Cordovan
A deep, dark red named after Córdoba and known for its link to leather
Cordovan is a deep, dark red with a touch of burgundy and rose. Its name comes from Córdoba, Spain, where cordovan leather was first made by the Visigoths. The colour is most often seen in leather goods and is closely related to oxblood.
Share on WhatsAppOpen in the lab
- Cordovan is a dark red with a hint of burgundy and rose.
- Named after Córdoba, Spain, known for its leather craft.
- First used as a colour name in English in 1925.
- Closely associated with leather, especially shoes and accessories.
What colour is Cordovan?
Cordovan is a dark, rich red with a slight burgundy and rose tint. It stands out from other reds by its depth and subtle hint of purple, making it less bright than scarlet or cherry red. The colour is most often linked to leather, especially in clothing and accessories, giving it a classic and understated look.
Where does Cordovan come from?
The name cordovan comes from the city of Córdoba in Spain. In the seventh century, the Visigoths began making a special leather there, which became known as cordovan leather. Over time, the word cordovan started to refer not just to the leather but also to its deep red colour. The first known use of cordovan as a colour name in English was in 1925.
Where Cordovan is used
Cordovan is most closely tied to leather goods, especially shoes, belts, and bags. The colour is also used in clothing, where it gives a sense of richness and tradition. Because of its link to cordovan leather, it is often chosen for items that are meant to last and show a sense of history.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The flag is red and yellow, the rojigualda. The colours were chosen for the navy in 1785 because they stood out at sea, and the men's football team is called La Roja.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of SpainIn the last part of a bullfight the matador uses a small red cape, the muleta. Bulls do not see red as we do. It is the movement that draws them, and the colour hides the blood.
Danger and warningCourageSource: BullfightingAt the San Fermin festival in Pamplona each July, runners and crowds dress in white with a red neckerchief and red sash.
Festival and celebrationJoySource: Festival of San FermínThe flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealShades and relatives of Cordovan
Cordovan is often compared to oxblood, another deep red used for leather. While both are dark reds, cordovan has a hint of rose and burgundy, setting it apart from the more brownish oxblood. It also sits near burgundy and maroon on the red spectrum.
Colours that go with Cordovan
Harmonies are worked out from the value #893F45. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Cordovan
What colour is cordovan?
Cordovan is a deep, dark red with a touch of burgundy and rose, often seen in leather goods.
Where does the name cordovan come from?
The name comes from Córdoba, a city in Spain where cordovan leather was first made by the Visigoths.
How is cordovan different from oxblood?
Cordovan is a dark red with a hint of rose and burgundy, while oxblood is a similar but more brownish red.
When was cordovan first used as a colour name?
Cordovan was first recorded as a colour name in English in 1925.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cordovan (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
More of the red family
All of red
Red
Cinnabar
A scarlet to brick-red mineral and the main source of mercury and vermilion pigmentColour named from nature · 🇪🇸 Spain +5
Red
Realgar
An orange-red arsenic sulfide mineral once used as a pigment and poisonPigment · 🇨🇳 China +5
#E25822
Scarlet
A bright red with a touch of orange, long tied to power, sacrifice and sinNamed shade · 🇹🇷 Turkey +4
#E34234
Vermilion
A brilliant orange-red pigment, once made from toxic mercury orePigment · 🇹🇷 Turkey +5
Red
Rubia
A group of plants whose roots once dyed cloth and paint a lasting redColour named from nature · 🇪🇬 Egypt +5
#DC143C
Crimson
A deep red with a hint of purple, once made from insectsNamed shade · 🇳🇵 Nepal
#800000
Maroon
A deep brownish red named for the French word for chestnutNamed shade · 🇦🇺 Australia +4
Red
Sindoorसिन्दूर
A red or orange-red powder marking marriage for Hindu women in South AsiaTraditional colour · 🇮🇳 India +4
More colours tied to Spain
The colours of Spain
#FF0000
Red
A primary colour seen in light, pigment, and tradition worldwideBasic colour · 🇺🇸 United States +5
Purple and violet
Logwood
A tree whose wood yields a dye once vital for textiles and scienceColour named from nature · 🇲🇽 Mexico +3
#8A3324
Umber
A natural brown pigment from earth, valued for its warmth and versatility in artPigment · 🇨🇾 Cyprus +2
Red
Kermes
A deep red dye made from Mediterranean scale insects, once prized for scarlet clothDye · 🇪🇬 Egypt +5