Every December, color trend and insight leader Pantone names its Color of the Year for the next year, and for 2023 the noteworthy hue is Viva Magenta.
This will come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed fashion for the last few years, especially with the proliferation of Valentino’s Barbie-esque pink that’s infiltrated mainstream fashion. Pantone’s hue has more of a red base, which means the opportunities to wear it might appear in different forms than expected. Miami-based stylist Elysze Held weighed in on the color and offered some insights of her own on how to wear it this year.
Embrace The Spectrum
With Viva Magenta’s versatility and the intensity of the previous Valentino trend, Held believes wearers will choose an array of tones in the color family, from pink to red. They may even select a classic red, also trending now.
“The [Valentino] pink was too much. It was everywhere,” she says. “But I think that people might bring out their pink and mix it with red.”
Accessorize Wisely
A full head-to-toe ensemble in Viva Magenta is going to be difficult for most people, Held says, “unless they’re very, very young and very, very tall.” However, a great way to bring it into your outfit is with an accessory: a bold belt, a sleek scarf or a sophisticated shoe. She mentions, in particular, that a red-toned suede shoe will be smart this season and designers like Alexander McQueen and Khaite have already leaned into a red bag. This color also works beautifully as an embellishment on clothing, whether it’s in the form of embroidery, patterns or detailing.
Be Fearless
With a strong tone like Viva Magenta, Held says, it’s important to commit. Let the color speak by adding subtle gold accessories, for example, but there’s no pasty lipstick allowed. “If you’re going to wear a color for an accessory, there is that old thing [of] ‘go big or go home.’ I mean, if you’re going to do a Viva Magenta, do the whole bag. Don’t put like a little rose on a straw bag,” she says. The benefits are emboldening. “It’s a very empowering color for women to have.”