Happy Tuesday! Astronomical Autumn or not, it’s September, so my fall color series begins. And today I’m talking about oxblood, a dark red that feels like fallen leaves, aged leather, and perhaps a touch of gothic vampire.
Psychology
Oxblood blends the intensity and visceral pull of red with grounding brown-black undertones. A deep and sophisticated shade, it carries passion, mystery, elegance, and a certain rawness.
Brief History
Sorry to my vegetarian and vegan readers…but yes, the term oxblood originates from the color of aged ox blood, which turns into a darker, brown-red shade as it oxidizes. The earliest recorded English usage spans 1695–1705.
In Chinese pottery, the “sang‑de‑bœuf” glaze, which is ox blood, has been prized since the Tang Dynasty and became synonymous with rich, deep reds in art and ceramics. Check out this 18th century Qing Dynasty vase:
Oxblood then gained prominence during the Art Deco period (1925–1939), and the style from that era is also now experiencing a revival in the interior design world (alongside our shade).
In fall and winter of 2012, oxblood became across popular across the fashion landscape, filling the runways with the deep red. I’ll include an example from the time in the fashion section.
And within the past year, oxblood has re-emerged as a sort of quasi-neutral, valued for its versatility, moodiness, and heritage.
“Oxblood has deep roots in both fashion and interior design, making it a highly versatile color that complements a wide range of palettes.”
— Christine Gachot, Vogue 2025
Oxblood’s resurgence is not a fad, the dark red shade continues to shape design disciplines from fashion to interiors, and more, with its refined yet grounded energy. Speaking of which…let’s see some design applications!
Fashion
Burberry Prorsum Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear (RTW)
As a continuation from the history section, these two looks from Burberry Prorsum’s Fall 2012 collection feature oxblood with a striped knee-length skirt, followed by a striped shirt under an aubergine leather jacket.
Balmain Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear (RTW)
In Balmain’s Fall 2025 RTW collection, oxblood appears in leather through glossy slouch boots and a head-to-toe utilitarian look, bringing a kind of rugged richness to the sleek, architectural silhouettes.
Max Mara Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear (RTW)
These two looks from Max Mara’s Fall 2025 collection showcase full oxblood monochrome, with long coats, knits, and leather belts layered in tonal variations that give the shade a commanding presence, if you will.
Interiors
Personally I love this color in interior design. It’s timeless and classy, dramatic enough, but not cliché. I could see how it’s not for everyone, though.
In the image below, for example, oxblood walls create a sort of cocooning effect, their depth amplified by the dark stone fireplace, contrasting wall art, and a decorative painted ceiling.
It also works wonderfully as an accent color. Whether it’s through wall art, furniture pieces, curtains, pillows, lamps, vases or other small accessories, you can add some serious depth to your space without overwhelming it.
Next, we have a study in contrast, with the dark red’s intensity meeting the green’s cooler, calming presence. An especially beautiful color pairing for transitional spaces and architectural details.
Branding
In branding, oxblood conveys heritage, luxury, and confidence. It’s more grounded than bright red, making it a favorite for companies that want to feel timeless and refined, or on the other hand, indulgent.
Häagen-Dazs
Speaking of indulgence…the famous ice cream brand, Häagen-Dazs, uses dark red to elegantly distinguish itself from lighter, more playful competitors like Ben & Jerry’s.
Rhode
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, which is often rooted in neutrals, also leans into oxblood in its packaging and branding, as seen here. In May 2025 she sold the company to e.l.f. Beauty in a $1B deal, but stayed as Chief Creative Officer.
Pantone® & More
If you’re interested in working with oxblood, Pantone has their own “Oxblood Red”, 19-1524 TCX, though it is a bit lighter in value than the specific shade I have throughout this post.
If you want something more exact to the slightly darker oxbloood shade I’ve been using throughout, I’d go with “Winery” 19-1537 TCX. Here are the HEX, RGB, and CMYK values for that shade as well:
HEX: #76232F
RGB: 118, 35, 47
CMYK: 0, 70, 60, 54
As always, thank you so much for reading, and hopefully you learned something new about today’s dark red! If you enjoyed reading, please give this post a like so I know what you guys want to see more of :)
And tell me, which color should I feature next? See you next Tuesday!