The how and why of welcoming the colour to your homes, wardrobes and beyond
The start of the year comes with a wait for the announcement of the Pantone's Color of the Year, and once it’s declared, we begin to wonder how best we can embrace it to up our style quotient! Viva Magenta is the hue of 2023, a shade that vibrates with vim and vigour. A quick fact, it is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. We spoke to experts to understand what the colour depicts and of course, how we can wear it all through the year.
Decoding the colour
“I have always loved magenta — I remember in the 80s JK from Jamiroquai had a navy car with a magenta interior – how cool. Paul Smith and Missoni use both navy and magenta so well for a regal palette. For me the colour stands for the empowerment that we project for women to feel good when dressing,” said Lucy, Founder, Never Fully Dressed. Nadine Merabi, a luxury ready-to-wear brand, has created statement designs with the finest of detail. Said a spokesperson, "This celebratory hue will add some much-needed optimism into every day, a really good way to keep the Monday Blues away."
The Viva Magenta is a modern and vivacious colour that can be used in great ways. It's a popular shade that is strong, bold, and beautiful in a vivid and vibrant tone. It is such a versatile colour.
Parvathy Achyuth Krishnan, Founder and CBO, Zaecy
Teaming up Viva Magenta with other hues
“We have incorporated Viva Magenta both as a fashion and accent colour in our upcoming collection inspired by the palette of sunrise and sunset. The Northern Lights are a perfect example, which shows how magenta blends well with blues and greens. Our colour story is inspired by these natural phenomena. The collection also leaves scope for monochromatic styling with other shades of pink and magenta — the colour is energetic and motivates people to stay bold and positive,” said Parvathy Achyuth Krishnan, Founder and CBO, Zaecy. Zaecy’s athleisure range of products motivates one to take care of oneself, as an all-inclusive brand it encourages one to move throughout your day. For the winter season, Lucy recommends pairing it with navy and mustard — picking out the grounding tones. For summer, she suggested teaming it up with acid golds and cerise pink for more of a tonal look, “I also think it’s a great one to clash with leopard print, it gives more of a richness vs. pairing with a red or pink and is of course our staple print.”Never Fully Dressed is a brand known for its vibrant, creative prints and multiway styling delivers outfits for everyBODY.
Being vibrant and yet sophisticated, this colour is a celebration of life, especially in these post-Covid-19 times.
Raj Pagarani, founder, Iron Tribe Athleisure
The pink view of the world
Well, Valentine's almost here as well, and if you wish to wear shades of the hue as an accessory, then LINDBERG’s classic spirit titanium collection is for you. The Valentine’s Day capsule can be an addition to your loved one’s accessories collection – and is available in pink, along with silver, gold, and cinnamon palette. It features diamond-shaped lenses which ingeniously join together in the shape of a heart. “Eye catching colour will command attention. For those who believe in less is more then use the color as an accent- lipstick, nails, handbag, or other accessories,” said Raj Pagarani, founder, Iron Tribe Athleisure. The brand was born to provide an all-day apparel that could easily be worn throughout the day to avoid having to waste time changing outfits, so that whoever forgot their gym bag or felt lazy changing into workout attire could still show up for a session.
I find the colour effortlessly brings out the strength and fire of the red while emphasising the earthy and majestic tones of purple — all brilliant qualities. It’s fun yet grounded and established.
Lucy Aylen, Founder, Never Fully Dressed
Beyond the wardrobe
Ethan Allen, luxury American furniture brand, has revealed pieces for its collection to seamlessly integrate the hue into various interior settings. From the Grace Chair in Hibbert Brick that will inject colour boldly to the Pink Orchid Pillow that would do so subtly, one can even opt for the Winterberry Watergarden or Camellia Magnolia Watergarden arrangements that will infuse a year-round beauty of the 2023 Pantone Color into your style and dress a space using next year’s shade. Pan Emirates, a UAE home furnishings label, has launched its fresh and exciting collection to help you style your home. "Viva Magenta: The colours burgundy and deep cabernet red are having a moment. Think accent walls, décor, and chairs for instant colour pop," said Adriana Kostic, Head of Marketing, Pan Emirates, as part of their trend forecast for 2023.
Know more
The shade, Viva Magenta 18-1750, was identified by The Pantone Color Institute, a consulting service within Pantone that forecasts global colour trends. The institute describes the Colour of the Year as powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and boundary-less shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement. Source: Ethan Allen