa Hosk. Her inimitable style, often copied but never truly replicated, bridges Nordic nonchalance with an air of LA cool. Building on a quintessentially Nordic wardrobe of utility workwear, denim and impeccable tailoring, she infuses these minimalist styles with that West Coast flavour of playful effortlessness. From sporting the perfect shirts and mini skirts from her own brand, Helsa, to nostalgic '90s slip dresses, it seems that the key is always to find exactly the right colour – whether baby blue or muted oatmeal.
And while the rest of us are still fixated on the Barbie-core bonanza and relentless stream of PP pink, Hosk has moved on. Her favourite shade at the moment? It seems this Swedish supermodel has her eye on Pantone's colour of the year, feeling very inspired by 'Very Peri'.
It isn't the first time we've found the Swedish model in this particular shade. In fact, a style Q&A saved to the model's highlights reveals purple to be one of her favourite colours. Who can forget the magical Alberta Ferretti feather gown she wore to the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival or the deep purple sequin dress donned at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party? Not to mention her lavender coat from Saks Potts, which made waves in 2020. Hosk was last spotted in this periwinkle purple mere hours ago, posting a celebratory birthday picture to her Instagram in a tailored purple set, while gilded clips pin back her recently chopped blonde bob.
And while our favourite tastemaker has favoured the shade for some time, we've found she has a reinvigorated interest in the colour as of late. In fact, another recent post saw Hosk teasing new pieces from her Helsa line – periwinkle purple recycled nylon T-shirt included. Perhaps a promise that 'Very Peri' will keep popping up in her feed?
This follows a year where pink has largely taken centre stage. Particularly at Valentino's autumn/winter 2022 collection, where the all-pink showcase (show location included) set off the sudden pink panic that raged in the fashion sphere. Across street style and red carpets alike, if you weren't dressed in shocking pink, were you even there?
This specific Valentino phenomenon arguably makes the case for periwinkle purple even stronger, as the latest fashion weeks signal that even the aforementioned Italian powerhouse has moved on. The Valentino haute couture walking down Rome's Spanish Steps saw only the occasional Barbie garb, while at he spring/summer 2023 show there was hardly a pink piece in sight. And if the original herald of punchy pink switches gear, why shouldn't we?
Valentino Haute Couture 2022.
Bottega Veneta autumn/winter 2022.
Issey Miyake spring/summer 2023.
Other brands have followed suit. Ami showed purple cable knits and flowy periwinkle trousers for autumn/winter 2022, while Bottega Veneta made headlines with its layered fringe skirts (the purple rendition illustrated by Tippan Nordén in issue 6 of Vogue Scandinavia). At MSGM, the colour was given a metallic finish, while Stella McCartney interpreted her (now) signature draped jersey in the shade. All in all, it is easy to argue that purple is gaining momentum. Following this colour trend into next season, we saw Issey Miyake present purple pleats, while most of the models at Versace sported the shade.
That is why we find ourselves at a colour cross roads, and – as so often is the case – we ask ourselves 'what would Elsa do?'. The answer? Turn over pink in lieu of purple.