15 Types of Mauve

John Spacey, November 26, 2019

Mauve is a pale purple color that takes its name from the French word mauve, meaning mallow flower. It is a color surrounded in much culture and lore. Mauve was first used as a color name in 1796 but was an obscure term before 1859. In 1856, chemist William Henry Perkin happened upon a mauve colored dye when attempting to develop a cure for malaria. This dye went on to significant commercial success. Perkin's mauve was an extremely vibrant color that was used to produce fine fabrics for dresses and fashion accessories. The popularity of mauve peaked in the 1890s. Mauve was such a trendy color during this period that the 1890s is occasionally referred to as the mauve decade. The following are common types of mauve color.

Mauve

#e0b0ff

French Mauve

#d473d4

Opera Mauve

#b784a7

Mauve Taupe

#915F6D

Old Mauve

#673147

Almost Mauve

#e7dcd9

Antique Mauve

#bbb0b1

Creamy Mauve

#dccad8

Deep Mauve

#d374d5

Dark Mauve

#a64f82

Drab Mauve

#c292a1

Mauve Flower

#a9568c

Muddy Mauve

#e4b3cc

San Francisco Mauve

#936a6d

Fine Mauve

#946c74

Notes

William Henry Perkin's mauve was the first world’s first synthetic dye to be mass produced. Today the market for synthetic dyes and pigments is a large industry. The story of Perkins and his ability to see value in his failure is well known to many scientists and is commonly included in science textbooks.

Perkin's mauve faced much competition from the 1870s including dyes that were less prone to fading. Perkin's mauve was a far more saturated color than later mauve dyes.

Overview: Mauve
Type	Purple
Component Colors	Mauve is a pinkish purple that is pale indicating the presence of gray.
Associations	Feminine Considered a classic or nostalgic color that is associated with the 19th century, particularly the 1890s. Associated with high fashion, particularly formal gowns. Mauve is considered both an eye-catching color that also has a calming effect. A mauve dye known as mauveine invented by William Henry Perkin was the first synthetic dye to be mass produced, this began an industry of chemical dyes that revolutionized fashion in the mid to late 19th century.