Marsala – Pantone colour of the year 2015

Those influential folks at Pantone have spoken. It seems that 2015 is all about brown.

Well “Marsala” in fact, a rich and full-bodied red-brown like the fortified wine it is named after.

Introducing “Marsala”

After the bright emeralds, citruses and purples of recent years, marsala has split the fashion and design commentators with some dismissing it as reminiscent of sludgy meat sauces while others have raved about rich leathers, silks and velvets as well as spices.

Despite the criticism, the influence of Pantone means we will definitely be seeing a lot of this colour and similar in the coming months, so how are we going to incorporate into our jewellery making. There are a number of ways to make it work – as a material, as a gemstone or beads colour by itself, in combination with other colours, or by thinking about other jewellery that might compliment a marsala dress or sweater.

Marsala materials

This is one of those times when listening to the commentators might help – they mentioned leather, velvet and silk. So how about studding a leather cuff with complementary colours (see below) or using rich brown leather, silk or velvet to suspend a copper pendant or to thread your beads. Or tracking down some coloured chain.

This leather cuff by Rainwheel really shows off how marsala-type tones can be off-set by a contrast colour.

These Ettika bracelets show how marsala fabrics and ribbons could be used for the background to beads or chain

This Natalia Laguna chain would work with a wide range of skin tones – but it isn’t metal, it’s resin

Marsala gems

Garnet’s winey tones probably make it the closest to marsala but also think about using spinel or tourmaline, as well as crystals and glass beads in deep red-browns.

Garnet beads

These Annabelle earrings are a classic way to use marsala coloured gems and crystals

Or you could use big gems and crystals to make a statement. Cuff by Louise et Cie

Marsala contrasts

Pantone offers a whole page on shades that complement marsala – in terms of jewellery coral, deeps blues like lapis lazuli, turquoise tones and amber jump out.

You can think of these in terms of colours to use with marsala materials and gems or create statement pieces in those colours to work with a marsala outfit.

Stacking rings like these are a great way to mix a marsala-coloured stone with other shades. In the case of Alison Moore’s fairground ring – peridot, garnet and lapis lazuli.

This antique coral and garnet bracelet shows that these colour combinations are tried and tested.