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During Easter break 1856, 18 year old William Henry Perkin stumbled across a way to make synthetic purple dye.
A student at the Royal College of Chemistry, he’d set up a crude lab in his apartment so he could continue his research during the break.
His goal?
To create synthetic quinine.
Quinine had been used to treat malaria for centuries. But since it was derived from a tree that only grows in Peru, it was labor-intensive and costly to produce. Industrial England demanded a cheaper alternative.
After one of his experiments, Perkin was cleaning the lab beaker with rubbing alcohol when he noticed a purple residue. As a chemist who also dabbled in painting, he was immediately intrigued.
The new color, which he called mauvine, launched the synthetic dye industry – and brought the “color of kings” to the masses.
These days, it’s one of the most popular clothing colors, particularly for women.