Green, as in, lime green, kelly green, apple green, emerald green, forest green and olive green.

Designers at New York Fashion Week have gravitated to a few major color themes this season, but if there's one that keeps showing up on the runways, it has been green, from warm olives to soft mosses to vibrant grassy greens.

Phillip Lim did a pair of men's pants in clover green. Badgley Mischka had a green apple cashmere sweater. Temperley went emerald on a minidress. Ports 1961 had a limerick green pencil skirt. And Erin Fetherston had a kelly green washed satin dress.

The earthy color is one of the top five colors of the season, according to Pantone Color Institute, the color analysis company that surveys designers about their color choices each season.

Better still, it's a color some say is one of the most universally flattering on skin tones. And it's a color that's already arriving in many stores as one of several fruity colors that will be popular in spring.

If green is not one of your colors, you might be happier with what seems to be the second most popular color on the runways: purple, on anything from opaque tights to flowing evening gowns.

Like green, purple has been around for a few seasons. This fall, it will be even stronger than ever. All shades of purple, from lilac to merlot, were on the runway.

But one that kept showing up was plum. Temperley had a long flowing gown in plum. Nanette Lepore created a sweater dress in plum. Diane von Furstenberg went with plum for an overall dress.

Michael Kors, who showed his collection Wednesday, was one of the strongest designers using purple, mixing it with gold on a sequined evening gown and going pale purple with a felted bouclé pencil skirt. Lepore, who also showed Wednesday, went with more of a red purple with a Chianti tweed jacket and a merlot knit dress. And Lela Rose had two red-purple dresses.

Big, bold colors, such as green and purple, aren't typical in fall.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone, says it's traditionally a time when designers use subdued, quiet colors. "But this season we are seeing a shift toward cool hues with bright, exciting undertones," Eiseman said.

The pops of color have indeed been refreshing, with plenty of fuchsia, merlot, orange and iris blue joining green and purple on the runways.

But the runways are also awash in fall's traditional safety hues, chocolate and gray, two neutral tones that work for most people. And after several strong seasons of brown and gray, they're colors that most already have in their closets.

Our very own celebrity

Nanette Lepore, it turns out, is a favorite designer of Raleigh's Kristi Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi was in New York on Wednesday and made her first-ever appearance at Fashion Week when she showed up in a front-row seat at the Lepore show.

The ice skater, who is married to Carolina Hurricanes hockey player Bret Hedican, was ladylike chic in a textured navy Nanette Lepore sleeveless dress with a ruffled bib front.

Yamaguchi says she loves Lepore's clothes, especially for special occasions. "I like the fit and femininity," she said. "You feel put together when you have it on."

She also appreciates Lepore's attention to detail, from the lace detailing to the quality of construction.

Nanette Lepore is sold at Triangle boutiques such as Scout & Molly's, Tres Chic and Uniquities.