And the Next Big Color is…

Pantone just announced that Marsala, a rich reddish brown hue, is next year’s must-have color. “It’s a color that’s equally as Screen Shot 2014-12-15 at 4.02.02 PMversatile on the body, in cosmetics or in the home, and that really makes it universal,” says Pantone Color Institute’s executive director, Leatrice Eiseman.

Pantone’s yearly picks can herald a marked presence of a color in fashion, beauty, housewares, home and industrial design and consumer packaging, though some years the influence is stronger than others.

pantone-marsala-kitchen-wall-coty-2015-kitchann-style-e1417812537543Eiseman and her team travel the world to observe color at play. For Marsala, they see an accent wall in a living room or office, a swipe of eye shadow mixed with bronze for a metallic look, a throw pillow, the exterior of a car or a bit of jewelry evoking the 1950s.

There’s a natural earthiness to the shade, a full-boxiness like the cooking wine it is named for, without overpowering.

So how can you wear it? Pair it with a neutral tone, like navy or black, or try a complementary color, like mustard. Another way to indulge: Swipe it on your lips. “This color flatters the mouth’s natural pigments, so it works for everyone,” says beauty guru Bobbi Brown.

New Jersey-based Pantone, a subsidiary of X-rite, picks a new color every year