Minimalist, nostalgic, complementary: why grey is the perfect shade for right now

The fashion industry is looking to an in-between colour, for in-between times.

Grey has become the colour of the moment.

Once the colour of office drones or Rocky Balboa’s tracksuit in the original Rocky movie, grey has become the colour of the moment.

Philosophically speaking, it makes sense when you consider how a colour striking exactly in the middle might be something people might seek in polarised times.

Or there’s the fact that grey is one of those colours that plays well with most other hues and has that particularly desirable effect of adding polish when worn well. A sure thing is becoming an ever elusive thing.

The latest New York Fashion Week was filled with examples of how to wear the shade now, from Calvin Klein returning to the runway with ’90s-influenced takes on the skirt suit to Thom Brown’s sculptural hourglass blazers with padded shoulders for a kooky take on the office siren. Grey has been on rotation everywhere on recent runways in Paris and Milan, from Prada to Loewe, The Row and Carven, and a favourite of the street-style set snapped outside the shows.

A silvery grey look from Calvin Klein's recent New York Fashion Week show.

A grey look from Friends With Frank.

For Sara Crampton, founder and director of The Undone – a multi-brand online retailer that focuses on pared-back style – grey is a versatile shade, especially for the minimalist inclined. She thinks the ’90s influence of the shade – worn by the likes of the late Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who remains an eternal reference for fashion – plays into its renaissance too.

“As someone who wears a lot of black, grey is actually quite an uplifting colour and has (a) freshness to it that might go overlooked,” she says.

“There are also lots of different shades of grey, so you can play around with finding the one that works best for you. They can be quite light and warmer with beige undertones, or dark grey with brown or green undertones. A mid to lighter grey tone feels of the now and taps into the ’90s nostalgia we’re always chasing.”

Brands Crampton turns to for grey looks include New Zealand label Harris Tapper, for its “androgynous and interesting shapes”, and Paris brand The Frankie Shop for “a great matching grey suit set in their much loved oversized silhouette”.

Lauren Tapper, co-founder of Harris Tapper, thinks the resonance of the colour could have something to do with economic uncertainty too.

“Like brutalist architecture and the rise in concrete construction after World War II, grey offers a sense of security during turbulent times,” she says.

It also, as her co-founder Sarah Harris notes, is a universally flattering colour.

“Grey can add tone and variation to daily outfits without venturing too far into colour. With its range of warm and cool shades, it’s easy to find a hue that complements any complexion,” she says.

Julia McCarthy, founder and creative director of Australian label Friends with Frank, co-signs the shade’s versatility, and thus appeal in more fiscally straitened times.

McCarthy says this is particularly so when it comes to suiting and outerwear. Grey works especially well in these environs, and makes a smart investment.

“People are looking for more mileage out of their wardrobe than ever, and grey is a versatile shade that is easily styled, making for a great cost-per-wear investment you can pull out time and time again,” she says.

A grey dress from The Undone.

To keep things from looking staid or too overly corporate, McCarthy suggests experimenting with tones and texture. She also likes unexpected colour combinations with grey, such as cool tones of mint and sage, or pops of red.

“I look for greys that have depth – a fuzzy mohair knit, a charcoal wool pinstripe or grey marle. When the shade of grey appears really flat, that’s when I find it starts to lose its luxe feel and lean more towards corporate,” she says.