Pink is the new grey, according to Pantone, who announced Viva Magenta as their colour of the year for 2023.
The vibrant colour, a nuanced crimson with pink tones, is a far cry from the pale grey that symbolised 2021- apt for a year that the world continued to face the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile paint company Dulux have chosen Wild Wonder as their 2023 shade- a muted yellow which it says is ‘inspired by the natural world’.
Viva Magenta is also described as a ‘shade rooted in nature’ as it is inspired by the red dye from the cochineal insect.
Pink is the new grey, according to Pantone, who announced Viva Magenta as their colour of the year for 2023
The Princess of Wales threw her support behind the deep pink colour at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June (pictured with Prince Louis)
According to Pantone, Viva Magenta 18-1750, ‘welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a colour that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all’.
Executive director Leatrice Eiseman added: ‘PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.
‘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.’
Trend forecasters WGSN predict that ‘natural and nostalgic tones will continue to hold sway’ in 2023, ‘and so will upbeat, celebratory brights’.
WGSN also said customers will be seeking brands that align with their values, ‘which can be addressed by adopting naturally-derived plant dyes that simultaneously celebrate and protect the environment as standard practice’.
But while people might be making bolder choices in what they wear, it seems that grey is still a staple for home decoration.
Research by Swift Home earlier this year found that grey was still the second most popular choice for living rooms.
Grey remains one of the most popular paint colours for people’s living rooms. (Stock image)
Top of the list was green, while navy came in third. Classic cream and white proved less popular in 2022 in favour of more cheerful pinks and yellows.
Meanwhile, we will soon find out from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders whether grey has topped the list for the most popular new car colour for the fifth consecutive year.
People seem to be reluctant to break the mould with their choice of car colour, with grey, black and white consistently top of the list.
