Pantone Colour of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta!
New Year, new hue! Get excited about 2023's rosy outlook.
Long live la vie en rose! Move over, Very Peri, the next Pantone Colour of the Year is head-turning Viva Magenta! For over 20 years, the Pantone Colour Institute has released a colour of the year, based on a vast amount of research collected by industry experts, including fashion and textile trends, new artists and exhibits, popular travel destinations, technological developments, new films, social media, socio-economic and political conditions and much, much more.
This year’s choice feels like an incredible wave of optimism. Descending from the red family, Pantone describes it as a brave and fearless colour that’s full of life and signals joy and optimistic celebration. While last year’s purplish Very Peri seemed to straddle the worlds of red and blue as a nod to post-pandemic cautiousness and uncertainty, Viva Magenta finally feels like the experts are seeing what we’ll hopefully be feeling before too long: the return to jubilance, liveliness and glee.
After the last few months of “barbiecore” trends, including all-pink fashion collections, makeup and the return of the hot pink of the early aughts, Viva Magenta may not come as much of a surprise to some. “This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundary-less shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement,” says Pantone.
Leatrice Eisemen, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute also notes that the vibrant hue is an answer to wanting to celebrate nature and all that is real in an age of technology. We can’t imagine a better way to celebrate nature’s most epic, earthly hues than with gemstones, one of the greatest expressions of the Earth’s natural beauty. Even better: Viva Magenta is perfectly imparted by one of the rarest gems of all—Rubies! A form of the mineral corundum (also known as Sapphire) Rubies’ red hues have been sought-after for centuries. Known as ratnaraj in ancient times, which means ‘king of precious stones,’ Rubies have long been considered by experts as one of the most valuable gems of all and their lively colour has oft represented the height of life: passion, virility, power and love. Other wonderful ways to court this standout colour include Pink Sapphire, Spinel, Topaz, Tourmaline and Garnet. In any case, wearing jewellery in shades of Viva Magenta is sure to leave you feeling dynamic, free-spirited and full of life. There could hardly be a better message for entering 2023.