#a5688e
a balanced, soft magenta / pink · warm · closest name: Pale Violet Red
Token name suggestion: Signal Fuchsia
#a5688e is a balanced soft magenta / pink, 323° on the wheel and 41/100 on the cool side. Put black text on it (4.97:1). As text it scores 4.22:1 on white — large text only. Nearest name is Pale Violet Red, nearest Tailwind family is pink.
At a glance
Every number on this page in one read: what #a5688e is made of, how bright it looks, and which way it leans.
Left edge is grey, right edge is full chroma; top is white, bottom is black. The dot is #a5688e.
Reads warm. Warm and cool siblings keep the same lightness, so you can swap one in without redoing your contrast maths.
Green carries most of what the eye calls brightness — that is why WCAG weights it 0.7152.
Every format
| HEX | #a5688e |
| HEX (8-digit) | #a5688eff |
| RGB | rgb(165, 104, 142) |
| RGBA | rgba(165, 104, 142, 1) |
| HSL | hsl(323, 25%, 53%) |
| HSV / HSB | hsv(323, 37%, 65%) |
| HWB | hwb(323 41% 35%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 37%, 14%, 35%) |
| LAB | lab(51.7 30.2 -10.6) |
| LCH | lch(51.7 32.0 340.6) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.595 0.093 342.3) |
| XYZ (D65) | xyz(25.35, 19.85, 28.08) |
| Decimal | 10840206 |
| Display P3 | color(display-p3 0.647 0.408 0.557) |
| Web-safe | #996699 |
Copy-ready code
/* CSS */
color: #a5688e;
background-color: #a5688e;
/* CSS custom property */
--brand: #a5688e;
/* Tailwind (arbitrary) */
class="text-[#a5688e] bg-[#a5688e]"
/* SCSS */
$brand: #a5688e;
/* SwiftUI */
Color(red: 0.647, green: 0.408, blue: 0.557)
/* UIKit */
UIColor(red: 0.647, green: 0.408, blue: 0.557, alpha: 1)
/* Android XML */
<color name="brand">#A5688E</color>
/* Android Compose */
Color(0xFFA5688E)
/* Flutter */
Color(0xFFA5688E)
/* Python / OpenCV (BGR) */
(142, 104, 165)
/* Python / PIL (RGB) */
(165, 104, 142)
/* Java AWT */
new Color(165, 104, 142)
/* .NET */
Color.FromArgb(255, 165, 104, 142)
/* OpenGL / Unity (0–1) */
(0.6471f, 0.4078f, 0.5569f, 1f)
/* LaTeX */
\definecolor{brand}{RGB}{165,104,142}/* mix without leaving CSS */ background: color-mix(in oklab, #a5688e 85%, white); border-color: color-mix(in oklab, #a5688e 40%, transparent); /* theme-aware in one line */ color: light-dark(#503044, #E8D9E2); /* relative colour syntax */ --hover: hsl(from #a5688e h s calc(l - 7));
Design tokens
The same ramp in the four formats a team actually needs. Paste one and the whole palette lands with it.
:root {
--brand-50: #F9F6F8;
--brand-100: #F3EDF0;
--brand-200: #E5D6E0;
--brand-300: #D5B9CA;
--brand-400: #C096B0;
--brand-500: #a5688e;
--brand-600: #995B82;
--brand-700: #804C6C;
--brand-800: #663D57;
--brand-900: #4B2F41;
--brand-950: #2F1D28;
--brand: #a5688e;
--brand-ink: #000000;
--brand-surface: #F9F5F8;
--brand-border: #E1CCD9;
--brand-hover: #92577C;
--brand-pressed: #7C4A69;
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
:root {
--brand-surface: #23151E;
--brand-ink: #E8D9E2;
}
}theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
brand: {
50: '#F9F6F8',
100: '#F3EDF0',
200: '#E5D6E0',
300: '#D5B9CA',
400: '#C096B0',
500: '#a5688e',
600: '#995B82',
700: '#804C6C',
800: '#663D57',
900: '#4B2F41',
950: '#2F1D28',
DEFAULT: '#a5688e',
},
},
},
}$brand: (
'50': #F9F6F8,
'100': #F3EDF0,
'200': #E5D6E0,
'300': #D5B9CA,
'400': #C096B0,
'500': #a5688e,
'600': #995B82,
'700': #804C6C,
'800': #663D57,
'900': #4B2F41,
'950': #2F1D28,
);
$brand-base: #a5688e;
$brand-ink: #000000;
@function brand($step) { @return map-get($brand, $step); }{
"color": {
"brand": {
"50": { "$value": "#F9F6F8", "$type": "color" },
"100": { "$value": "#F3EDF0", "$type": "color" },
"200": { "$value": "#E5D6E0", "$type": "color" },
"300": { "$value": "#D5B9CA", "$type": "color" },
"400": { "$value": "#C096B0", "$type": "color" },
"500": { "$value": "#a5688e", "$type": "color" },
"600": { "$value": "#995B82", "$type": "color" },
"700": { "$value": "#804C6C", "$type": "color" },
"800": { "$value": "#663D57", "$type": "color" },
"900": { "$value": "#4B2F41", "$type": "color" },
"950": { "$value": "#2F1D28", "$type": "color" }
},
"brandInk": { "$value": "#000000", "$type": "color" }
}
}Best text color
Only one of black and white can be right. This is the one, with the number that proves it.
