The Pantone Color of the Year Is Here: Viva Magenta for 2023

Feel brave and fearless with this electrifying shade of red

Dubbed by the world’s color authority as “an unconventional shade for an unconventional time,” Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta 18-750, truly is something to revel in. 

A way to look ahead and get a feel of the mood of 2023, the bright red hue is meant to project pure joy and a celebration of life. And if we factor in the color psychology, it makes perfect sense: Viva Magenta is a powerful, statement-making color that bursts with life. 

Pantone, in announcing the color of the year, emphasizes how this is also a symbol of courage—similar to the company’s pick for 2022, a periwinkle blue called Very Peri said to have a “courageous presence” that “encourages personal inventiveness and creativity.”

The crimson shade “merges the warmth of the natural world with the endless, rich possibilities of the digital space,” said Elley Cheng, Pantone’s Vice President and General Manager. According to Pantone, the selection of the color of the year took a collaboration between artificial intelligence and human creativity through the use of the metaverse. Here, the team utilized the AI art generator Midjourney, entering text descriptors of the color, and creating “The Magentaverse.” This was later on revealed at the Art Basel Miami. As an added dimension to the hue, Viva Magenta is said to be a mix of warm and cool tones—a hybrid color that gives a sensation of “being in a multidimensional realm.”

And it’s good to see how this color reflects how the digital space continues to accelerate globalization. As a result, we are more deeply connected. We have weathered the past three years of the pandemic. The years were marked by uncertainty, an unstable economy, social unrest, and rising climate change. As we heal together in our collective need for strength, we find the courage to move forward. Viva Magenta is an optimistic color that represents writing a new narrative in our life story in 2023, one of bravery and compassion.

Apart from artificial intelligence and the pandemic, another major influence on Pantone’s selection is the heightened appreciation for nature. In the past years, the company observed how people incorporated more living things into their homes such as indoor plants, living botanical walls, and restorative outdoor spaces. Viva Magenta, in this vein, was also inspired by the cochineal beetle, an insect that produces carmine dye, one of the strongest natural dyes.

Now, are you wondering how you can take on this vibrant color? Pantone shared that it’s easy to do; this versatile shade is universally flattering across ages, genders, and skin tones. Wear Viva Magenta as a monochromatic statement to convey power. If you want to take a subtler approach, you can pair this strong hue with pale grays, blues, or pastels. For interior design, Viva Magenta can also be an accent color for a neutral-themed home. You can try injecting it into your space via a velvet couch or a striking ikebana floral arrangement.

What do you think of Pantone’s color of the year for 2023? Regardless of how you inject it into your upcoming year, may the vibrant shade spark more joy for you.