For those of us who are aesthetic obsessed, we have all been eagerly awaiting Pantone’s 2023 Colour of the Year. The global colour experts have announced that ‘Viva Magenta’, takes the cake and for all you fashion fans out there, you may not be surprised by the news that a pink hue is still trending in the new year.
Among the star-studded guests at almost every red carpet this year, there seemed to be but one unspoken rule: Barbie mania. With celebrities, influencers and fashion editors and everyone in between taking cues from Margot Robbie’s titular character and donning bright pink. The term 'Barbiecore' has now become a commonly used phrase, at least among fashion circles.
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“It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength,” Pantone reveals of the new shade on its website. “Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative... It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement.”
In this year’s Color of the Year selection process, Pantone observed a heightened appreciation and awareness of nature represented by countless lifestyle trends. The colour’s organic origins hail from the cochineal beetle. This insect produces carmine dye, one of the brightest of the natural dye family. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute explains, “In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.”
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The colour had been creeping onto the runways slowly but surely in 2022
We saw the colour take centre stage across various dresses at London Fashion Week, but most notably at the Nensi Dojaka show as seen on Emily Ratajkowski. As Pantone puts it, "Welcome to the Magentaverse."
How do I wear Magenta?
“Need to wake up a quieter outfit? Viva Magenta works radiantly as an accessory — pair it with pale grays, blues, or pastels. Want to jump on the monochromatic trend? Try it with other pinks and command the room,” explains Pantone, “Because Viva Magenta is a red that strikes a balance between warm and cool, it’s not too harsh for the body. Instead it brings a fun, celebratory element… Viva Magenta also shines on lips, cheeks, and nails. This versatile shade is universally flattering across ages, genders, and skin tones.”
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