Navy does something that black cannot quite manage. It reads as intentional rather than default, considered rather than safe, and on the right dress it has a depth that makes the whole look feel genuinely put together without any effort being visible. We are particularly interested in navy for evenings because this is where it earns its reputation completely. A navy dress at a wedding, a dinner, a birthday where you actually care about the photographs. It holds up in every light, works with gold and silver equally well, and flatters more skin tones than almost any other colour we can think of.

What we have pulled together here are the navy dresses we would reach for on the occasions that matter. Not the ones that sit in the middle of the room unnoticed, but the ones that make people ask where it is from. Some are sleek and minimal. Some have detail that rewards a second look. All of them justify getting dressed properly rather than reaching for whatever is easiest.

Navy is not playing it safe. Navy is knowing exactly what you are doing.