By Ashley Zimmermann, Creative Content Director for @designREMODEL

Pantone’s Color of the Year homepage looks otherworldly. One of the images featured on the company’s page to introduce Viva Magenta looks like a riverbank of crystalline space flowers blooming into fanciful, ripe iridescence. Another featured image shows a graceful figure stretching as if in a dance, made of a combination of organic, fabric-like sinews and neon tubes of light lacing throughout. 

I’ve had a lot of time to subconsciously think about the shade since I have downloaded it as wallpaper for both my personal and work computers. I guess you could say that I’m a fan. The shade is satisfyingly juicy and saturated, and it is exciting to look at on a repeated basis. I’m pleased whenever I turn on my computer and see the Pantone wallpaper.

So what kind of picture is Pantone painting for us with their 2023 COTY? Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone Color Institute, explains:

“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.” 

‘Viva’ translates to ‘live’ in Spanish; the Latin root ‘viv’ forms the foundation for ‘life’ in many languages (e.g. “joie de vivre”). I think that is indeed the best description for this magnificent color.

Reference:

https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2023 - Welcome to the Magentaverse