Make it accessible
A contrast checker tells you that you failed. This tells you what to ship instead — same hue, same saturation, lightness moved only as far as WCAG demands.
Large text — 24px regular or 18.66px bold and above — only needs 3:1, so #A5688E is enough for headings on white. Non-text elements such as icons, chart strokes and focus rings also sit at 3:1 under WCAG 2.2 (1.4.11).
Accessibility — WCAG contrast
Contrast is symmetric, so each row covers both directions: #a5688e as text on that neutral, and that neutral as text on #a5688e.
| Neutral | Ratio | Verdict | Both directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| White#ffffff | 4.22:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 50#f8fafc | 4.04:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 100#f1f5f9 | 3.86:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 200#e2e8f0 | 3.43:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 300#cbd5e1 | 2.85:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 400#94a3b8 | 1.65:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 500#64748b | 1.13:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 600#475569 | 1.79:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 700#334155 | 2.45:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 800#1e293b | 3.46:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Slate 900#0f172a | 4.23:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
| Black#000000 | 4.97:1 | AAAA lgAAA | AaAa |
Roughly one man in twelve has some form of colour vision deficiency. If any of the three panels above is hard to tell apart from a neighbouring colour in your palette, add a shape, an icon or a label so the meaning does not rest on hue alone.
Color scale — 50 to 950
A Tailwind-shaped ramp built around this exact hex. #a5688e is pinned to step 500; the rest hold its hue and let saturation ease off at the extremes so the pale end never turns neon.
The same eleven steps expressed in OKLCH, where equal lightness numbers actually look equally spaced. HSL ramps go muddy in the yellows and washed out in the blues; this one does not. Modern browsers render it natively — the hex ramp above is the fallback.
:root {
--brand-50: oklch(0.97 0.023 342.3);
--brand-100: oklch(0.94 0.037 342.3);
--brand-200: oklch(0.88 0.056 342.3);
--brand-300: oklch(0.80 0.072 342.3);
--brand-400: oklch(0.72 0.085 342.3);
--brand-500: oklch(0.64 0.093 342.3);
--brand-600: oklch(0.56 0.093 342.3);
--brand-700: oklch(0.48 0.087 342.3);
--brand-800: oklch(0.40 0.078 342.3);
--brand-900: oklch(0.32 0.065 342.3);
--brand-950: oklch(0.24 0.051 342.3);
}Colors that work with #a5688e
Not a palette — a role sheet. Each swatch answers one question you will hit while building the component.
Surface, border, heading and body all derive from this one hue, so the screen stays coherent without a second palette.
Lightness flips, hue holds. The accent stays the anchor in both themes.
In real components
The same eight roles, wired into the interface patterns you will actually build with them. Every state below is a computed value, not a mock-up.
Focus ring uses the light variant so the field still reads as one shape.
The file stays available for seven days. Download it before it expires.
How to use #a5688e
Derived from its contrast, chroma and lightness — not from taste.
- ✓Headings from 24px up on white
- ✓Text and icons on dark surfaces
- ✓Charts, tags and secondary surfaces
- ✓Brand accents, badges and data highlights
- ✓Chart series and data categories
- ⚠Small text on white — under 4.5:1
- ⚠Pairing with a same-lightness hue — edges vibrate
Meaning and mood
What a colour in this family tends to signal, and how this particular chroma and lightness change the reading.
