Fifty Shades Of Grey: Experiment With This Season’s Key Neutral

1. Christopher Kane grey cable knit cashmere jumper, £1,410, Harvey Nichols 2. Christopher Kane Safety Buckle shoulder bag, £1,100, Matchesfashion.com 3. Vanessa Bruno Bellinzono wool-blend dress, £515, mytheresa.com 4. Pollini ankle boots, £520, Shoescribe.com 5. Wood Wood Molly wool-blend miniskirt, £128, mytheresa.com 6. Aquazzura pumps, £440, Shoescribe.com 7. Warehouse grey fedora hat, £25, Warehouse 8. Topshop Unique full A-Line midi skirt, £165, Topshop

Forget black, camel and navy: grey was the order of the day on the runways this autumn/winter 2014. Yes, it may remind you of gloomy weather and stormy London skies, but with the likes of Bottega Veneta, Haider Ackermann and Altuzarra – who worked the combination of a chrome silk slip and spongy dove grey shearling to perfection – embracing this timeless neutral shade, looking chic in charcoal has never been easier.

And while grey may be a colour of practicality – see Alexander Wang‘s pebble-hued shift dresses and jackets, which were adorned with multiple pockets for storing phones, pens and lipsicks, for a clever take on the utilitarian trend - it certainly doesn’t have to be boring. Case in point: Viktor & Rolf‘s entire collection – which took a play on the classic cable knit, reworking its woven patterns into trompe l’oeil prints and appliqués – was shown entirely in greyscale. Meanwhile, Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier gave the means-business slate tailored separates at Marc by Marc Jacobs a tough spin by pairing them with rubber-soled combat boots and cinching in the waists with big boxing belts.

Softer than black, but punchier (and easier to maintain) than cream, grey’s not only one of the most understatedly elegant hues, but it’s also the perfect tone with which to experiment with this season’s bold textures and statement-making shapes. So be it pebble at David Koma, stone at Sportmax or dove at Dior, make this cool neutral du jour your go-to this AW14.

Shop our edit of the best grey pieces in the boutique below.