The Pantone Color Institute has announced that magenta (red-purple) is the Color of the Year for 2023 following an extensive trend and psychological study.
Magenta is a blend of blue and red, celebrating its 150th anniversary, symbolizing courage and a desire for life. This color is set to dominate various fields including fashion, film, music, art, and architecture.
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, stated that magenta represents optimism and joy—qualities the world desperately needs in the challenging context of the upcoming year. Additionally, red-purple embodies a desire for breakthrough thinking and technological innovation to create a better world post-pandemic.
The color magenta.
Art critic Jason Farago of the New York Times remarked: “Not as overwhelming as Barbie pink, nor as intensely luxurious as Valentino’s high fashion. Pantone 18-1750 (the code for Magenta) is a unique shade for an extraordinary moment.”
James Fox, an art historian from Cambridge and author of The World According to Colour, told the Guardian: “This is a good and fitting choice in a time when everything seems gray, dark, and gloomy, and many have lost hope. Essentially, it is a color that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit.”
According to Fox, magenta evokes associations with clay, cave paintings, the colors of the galaxy, and primitive plant life on Earth. Visually, this color creates a significant vibrational impact that is hard to define precisely.
Magenta was born in the mid-19th century thanks to the accidental invention of mauveine, the first synthetic aniline dye. In 1859, following simultaneous discoveries by chemists in France and South London, a red-purple dye began to be produced under the name “fuchsine” or “roseine.” It was renamed in 1860 after the Battle of Magenta, which took place between France and Sardinia against Austria in the town of Magenta, Lombardy, symbolizing solidarity among nations in the struggle for independence in Italy.
Over the past year, magenta has made numerous appearances in popular culture, such as the signature berry-colored smoky eye makeup of Marvel heroine Clea, played by Charlize Theron, and Emily Blunt’s plum-hued aristocratic attire in The English.
Fashion pioneer Harry Styles chose a red-purple short-sleeve shirt from Gucci to announce his arrival in Venice for the premiere of Don’t Worry Darling. Last week, Princess Kate Middleton wore a red-purple dress coat by Emilia Wickstead, paired with a matching hat during the welcome ceremony for South African President Ramaphosa.
The Pantone Institute is a globally renowned color authority, part of the multinational corporation X-Rite, with over 50 years of providing services and technologies in color exploration and creativity. Annually, based on research, analysis, and evaluations from a panel of experts, this agency announces the dominant color trends. All industries, primarily fashion, printing, architecture, and film, follow Pantone’s selections to create products for the new season. |
