JH Color Theory: 2023 Color Predictions

Pantone’s 2023 color of the year hath been declared: Viva Magenta, a "vibrating" shade of not quite red, not quite pink, not quite purple that projects "exuberance promotes "a joyous and optimistic celebration." 

Which...okay, but may we nominate a more chic counterpart? 

We hereby counter with GAMAY, a shade inspired by wine-stained lips, jelly-like watercolor in abstract, and the artfully in-between. 

2023 marks the 24th year of Pantone’s color of the year, intended to prompt a dialogue between color and the cultural conversation of the moment. 

Each year's color is decided by a “global team of color experts” (...patiently awaiting our invitation).

Pantone, founded in 1962, originally served as a creator of cosmetic color cards before owner Lawrence Herbert conceived of a new direction: a unified language for color, allowing individuals to speak specifically about the nuance of shade and pigment. 

(Calvin Klein allegedly had a Pantone swatch taped to his refrigerator to indicate to his assistant what color his coffee should be.)

And while Pantone's lexicon has become de rigueur, it was definitely not the first — one of the earliest documentations of color palettes comes from Dutch artist A. Boogert, who created an 800-page manual in 1692 filled with hand-painted pairings of color. 

The original copy of the works still exists, housed in the archival collection of the Bibliothèque Méjanes in Aix-en-Provence, France. 

Over a century later, Werner's Nomenclature of Colours created a taxonomy of color inspired by the range found within nature and animal life — notably referenced by Charles Darwin in his scientific observations while voyaging through the Madeira, Canary, and Cape Verde islands. 

Our collection of JH polish is inspired by a similar ethos — considering color as language, as a tool for expression, and a reminder of the nuanced beauty that comes from looking a bit more closely.

And as a counterpart to our own veritable color of the year, might we suggest a few complementary pairings?

Pictured above from left to right are:
Himalayan Salt | Ghost Ranch | Miso

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