Pink is the fastest way to signal that a product is not another enterprise dashboard. It carries beauty, fashion and culture brands.
The muted chroma softens the association — it reads considered rather than loud, which suits long-form and data-heavy screens. The mid lightness keeps it versatile in both themes.
Strong gendered associations in some markets — test it with the audience you actually have.
- FormalityMedium
- EnergyMedium
- Weight47/100
- TemperatureWarm
- ApproachabilityHigh
Colour associations are cultural and vary by market. Treat these as a starting point for a conversation with your audience, not a finding about them.
Similar colors
One move away from this hex in each direction. Every swatch is its own page.
Color relationships
The wheel positions with their names attached, so you can grab the one you actually need.
| Complementary | #68A57F | Directly opposite — maximum tension | |
| Analogous left | #9D68A5 | Neighbour, quieter | |
| Analogous right | #A5686F | Neighbour, quieter | |
| Split-complement 1 | #6FA568 | Contrast without the clash | |
| Split-complement 2 | #68A59D | Contrast without the clash | |
| Triadic 1 | #8EA568 | Even thirds — balanced and loud | |
| Triadic 2 | #688EA5 | Even thirds — balanced and loud | |
| Tetradic | #A59D68 | Fourth corner of the square scheme |
#a5688e sits at 323°. Every dot is a harmony position and links to its own page in the table alongside.
RGB percentages
CMYK percentages
Total ink coverage is 86%. Most commercial presses cap around 300% — above that, sheets stop drying properly.
Color previews
#a5688e text on a black background
contrast 4.97:1
#a5688e text on a white background
contrast 4.22:1
#a5688e on grey
3.86:1
#a5688e on its own surface
3.91:1
#a5688e on its dark surface
4.15:1
CSS3 live lab
The quick brown fox
color: #a5688e;
background-color: #a5688e;
Glowing headline
text-shadow: 2px 2px 8px #a5688e;
Soft neon halo
text-shadow: 0 0 14px rgba(165, 104, 142, 0.45);
box-shadow: 0 12px 32px -8px rgba(165, 104, 142, 0.45);
border: 3px solid #a5688e; background: linear-gradient(135deg, #a5688e, #A56B68);
Gradient headline
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #a5688e, #A57A68); -webkit-background-clip: text; color: transparent;
outline: 2px solid #a5688e; outline-offset: 3px;
Marked up text
text-decoration-color: #a5688e; caret-color: #a5688e;
border-left: 4px solid #a5688e;
background: #F5EFF3; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 2px #a5688e;
background: conic-gradient(#a5688e 68%, #e2e8f0 0);
Transparency
What each alpha value actually composites to. The top row is #a5688e over white; the bottom row is the same alpha over a checkerboard, so you can see what survives on a photo or a video.
Bottom row of hexes is the flattened result over white — use those when a design tool refuses transparency, or when you need a solid fallback.
rgba(165, 104, 142, 0.5) rgb(165 104 142 / 50%) #a5688e80 hsl(323 25% 53% / 50%) color-mix(in srgb, #a5688e 50%, transparent)
| Alpha | 8-digit hex | Flat on white |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | #a5688e1a | #F6F0F4 |
| 20% | #a5688e33 | #EDE1E8 |
| 40% | #a5688e66 | #DBC3D2 |
| 60% | #a5688e99 | #C9A4BB |
| 80% | #a5688ecc | #B786A5 |
Gradients from #a5688e
Six recipes, each built from this hex and shown with the exact CSS that produced it.
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #BC8EAB, #a5688e 45%, #503044);
background: linear-gradient(120deg, #a5688e, #956159);
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #a5688e, #68A57F);
background: radial-gradient(120% 120% at 20% 0%, #C7A1B9 0%, #a5688e 45%, #503044 100%);
background: linear-gradient(180deg, #F9F5F8, #ffffff);
background: radial-gradient(60% 60% at 15% 20%, #AE88B8 0%, transparent 60%), radial-gradient(55% 55% at 85% 15%, #B07B7D 0%, transparent 60%), radial-gradient(70% 70% at 50% 95%, #503044 0%, transparent 65%), #a5688e;
Monochromatic scale
Palettes built from #a5688e
Shades — darker
Tints — lighter
Tones — desaturated
Color harmonies
Nearest named colors
Ranked with CIEDE2000 across all 139 CSS keywords. Under ΔE 2 the eye stops telling them apart; over ΔE 10 they are plainly different colors.
