.png)
If Pantone, the most authoritative Color Institute on the planet presenting a trendy shade every year, has chosen it as the color of the year, we can predict Viva Magenta will influence (as it is already influencing) the inclinations of several creative fields, from fashion to graphic design to packaging; last but not least, interior design.
Those who are preparing to decorate a new home with a touch of nonconformism, or want to renovate their living space, a room or a single wall with panache, will include this shade in the range of options, «an unconventional color for an unconventional time. From a technical point of view, the nuance is a shaded crimson red tone, in perfect balance between warm and cold, a hybrid color evocative of our multidimensional world. Therefore capable of narrating the reality we are experiencing, increasingly immersed in technology and which makes us more connected to each other», explains Pantone, alluding to Viva Magenta's ability to narrate technological evolution.
It is no coincidence that the United Colors Of Benetton fashion brand has chosen it to enter the Metaverse and decorate its new virtual store, where magenta velvet is everyehere, in a riot of reds and pinks, so much so that even the Milanese flagship store of the brand has been renewed with the same look. A color block effect that can be replicated in the home through combinations of similar shades that create a dialogue between walls, upholstery of armchairs and sofas, cushions, curtains and bed linen: a boost of good humor and character, because magenta in its variations is «brave and fearless, a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyful and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative», says Pantone.
On the other hand, being a direct descendant of the red family, which has always instilled the sensation of energy and warmth to the eye, Viva Magenta can only envelop us with its vibrant strength, as already announced on the catwalks for the Fall Winter 2022 collections, through explicit declarations — total looks declined in this nuance — or magenta details and accessories that colored the more minimal collections here and there, precisely because the hybrid nature of this color makes it an ideal juxtaposition to neutral colors, producing unprecedented and interesting contrasts: a philosophy to be applied to the the house interior decoration, through magenta-colored details such as cushions, vases and ceramics punctuating the more neutral environment with vibrant details.
Even on the big screen, Magenta decisively conquers the sets of trendy movies: an example of it is the successful thriller Glass Onion-Knifes Out and its recently released sequel, centered once again on detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), this time grappling with a case in a luxurious and eccentric Greek (in the photo) mansion belonging to billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Inspirations for exuberant colors enter our field of vision through the art, architecture and design of the past — Jeff Koons' seductive balloon-shaped sculptures in reflective material come to mind, particularly fun and impactful in the magenta version. And think about the iconic Maralunga sofa designed by Vico Magistretti in 1973 and winner of the Compasso D'Oro in 1979: in 2020 was re-proposed, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the designer's birth, in a pink-magenta corduroy covering.
Luis Barragàn, one of the most important Mexican architects of the 20th century, made his design style unique and recognizable in the world also through the ability to combine the bright colors of the Mediterranean tradition in a modern way, such as pink and red, applying them of essential geometric volumes. Staying on the subject of interior design, recently set up at the Milan Triennale and always open to visitors as part of the permanent collection is Casa Lana, an apartment recreated inside the museum, inspired by an original 1965 project by founding designer of the Memphis Group Ettore Sottsass: a soft rosy red carpet covers the floor, catapulting it into a current context.
If magenta has conquered you, take a look at our ideas. In the meantime, we report here the four palettes that the Pantone Institute has selected in order to combine Viva Magenta in a harmonious and functional way:
Equilibrium: warm palette with orange and pink tones. Family Ties: includes shades similar to Viva Magenta focused on brown and pink. Resonance: combines cold and dark nuances. Ignite: includes pastel and luminous shades that enhance the brilliance of Viva Magenta.
