Be it a Macro, Micro, or fad trend, the Fashion Industry, especially the Luxury sector rolls out possible trends seasons prior for the potential target market to embrace or reject those. In the same way, the arrival of the year’s final month brings with it the “Color of the Year” announcement by Pantone, a color expertise and trend forecasting firm.
On 2nd December, Pantone unveiled Magenta (Viva Magenta) as its prediction for 2023’s Color of the Year, which could dominate the retail landscape.
While the stakes for this year were high on ‘Very Peri,’ a periwinkle with blue hues, the color seemed to be doing little in the fashion circuit compared to ‘Hot Pink,’ in particular Pierpaolo Piccioli and Pantone’s co-creation of what we know as ‘Valentino Pink’ or ‘Pink PP.’
The latter half of the year presented many opportunities for the color’s association to go beyond the wraps of Valentino. A major factor of the color coming back into the limelight has to be the resurgence of the Y2K trend, especially the barbie- inspired looks that reigned in the early 2000s.
Presenting to you, a round-up of top ‘Hot-Pink’ moments from the year.
Valentino’s ‘Pink PP’
Unveiling of Valentino’s Autumn/Winter 2022 collection with a fashion campaign featuring Hollywood’s beloved Zendaya and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton brought creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Pink vision to the public eye, overtaking the Italian luxury brand’s long association with its signature red. The color co-created with Pantone has since been officially added to its color range and named ‘Pink PP.’
Since then, celebrities and influencers globally have been sporting the all-pink Valentino looks at various public events. Be it Drew Barrymore for the Emmy Awards, Sebastian Stan for the Met Gala, Anne Hathaway for the runway show, or former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes Film Festival look, Pink for the brand is here to stay. Breaking away from the notion of the color being associated with femininity, the voice of diversity that Piccioli is, he has redefined Pink to mean strong, gentleness, and disruptive.
Barbiecore
Mid-June this year, stills of Margot Robbie and Co-star Ryan Gosling as live-action Barbie and Ken for the much-anticipated movie “Barbie” took social media by storm. The 90’s and Y2K babies are especially excited, and Jacqueline Durran’s costume design glimpses definitely multiply that.
Even before the movie comes out, the looks inspired the term ‘Barbiecore,’ which essentially plays around with the aesthetics of Y2K and Barbie fashion, involving lots and lots of Hot Pink in the color palette. Ever since Barbiecore has filled up our Instagram feed.
Louis Vuitton’s exclusive ‘Rani Pink’ Collection
The vibrant hues of Pink hold are of great significance in India’s culturally rich heritage and history. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, a northern state in India, is known as the ‘Pink City,’ given the recurring color scheme in its historic architectural landscape. Celebrating this color of prime royalty, joy, festivity, prosperity, and love, luxury French brand Louis Vuitton created an exclusive collection for the Indian luxury consumer market featuring contemporary footwear and accessories in ‘Rani Pink.’
Kim K & Balenciaga
Long before Kim Kardashian started to re-evaluate her work associated with the brand Balenciaga over their latest distasteful advertising campaign, the duo in March gave us one of her most iconic looks from 2022. In high-waisted ‘pantaboots’ (boots+ tights) paired with a cropped bandeau top and hand gloves, all in vibrant hot pink hues, there is a strong possibility Miss K might be the one to have kickstarted our obsession with the color.
Rani Core
Pink color holds traditionally and historically of great importance to the long-standing heritage and rich culture of India; way before ‘BarbieCore’ existed, ‘RaniCore’ did. Maybe the term didn’t exist back in the day, but to elaborate- Vibrant hues of Pink have long been part of the decor, architecture, handicrafts, and clothing of the Royal families of India, specifically the female royals. In celebration of the heritage and jumping on the bandwagon of the “accidental color of the year,” ace Indian designer Masaba Gupta, known for her quirky print play designs, gave us her very own Indian makeover to the color. Debuting ‘RaniCore’ at Vogue India’s Forces of Fashion event, welcoming Anna Wintour was Masaba in her custom-made and draped ‘six yards of elegance’ aka saree with the ‘NeenaJi’ blouse paired with Cristian Louboutin pointed-toe heels in a similar shade.
