Black has long been the default for evening and power dressing. Huma Qureshi just made a convincing case for something warmer. On 5 October 2026, the actor arrived at Gabriela Hearst's show during Paris Fashion Week, in a sunlit courtyard, wearing a chocolate-brown pantsuit with no shirt underneath. It's one of the easiest front-row looks of the season to copy, and one of the most flattering.
The look
As reported by the Hindustan Times, Qureshi wore:
A chocolate-brown blazer with structured, padded shoulders, a cinched waist and a deep plunge, worn with no shirt.
Matching high-waisted, wide-leg trousers that skimmed over nude pointed-toe pumps.
Cascading earrings in mixed gold-and-silver tiers.
A deep caramel clutch, dark cat-eye sunglasses, a thin gold bangle and a statement ring.
Soft glam beauty: loose side-parted waves, bronzed cheeks, defined brows and glossy nude lips.
She later shared behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram Stories, including moments with Olivia Palermo.
Why brown is working right now
Chocolate brown does everything black does, but it looks softer, richer and less stark, and it looks especially good on warm and deeper skin tones. It works for day and evening. Worn head to toe in one shade, it makes one long line, so you look taller and the suit looks more expensive. It also goes well with gold, caramel leather and bronzed make-up, so the whole look is easy to pull together.
How to steal Huma Qureshi's front-row look
1. Buy the suit as a matching set
Blazer and trousers in exactly the same shade and fabric. Wool crepe or a fine suiting wool will hang best. If you buy separates, compare them in daylight, because browns vary a lot.
2. Choose structure for the shirtless blazer
Wearing a blazer on its own only looks elegant if it has shape. Look for:
Strong, padded shoulders
A cinched or nipped waist
A higher button position, or a cut that holds the neckline in place
For security at a formal event, use double-sided fashion tape along the lapels. A nude, low-cut bodysuit underneath is a more modest alternative.
3. Nail the trouser proportions
The formula is high waist + wide leg + pointed shoe. The hem should almost touch the floor with just the tip of the pump showing. Get them taken up while wearing the shoes you'll actually wear, not barefoot.
4. Mix your metals
With a single-colour outfit, wearing gold and silver together keeps the brown from looking flat. Choose one statement piece, like the tiered earrings, and keep everything else small: a fine bangle, one ring.
5. Carry a clutch, not a tote
A caramel or tan leather clutch tucked under the arm looks more intentional and glamorous than a big shoulder bag. Its lighter shade also adds contrast against the dark suit.
6. Keep beauty warm and soft
Sharp tailoring calls for softer beauty. Go for bronze, peach and nude tones, glossy lips and loose waves. Skip a bold red or dark lip, which would fight with the brown.
What to pair with chocolate brown
Caramel, tan and cognac: lighter browns, like Qureshi's clutch, add contrast without breaking the tonal look.
Cream and ivory: a cream knit or camisole under the blazer softens it for daytime.
Gold and bronze: warm metals pick up the warmth in the wool.
Nude shoes: a shoe close to your skin tone, like her pointed pumps, keeps the leg line long.
Use black sparingly: sunglasses are enough. More black pulls the look back to the old formula.
Style it three ways
Workday: add a fitted chocolate or cream knit under the blazer and switch to a block-heel loafer.
Dinner: follow the Paris formula exactly, without a shirt, with the clutch and statement earrings.
Weekend: wear the blazer with straight dark denim and the trousers with a white T-shirt. A good suit is three outfits.
The takeaway
Qureshi's Gabriela Hearst look is a reminder that power dressing doesn't have to be black. Choose one rich shade and wear it head to toe, make sure the tailoring has structure, mix your metals and keep the make-up warm. If you're buying one suit this season, make it chocolate brown.
Source: Hindustan Times, "Huma Qureshi proves brown is the new black at Paris Fashion Week", 6 October 2026.