Purple was the first color of the chemical dye age. In 1856 William Henry Perkin, then 18, patented mauveine while trying to synthesise quinine. Before it, purple came from costly natural dyes; after it, purple and mauve became affordable fashion colors, helped along when Queen Victoria wore a mauve dress in 1862. Pantone revisited the idea in 2018 by naming Ultra Violet its Color of the Year.
In lingerie, medium purple is a fashion shade for lace sets, satin chemises and mesh bodysuits. It looks strongest on lustrous synthetics and flattest on cotton. Purple lace over black, or black lace over purple, is a recurring combination.
The classifier confuses purple with plum when dark, with fuchsia when pink-leaning, and with lavender or lilac when pale.