December 2, 2022

Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year is Viva Magenta

If there’s an event we look forward to every December—aside from the holidays, of course!—it’s the announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year. And for 2023, that color is PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta. It’s a big, bright color—one that Pantone describes as “expressive as a new signal of strength” and a “nuanced crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool.”

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, xecutive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “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. Rooted in the primordial, Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

According to The New York Times, the shade was selected by trend forecasters who survey fashion and design, then interpreted by the artificial intelligence tool Midjourney to create what Pantone describes as an “endless new ecosystem to be explored, called ‘the Magentaverse.’”

NPR adds that Pantone’s color experts observed a “heightened appreciation and awareness of nature” this year. That’s because we’re bringing more plants and florals into our homes, finding enjoyment in outdoor recreation and travel after the pandemic, and looking to “nurturing, life-giving ingredients as a result of the public health crisis.”

Pantone’s Colors of the Year have wide-reaching influence, including on product development and purchasing in industries including fashion, design and product packaging and, of course, interior design. We can’t wait to use this bright, spirited color in upcoming projects.