“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real… rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to the original matter.” Leatrice Eiseman
Viva Magenta: 2023’s Boldest Color Move
Pantone’s pick goes beyond trend it’s a cultural reset in red
The Color That Roared
Spring 2023 is loud
Pantone’s Viva Magenta (18-1750) isn’t whispering from the corner it’s taking center stage. A berry-toned red, equal parts warm and cool, it’s unapologetic. This is a color built to spark optimism, channel energy, and tell the world you’re alive, not scrolling quietly.
The Woman Behind the Shade
Meet Leatrice Eiseman
If color trends were pop culture, she’s the director and producer. As Executive Director at the Pantone Color Institute, Eiseman has been shaping palettes for brands, runways, and interiors for decades. She’s authored staples like The Complete Color Harmony, and her keynotes at design summits have cemented her as the global authority on color psychology.
When she calls Viva Magenta inclusive, boundaryless, and rooted in nature, it’s not marketing fluff it’s backed by decades of observing how color shapes behavior.
Pandemic Shadows, Magenta Light
Color as cultural mirror.
Pantone never picks in a vacuum. The pandemic shifted values, rewired priorities, and made people crave vitality. Viva Magenta answers with vibrancy. It’s not the calm blues of lockdown or the neutral beiges of retreat — it’s a comeback color. Energetic, experimental, extroverted.
Where to Find It
From runways to living rooms
Magenta isn’t just a swatch in a Pantone guide. It’s on sneakers, phones, blankets, and digital art prints. Cariuma dropped a Pantone sneaker collab. Motorola wrapped its Edge 30 Fusion in Viva Magenta. Interior designers are sliding it into throws, accent walls, and prints. Even Artechouse NYC turned it into an immersive Magentaverse with Lenovo’s smart glasses pulling people straight into a digital dreamscape.
Why It Works Now
Boldness sells
In a year where design feels like noise, Viva Magenta cuts through. It carries the weight of history (rooted in cochineal dye, one of the oldest natural pigments) while feeling electric enough for AR filters and virtual runways. It’s timeless and timely a rare balance in design.
Further Signals
Reads to deepen your color fix
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Albers, Josef — Interaction of Color: “A seminal text on how perception alters color experience.”
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Birren, Faber — Color Psychology and Color Therapy: “Classic insights into the science of color and its effects on human behavior.”
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Eiseman, Leatrice — Colors for Your Every Mood: “How color influences emotions and decision-making in daily life.”
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Itten, Johannes — The Elements of Color: “A Bauhaus master’s system of contrasts, harmonies, and relationships in color.”
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St. Clair, Kassia — The Secret Lives of Color: “Histories and stories behind shades that shaped culture and art.”
Final Thought
Magenta with teeth
Viva Magenta isn’t a trend to dabble in and drop. It’s a signal: color as confidence, design as optimism. Whether on your sneakers, your feed, or your walls, it dares you to stop blending in. 2023 is loud, and this is its anthem shade.
References
- Eiseman, Leatrice. Pantone Press Release Quote, 2023
- Pantone Color Institute. Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta, 2023
