When Timothée Chalamet walked up the red carpet in a soft yellow Givenchy leather suit, it was confirmation that the mellow yellow known in fashion as 'Butter Yellow' is a major trend this season.

Chalamet never a conservative dresser was brave to attend the Academy Awards in the statement look, but as someone who has his finger on the pulse, the suit was in step with his fashion-forward reputation.

Sarah Burton the designer behind Chalamet’s look also recently featured this yellow in her debut Autumn Winter collection for Givenchy in a dramatically shouldered and nip-waisted coat paired with a large black bow, so the colour also has currency next season.

Creamy, buttery tones of yellow have been seen for the past year but this summer it is asserting itself as one of the strongest fashion colours with designers including Toteme, Alaia, 16 Arlington, Jil Sander, Chloé, Jacquemus, Loewe, Miu Miu and Cecilie Bahnsen all spreading it liberally across a variety of styles. Everything including fashion is now “better with butter”.  

Designers are using butter yellow as a new neutral like a warmer beige or ecru with more saturated intensity. Some showed it in head to toe looks, but it is also a versatile shade which can be paired with classic colours like white, camel, tan, chocolate, and navy to add freshness and a genuine feeling of lightness.

So, while Toteme showed yellow in entirely monochrome looks, you can introduce it by pairing yellow knitwear, shirts, or t shirts with summer jeans in white, ecru, or soft blue or by adding yellow bags, ballet flats or sneakers to a classic summer shade like camel.

We might traditionally have shied away from yellow as a frightening colour, but butter yellow is not intimidating. Some cynics may have christened it another ‘ugly colour trend’ but that is unfair.

The soft primrose pigment is genuine.ly flattering on most skin-tones and if treated as a variation on rich cream it can brighten up transitional looks and serves as an easy step back into wearing colour again after seasons of beige.

It looks equally attractive in billowing, romantic dresses as seen at Chanel and Chloé or in polished suiting as offered in the new Marks and Spencer collection. It just takes a small leap of faith to see how kind the colour can be to the complexion.

Its versatility and visibility are reasons why celebrities have been adopting the shade: Katie Holmes wore butter yellow co-ordinates at the recent Zimmermann show in Paris (accessorised with a chocolate brown bag and top),

Sabrina Carpenter has taken to wearing it on repeat as it highlights her blonde hair and sunny disposition while Aubrey Plaza was an early adopter wearing a  Loewe silk powder-yellow gown to the Emmys last year.

Now the public finally seem ready to embrace the colour too as it saturates social media. On TikTok to date butter yellow has generated 2.4 million posts while on Instagram fashion figures and influencers are championing the creamy colour. At the recent Autumn Winter 2025 shows yellow not only appeared repeatedly on the catwalks, it was very visible on the backs of the street style set outside show venues.

Why soft yellow is striking a note now is not hard to fathom. In colour therapy yellow represents clarity, joy, hope and energy – all qualities desperately in need during our current period of polarisation.

Butter yellow is also calming soothing and grounded, all highly desirable as people feel confused, anxious, even depressed by world events. It manages to be both chilled and optimistic at once so serves a double whammy of dopamine and serotonin simultaneously. The traditional symbolic act of tying a yellow ribbon to a tree to welcome the return of missing loved ones is an indication of the colour’s power and positivity.

The colour also promotes warm nostalgic emotions as it is traditionally a shade popular for children’s clothing. Softer yellows often appear as a gender–neutral colour for babies which suggest the shade is both a uniting and pacifying shade. Psychologically wearing yellow can promote a positive attitude and boost the wearer’s mood and wellbeing.

Yellow is often an inspirational colour for creatives Expressionist artist, Franz Marc defined yellow as ‘the female principle’ calling it ‘gentle, cheerful and sensual’ while Vincent Van Gogh wrote of ‘how beautiful yellow is!’ while paining over 300 artworks saturated with it. In Chinese culture, yellow is the colour of royalty, power, hope and prosperity, making it very lucky for the wearer.

Not surprisingly then butter yellow has been backed heavily by retailers hoping to encourage nervous consumers to shop. On the high street, stalwarts including Zara, Mango, Marks and Spencer, H&M, Cos, & Other Stories and Next are all offering yellow looks. Even if the sun doesn’t shine this summer, you can get your Vitamin D courtesy of your wardrobe.

How to style it successfully is pretty simple. Swapping out your usual creams and beiges for soft yellow, is a good way to start. It pairs perfectly with neutrals (beige, white, taupe, and camel) but also with grey, brown, khaki, and blues. It also works as a grounding colour on floral prints or in combinations of graphic stripes to add a playful note.

 Accessories with a tactile feel look particularly good in yellow, so consider soft squishy bags, textured or braided shoes and fringed silk scarves. Gold jewellery compliments soft yellow as it is essentially a shade of yellow itself: chunky sculptural gold earrings and cuffs will elevate the shade, adding lustre and a luxury feel.

Buttery yellow can be ultra feminine in ruffled and romantic dresses (see & Other Stories) or understated and luxurious (as per Cos’ streamlined pale yellow linen suit), so you have scope to wear it according to your own style.

Not surprisingly it looks great in vintage-inspired styles as seen on the Chloé Spring/Summer 2025 catwalk but also suits sleek minimal styles. Now available across a variety of price points, it is an accessible way to add a new season accent to your existing wardrobe.

At its recent spring summer show, Arnotts showed delicious buttermilk yellow looks including Bardot’s strapless Abrielle mini and Sorella ruffle midi dress, a feminine skirt suit by House of CB and a sweet A line mini dress from Ganni. Amongst all the covetable looks these pieces stood out for their fresh palette and feminine styling.

However, if you are wary of looking too girly then it’s best to give the frills, ruffles and bows a swerve and wear it in cleaner, less elaborate styles: a yellow wool blazer, simple cotton knit, a silk shirt or linen co-ords can all look stylish and sophisticated in soft yellow.

If in doubt, keep it elegant, streamlined and refined. The colour is also beautiful paired with this season’s popular tan suede jackets or worn under a smart trench coat.

Simply pop a yellow sweater across your shoulders or around your waist to add an instant shot of golden glow. Pairing it with rich tactile fabrics highlights yellow’s ability to lift classic colours while looking grown up rather than juvenile.

The mood-lifting properties of this positive, joyful shade should not be underestimated: the more we crave positivity in the face of ongoing negativity, the more that people will search for ways to provide relief. Wearing yellow will not change the political landscape or stop raging conflicts but it will give people a sense of solace, warmth, and security as they navigate complicated times. With a little mellow yellow you can tap into a more creative and positive mindset while adding warmth and effervescence to daily life.

So, butter yellow is the perfect shade for now - it is a colour that brings energy, while still feeling subtle and luxe, always hopeful but never shrill. Maybe if we all wore more yellow the world would indeed be a kinder and warmer place.