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2023 Colour of the Year: The how and why of welcoming Viva Magenta to your homes, wardrobes and beyond

We spoke to experts to understand what the colour depicts and how we can wear it all through the year

The start of the year comes with a wait for the announcement of Pantone's Colour of the Year, and once it’s declared, we begin to wonder how best we can embrace it! 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 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. “This celebratory hue will add much-needed optimism into every day, a really good way to keep the Monday Blues away,” said a spokesperson.

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 show 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 winters, Lucy recommends pairing it with navy and mustard — picking out the grounding tones. For summer, she suggests teaming it up with acid golds and cerise pink for more of a tonal look. “It’s a great one to clash with leopard print, it gives more of a richness and is, of course, our staple print.”

The pink view of the world

Well, Valentine’s is 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, they can use the colour 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.

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 Colour into your style. 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.

purva@khaleejtimes.com