Have you ever seen the movie "The Devil Wears Prada"? I had read the book shortly after it was published and was ecstatic when the movie came out. It has been one of my favorites for years. One of the most memorable scenes from the movie takes place when Meryl Streep's character Miranda Priestly is trying to choose a belt for a photo shoot. While one of the staffers states it was a tough call as the belts were all so different Andy, played by Anne Hathaway, snickers under her breath. Miranda then asks Andy "Something funny?". Andy replies that the belts look exactly the same to her and she was still trying to learn about this "stuff", to which Miranda replies "stuff?" and goes on to give a speech to Andy that while she thinks this has nothing to do with her, the color choices and designs that are made by the famous fashion design houses such as Oscar de la Renta and Yves Saint Laurent trickle down from designers to department stores and eventually discount stores, where Andy likely buys her clothes. Her point was that no piece of clothing, whether bought at a high end boutique or your local TJ Maxx is exempt from being influenced by the fashion industry. Watch the scene here.
The same is true for color. Have you ever heard of Pantone? "In 1963, Pantone revolutionized the printing industry with the colorful PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM®, an innovative tool allowing for the faithful selection, articulation and reproduction of consistent, accurate color anywhere in the world. The tool organizes color standards through a proprietary numbering system and chip format, which have since become iconic to the Pantone brand. The Pantone Color Institute™ provides customized color standards, brand identity and product color consulting as well as trend forecasting inclusive of Pantone Color of the Year, Fashion Runway Color Trend Reports, color psychology and more." (excepts taken from the Pantone website) Colors chosen by Pantone are seen in clothing apparel, interior design, and even accessories.
For 2023's Color of the Year Pantone has chosen Viva Magenta. Here's what Pantone has to say about why they selected this shade.
What is Viva Magenta?
Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.
This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. 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. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all.
"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. Rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength." ~ Leatrice Eiseman Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute
So even if you don't consider yourself super stylish or wouldn't call yourself a fashionista, if you purchase clothing, you are affected by trends set by the fashion industry. But you don't need to worry about keeping up with all that "stuff" i.e. what's in from year to year or which colors Pantone has chosen for a particular season (unless you love doing that and in that case you might want to consider become an image or color consultant like me). That's what I'm here to help you with! Besides the Color of the Year, Pantone recently released 10 trending colors for this spring. I'll be sharing those later this month, so stay tuned.
"Unconscious or otherwise, color can evoke emotions, inspire reactions, and change modes of thinking. It can excite or soothe your mood, raise or lower your blood pressure, and even whet your appetite! Whether it’s innate or learned, it’s undeniable that color has a vital impact on how we go about our lives." (excerpt taken from Color Psychology)
So what do you think of Viva Magenta? I personally love it! I will definitely be looking for ways to incorporate it into my wardrobe throughout the year and might even see if I can bring it into my home decor too.
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