Does color inspire you?

Every year, I look forward the announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year, a single chosen hue (or sometimes two) selected to represent the themes and aspirations of the year to come, guiding creativity and giving shape to ideas.

SanMar’s trend expert, Vicki Ostrom, also anticipates the announcement and has a few thoughts about how it influences color trends every year. “The point of a ‘color of the year’ is not that it should be used in the exact hue you see in the color chip,” Vicki advises. “It is a starting point for whatever product you are creating, to be made translucent, lighter or darker as needed.”

In an unusual first, the Pantone Color Institute gave plenty of notice about when they would make their announcement this year with a Countdown to the Color of the Year, ticking down the hours before their livestream event.

Finally, on December 1, Pantone welcomed us to the Magentaverse in a 30-minute introduction to their 2023 Color of the Year: Pantone 18-1750, Viva Magenta.

Elley Cheng, Vice President and General Manager at Pantone, hosted the event and expressed how this choice empowers creativity. “The color of the year this year is a call to courage,” she said. “It is an invitation to experiment.”

The Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, Laurie Pressman, expanded on how Viva Magenta is a reflection of the zeitgeist. “For 2023 we look to a dynamic carmine red that highlights our change in perspective,” Pressman said. “It’s a hybrid color, one that comfortably straddles the physical and the virtual. Audacious, witty, inclusive of all, Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same rebellious spirit.”

This hybrid nature is perhaps most evident in the fact that, as the Smithsonian and others point out, magenta is technically not a real color. “Unlike other colors, magenta doesn’t have a corresponding wavelength of light…it is simply that place where blue fades into red.”

Vicki Ostrom describes Viva Magenta as “lush and organic.” She adds that it’s a “very blendable shade of red. It can fit easily into a cool or warm color palette.” This is not a common feature of most colors and not an easy feat to accomplish, speaking to the intended hybrid quality of the color itself. “I could see it as a stand-alone color but I’m betting that we will see it more often used in prints and as accent trims, or an energetic, optimistic note in a color block for apparel. It injects energy and vitality into any palette it sits within.”

Real, virtual or somewhere in between, the choice of Viva Magenta as Pantone’s color for 2023 opens up endless possibilities in how you express it. Using Viva Magenta as the centerpiece of a look or as a pop of highlight color makes an unmistakable statement.

You can start at the foundational layers of an outfit – the District Perfect Weight Tee or the Essential Tee family from Port & Company offer a casual beginning for those looking to explore the possibilities. For a more professional approach, the Jewel Polo from OGIO, Sport-Tek’s Heather Contender or the Port Authority Silk Touch Performance Polo are just a few of the polos that feature this vibrant shade. If you’re looking to dress it up even more, try a Long Sleeve Carefree Poplin Shirt on for size.

Outer layers can also get the Viva Magenta treatment. From sweatshirts like the Sport-Tek PosiCharge Competitor 1/4-Zip Pullover or the OGIO Fulcrum Full-Zip to the Port Authority Hybrid Soft Shell Jacket, there are plenty of outerwear options. Kids can get in on the fun too, with youth-sized crewnecks and hoodies. And for the more adventurous let’s not forget the tie-dye options for both the young and young-at-heart.

Finally, no celebration of color would be quite complete without a few accessories to finish the look. Sport-Tek’s Pom Pom Team Beanie adds a fun splash of color to any outfit. Or you can pack a punch of Viva Magenta alongside your gear with the OGIO Breakaway Duffel and Logan Pack or the Cotton Canvas Sling Bag and Gym Bag from Port Authority.

Pantone’s choice of Viva Magenta for the color of 2023 is a meaningful one. It invites you to take a risk and embrace the unconventional. It showcases the power of color to influence and inspire in all the spaces we exist.

With all of this in mind, we can’t wait to see how you bring Viva Magenta to life in the new year!