Pantone the global color authority, today announced PANTONE® 18-1438 Marsala, a naturally robust and earthy wine red, as the Color of the Year for 2015.
“Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute said. “This hearty-yet-stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.”
“While PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid, the captivating 2014 color of the year, encouraged creativity and innovation, Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.
The Color of the Year selection requires careful consideration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone combs the world looking for color influences.
This can include the fashion and entertainment industries – including films that are in production, the world of art, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions.
Influences may also stem from technology, the availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.
The Versatility of Marsala
• Equally appealing to men and women, Marsala is a stirring and flavorful shade for apparel and accessories, one that encourages color creativity and experimentation
• Flattering against many skin tones, sultry and subtle Marsala is a great go-to color for beauty, providing enormous highlight for the cheek, and a captivating pop of color for nails, shadows lips and hair.
• Dramatic and at the same time grounding, the rich and full-bodied red-brown Marsala brings color warmth into home interiors
• An earthy shade with a bit of sophistication, texture is the story in print and packaging. A matte finish highlights Marsala’s organic nature while adding a sheen conveys a completely different message of glamour and luxury.
A Unifying Element
The impactful, full-bodied qualities of Marsala make for an elegant, grounded statement color when used on its own or as a strong accent to many other colors.
Marsala for Interiors
The charismatic and highly varietal shade of Marsala; a tasteful hue that embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness.
Complex and full-bodied, this hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing; translating easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.
Whether in a flat or textured material, or with a matte or gloss finish, this highly varietal shade combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupes and grays.
Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compatible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range.
Complex and full-bodied without overpowering, Marsala provides a unifying element for interior spaces. Add elegance to any room by incorporating this rich and welcoming hue in accent pieces, accessories and paint.
Marsala’s plush characteristics are enhanced when the color is applied to textured surfaces, making it an ideal choice for rugs and upholstered living room furniture.
Nurturing and fulfilling, Marsala is a natural fit for the kitchen and dining room – making it ideal for tabletop, small appliances and linens throughout the home.
The hue will be especially prominent in striping and floral patterns found in printed placemats, dinnerware, bedding and throws.
Marsala for Fashion
Each season, Pantone surveys the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to collect feedback on prominent collection colors, color inspiration and color philosophy.
This information is used to create the PANTONE Fashion Color Report, which serves as a reference tool throughout the year for fashion enthusiasts, reporters and retailers.
Marsala was a hit on the Spring 2015 runways with fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2015; Daniel Silverstain, Hervé Léger by Max Azria and Dennis Basso incorporated the hue into their collections.
The impactful, full-bodied qualities of Marsala make for an elegant statement color when the color is used on its own or as a compelling accent when paired with many other colors.
With the ever-growing popularity of floral prints and striping, variations of this hue will undoubtedly carry into men’s and women’s clothing throughout next year.
Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2015
Released to coincide with New York Fashion Week, the Pantone Fashion Color Report features the top 10 colors for women’s and men’s fashion for spring 2015, along with designer sketches, quotes and head shots.
“Many feel compelled to be connected around the clock because we are afraid we’ll miss something important. There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute
“Color choices follow the same minimalistic, ‘en plein air’ theme, taking a cue from nature rather than being reinvented or mechanically manipulated.
Soft, cool hues blend with subtle warm tones to create a soothing escape from the everyday hustle and bustle.”
Spring Fashion Colour Forecasts for 2015
An eclectic, ethereal mix of understated brights, pale pastels and nature-like neutrals take center stage as designers draw from daydreams of simpler times.
Remembrances of retro delights, folkloric and floral art, and the magical worlds of tropical landscapes restore a sense of well being.
Womens 2015
.
Men’s 2015
.
For spring 2015, the men’s palette takes a surprising turn, deviating from the women’s palette more than we have seen in recent seasons.
The menswear colors emphasize the need for uncontrived hues, where natural tones are interspersed with deep, foundational colors for an unassuming and sophisticated Top 10.
“In a world that has become increasingly chaotic, the nostalgic blues enables us to retreat into a safe place of quiet calm while harmonious greens from nature offer a reassuring presence.”
Marsala is also a popular choice for jewelry and fashion accessories, including handbags, hats, footwear and the burgeoning market of wearable technology.
This highly varietal shade combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupes and grays.
Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compatible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range.
An incredibly versatile color for beauty, Marsala is an appealing and sophisticated shade that’s flattering against many skin tones.
Marsala pairs exquisitely with monochromatic mixes of peachy pinks, and sparkles against antiqued gold metallics, offering an assortment of lipstick and blush options.
Marsala illuminates a range of smoky-neutral color combinations, making it a captivating eye shadow color that can be worn from morning until night.
Add an overlay of bronze for a dramatic look that suits any eye color, or use Marsala as a go-to finishing touch on nails.
Past Pantone Colour of the Year Winners
A color that will resonate around the world, the PANTONE Color of the Year is a reflection of what people are looking for, what they feel they need that color can help to answer.
Not necessarily the hot fashion color of the moment, but a color crossing all areas of design which is an expression of a mood, an attitude, on the part of the consumers.
Since 2000, the Pantone Color Institute™ has been designating a Color of the Year to express in color what is taking place in the global zeitgeist.
Ordered Top left = 2014 through to Bottom right = 2000
To distill the prevailing mood into a single hue, the PCI team, led by executive director Leatrice Eiseman, combs the world looking for future design and color influences, watching out for that one color seen as ascending and building in importance through all creative sectors.
Influences can include the entertainment industry, upcoming films, art, emerging artists, travel destinations and socio-economic conditions.
Influences may also stem from technology, lifestyles + play styles, new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.
With each unique color shade having its own special symbolism, an additional key consideration is the emotional component and the inherent meaning of the color.
