Earlier this year, Pantone crowned Viva Magenta as the Color of the Year for 2023. In January, we at JudyP offered a quick introduction to the color, along with some tips on how to style it. Now, eight months later, we’re taking another look. Was it indeed the defining shade of 2023? And where is it going next?
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when considering Viva Magenta – a bright shade of carmine reddish-pink – is the Barbie movie. Promotion for the all-ages film is inescapable, and it certainly paid off. Barbie saw the biggest box office opening this year, and the biggest debut ever for a film with a woman director. The movie’s symbolism is so ubiquitous that one need only Google “Barbie” or “Greta Gerwig,” and the search engine’s logo turns bright magenta. Seriously, try it!
Although Barbie’s signature shade is slightly lighter than Viva Magenta, we still chalk this up as a win for Pantone. They described Viva as a color merging the natural and digital world, echoing the movie’s plot, in which the titular character traverses from Barbie Land to the real world. Perhaps Pantone had an inside scoop…
Viva Magenta found a home on the runway this year as well. Rodarte features the color in an elegant, elevated slip dress, and Dolce & Gabbana’s standout backless gown is very on-trend, incorporating mermaid-core elements. Even Gigi Hadid got in on the action, wearing a two-piece set for her “Self Portrait” series.
As for JudyP, we debuted our own version of magenta – Razzmatazz – back in February. It’s proved to be one of the most sought-after colors in our Spring 2023 Color Collection, due in no small part to the fact that it pairs so well with neutrals, as well as high contrast shades like Tangerine and Bright Royal.
We believe it’s safe to say that Pantone was right on the money for 2023. Their particular shade of magenta inspired many iconic looks of the year, and hot pink is simply unavoidable. We’ve got our eye on the runway to see where Viva Magenta may strike next, and of course our own predictions about 2024’s Color of the Year. Call us crazy, but we’re thinking chartreuse…
Until then!
– JudyP