Closest color with a full write-up: Radiant Orchid (#b163a3) — ΔE2000 5.9 away, with its history, psychology and brand usage.
#a5688e in the real world
Where a color in this family tends to land, and the interface roles it is usually asked to play.
Converts to four-color process without much drama. Proof it anyway.
Holds up across typical panel gamma. Still worth checking on an uncalibrated laptop, where mid-tones shift most.
Usable as-is on a dark surface at 4.97:1.
Explore nearby colors
Small, deliberate steps away from this hex — useful when you are hunting for the version of a colour that finally feels right.
#a5688e, answered
What color is #a5688e?
#a5688e is a balanced soft magenta / pink, closest to Pale Violet Red (ΔE2000 12). It sits at 323° on the hue wheel with 25% saturation and 53% lightness, which reads as warm.
What is the RGB value of #a5688e?
rgb(165, 104, 142) — 165 red, 104 green and 142 blue out of 255, or 64.7% / 40.8% / 55.7% by channel.
What is #a5688e in HSL and HSV?
hsl(323, 25%, 53%) and hsv(323, 37%, 65%). HSL is what CSS takes; HSV is what your design tool's picker shows, which is why the saturation numbers rarely match.
Is #a5688e a light or a dark color?
It is a mid-tone. Relative luminance is 0.1985 and perceived brightness is 51%, so black text on it reaches 4.97:1.
Should I use black or white text on #a5688e?
Black. It scores 4.97:1 against #a5688e, versus 4.22:1 for white — AA at any size.
Is #a5688e accessible on a white background?
#a5688e on white scores 4.22:1, which only clears AA for large text — 18.66px bold or 24px regular and up. Darken it to #A16189 to reach 4.5:1, or #784866 for 7:1.
What is the complementary color of #a5688e?
#68A57F sits directly opposite on the wheel. Softer options are the split-complements #6FA568 and #68A59D, which give the same contrast with far less vibration.
What colors go well with #a5688e?
For interface work: #F9F5F8 as the surface, #E1CCD9 for borders, #90567A for secondary text, #488450 as an accent and #503044 for hover and pressed states. For a palette, the analogous pair #9D68A5 and #A5686F stays calm, while #68A57F is the loudest partner.
What is #a5688e in CMYK for printing?
cmyk(0%, 37%, 14%, 35%). This is a screen-to-ink approximation — ask your printer for a proof before committing to a run.
Is #a5688e warm or cool?
Warm — it scores 41 on a scale where 0 is the warmest orange and 100 the coolest azure. Nudged warmer it becomes #A56878; nudged cooler, #A765A7.
Which Tailwind color is closest to #a5688e?
The pink family — its 500 step is #ec4899, ΔE2000 13.4 away. That is a visible difference, so define #a5688e as a custom token rather than reaching for the built-in.
How do I use #a5688e in Tailwind CSS?
Inline it as an arbitrary value with bg-[#a5688e] or text-[#a5688e], or register the whole ramp under theme.extend.colors.brand so you get bg-brand-500 and friends. The generated 50–950 scale on this page is ready to paste into your config.
What is #a5688e with 50% opacity?
rgba(165, 104, 142, 0.5), or #a5688e80 in eight-digit hex. Over white that composites to #D2B4C7; over black, #533447.
Is #a5688e a web-safe color?
No. The nearest web-safe colour is #996699, ΔE2000 5.3 away. The palette only matters for legacy displays and some email clients now.
What does the color #a5688e mean?
As a magenta / pink, it reads expressive, youthful, warm. Pink is the fastest way to signal that a product is not another enterprise dashboard. It carries beauty, fashion and culture brands. At this moderate chroma the association is present but not shouted.
What gradient works with #a5688e?
The safest is same-hue elevation: linear-gradient(135deg, #BC8EAB, #a5688e 45%, #503044). For more colour, a short hue run to #956159 keeps it rich without turning muddy.
Work with #a5688e in the Color Lab
Every tool opens with this colour already loaded.
Every value on this page is computed from #a5688e at request time — conversions, contrast ratios and ΔE distances are calculated, never looked up.