Why is pink Hollywood’s favorite post-pandemic shade?

At this year’s Oscars, Zoe Kravitz wowed in a champagne-pink Saint Laurent gown, while at the Met Gala, Glenn Close wowed in a neon magenta top and pants with an embroidered Valentino cape on top. Meanwhile, Harry Styles and Lizzie wore hot pink pants to Coachella and paired them with oversized jackets. Wherever we look this spring, as we part ways from the scarcity of our pandemic, the world seems to be telling us one thing: think pink.

It’s hard to know where this recent obsession with pink originated, but you can point to Melrose Avenue in 2005. Ultimately, that’s when the now cult neon pink wall came about, the brainchild of designer Paul Smith. He tried to separate his masculine boutique tone from the graffiti urban expanse that surrounded him.

“I remember yelling, ‘We have to make the Eiffel Tower!'” the designer explained in an email recently. “And by that I meant something that was different and different in heaven.” The color was inspired in part by Mexican architect Luis Baragan’s favorite cheerful hue and the idea that, against the blue sky of Los Angeles, it would instantly stop motion. He was right, of course. And although it debuted five years before its Instagram appearance, Paul Smith’s Pink Wall was a harbinger of future events, delivering a flurry of artists and unwanted selfies in search of the perfect image.

Meanwhile, as pink has increased its power over the Zeitgeist, a special touch of pale pink is common. It has become a favorite of brands, from Acne Studios and Glossier, to places like West Hollywood’s Alfred Coffee or London’s Sketch Restaurant. He moved to walkways, apartment walls, gadgets (see: Rose Gold iPhone, released in 2015), and website pages and marketing materials as far as the eye can see. Writer Veronica Highland in 2016 even passed it down to a generation and called it “Millennium Pink,” a name that has continued to be both good and bad. That’s “ironic pink,” he wrote. Cut in time. “Pink sugar without beauty. It is nothing that does not interfere, whose semi-ugliness is proof of its sophistication.” That same year, Pantone named shades of dusty salmon, rose quartz, the color of the year.

“Millennial pink really defined the era,” says Angela Freya, a creative director and design historian who often appreciates the colors and their broad meanings to her 83,000 TikTok followers. “And I think that era is over.” Tiffany Howell of interior design firm Night Palm says that home decor is often trendy, which is why, about five years ago, “everybody wanted everything pink.” This is still an important requirement and many customers are looking for a “pink moment”.

Claire Coulson, color strategist for the trend forecasting firm WGSN, says that the shadow represented a feeling of openness and positivity that, although difficult to remember, permeated Trump’s previous years when we were still in the blues era (tasting of words). Social networks. “Millennial pink has crossed borders to become a gender-neutral color that feels empowering, youthful and wearable,” she says. “Millennials liked her for her Instagram profile and her openness to gender diversity.” Freya agrees: “I doubt, for the first time in over a century, pink was able to take on gendered traits, and there was something very new and fresh about it.” Previously, a man dressed in pink could raise his eyebrows in certain circles (although rapper Cameron certainly created a trend when he surprised her with his Killa Pink hat in 2002).

Howell notes its exciting effect and variety. “It causes a lot of emotional reactions in people and it has a wide range,” he says. “It can be deeply romantic and also act as a neutral to soften spaces.”

The shadow has spread far and wide, causing wear and tear in certain design circles in recent years. “While I still love certain shades of pink, I personally used it often as a designer and got tired of it,” admits Howell. But now that we’re (fingers crossed!) out of a pandemic, trendsetters are considering what the next color will be.

The verdict is that the pink is far from dead, but it’s not quite the same powdery hue as it was a few years ago. The color seems to have dissipated and is heading towards two extremes (as in all of the United States). On one side a bright neon pink and on the other a touch of pastel varnish, even softer than the millennial version.

“We’re really seeing a resurgence of hot pink,” says Freya. To prove it, just take a look at Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection, which was painted half black and half striking fluorescent pink, which the brand dubbed Valentino Pink PP. It’s festive and pleases the post-pandemic party. “After two years in our homes, it seems that there is a longing for colors. “We all need some color and joy,” Freya said. “The bright colors feel nice and give us an energetic break from our ‘workhouse’ leggings and sweatpants.

Coulson says the shades of pink on the fall runways have increased by 138% year on year, as evidenced by Valentino’s show. Streetwear website Highsnobiety recently suggested that this new, brighter shade is a fiery response to the soothing serenity of millennial pink, calling it “hot pink rage.”

In contrast, Howell says he has recently opted for more delicate, calming tones in his design work. “I use more earthy, dreamy shades of pink, reminiscent of old Italian villas or dilapidated buildings in Paris,” she says. “There is something sexy and exotic about these colors. I think after so much time at home, people wanted to incorporate these nostalgic places into their homes. We deny that everyone looks good in a beautifully lit, soft pink room, and who doesn’t want that? Examples of softer tones in the fashion world are the pink Armani Privé dress recently presented by El Fanning in Cannes. Coulson notes that in his summer 2024 forecast, he predicts not just bolder shades of pink, but muted colors as well (their fascinating names are Fondant Pink and Pink Diamond).

What else does Coulson see in his crystal ball? “Our obsession with pink will continue,” he says. “We don’t see it going anywhere yet.”

The story first appeared in the June 1 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.