Tuesday July 14th, 2026
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Monochrome Monday: The Chicory Coffee edition

This week’s edit makes the case for Chicory Coffee as summer’s most polished alternative to black.

Farah Awadallah

Jul 13, 2026
Monochrome Monday: The Chicory Coffee edition

Chicory Coffee belongs to a longer conversation about summer dressing, one that rejects the notion that the season is defined solely by white linen, coastal blues or saturated brights. In the 1970s, designers embraced a warmer palette, pairing shades of tobacco, tan and chocolate brown with relaxed tailoring, lightweight fabrics and an easier expression of luxury. This summer, those tones have returned. Chicory Coffee offers the same warmth, but with cleaner lines and sharper styling: substantial enough to ground a look, yet softer and less stark than black in the heat.

Its appeal lies in that balance. Nora the Label and Kojak Studio build entire looks around the shade, while Dal Concepts brings it into precise tailoring. Andrea Wazen and Miu Miu make the case for brown through everyday accessories, while Khaite, Karen Wazen and Brunello Cucinelli explore its depth in leather, tortoiseshell and brushed metal. The result is a colour that feels neither seasonal nor trend-driven, but assured — an alternative to black that carries the same sense of polish with a lighter touch.

Nora the Label | The Roisin Set

The Roisin Set makes Chicory Coffee feel light enough for summer. Its relaxed shirt and wide-leg trousers are cut in Naia satin, so the depth of the colour lands with a soft sheen rather than the heaviness brown can sometimes bring.

Kojak Studio | ’25 Couture Diary Look 4

Kojak Studio takes the shade somewhere more theatrical: chocolate-brown leather against a dramatic taffeta skirt. It is brown with real volume and contrast, proving the palette can hold its own in couture.

DAL Concepts | The Outline Blazer

DAL Concepts uses the blazer as a study in line and interruption. The piece gives Chicory Coffee the kind of hand-worked, one-off character that stops brown from reading too polished or predictable.

Andrea Wazen | Barbara Flats

Andrea Wazen’s Barbara flats bring the edit back to the ground. The ballerina shape makes the darker palette feel wearable, while the signature heart buckle gives the otherwise restrained shoe a small, recognisable flourish.

Miu Miu | Denim Baseball Cap

Miu Miu makes brown feel less precious through a sports-inspired denim cap. The embroidered logo and worn-in fabric give Chicory Coffee a useful dose of off-duty ease.

Khaite | Audrey Clutch

Khaite’s Audrey clutch is all soft lines and controlled restraint. In dark brown, it reads less like an evening accessory competing for attention and more like the piece that quietly makes the whole look feel finished.

Karen Wazen | Carolyn Sunglasses

The tortoise Carolyn sunglasses are where Chicory Coffee becomes a filter rather than a full look. The warm acetate shifts the palette onto the face, adding depth without the heaviness of black frames.

Brunello Cucinelli | Adjustable-Length Choker

Brunello Cucinelli gives the edit a final note of restraint. The choker brings in a refined, close-to-the-skin finish that works with brown’s richness instead of trying to brighten it away.

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