FASHION

Rihanna Embraces Pantone Colors Past and Present

Last year, “rose quartz”; this year, “greenery.” Pink and green are a tried-and-true combination.


Rihanna has cast herself as a modern-day Marie Antoinette, a queen enrobed in baby pink terrycloth and lace. Her Spring 2017 collection for her Fenty x Puma line featured slouchy silk ensembles, likened to the wardrobe of a monarch heading to the gym. But it’s not just in her professional life that Queen Rih has embraced pale pink hues and a blend of high and low. (Athluxury. Remember it.) It’s also reflected in her personal style, where she frequently combines laid-back tracksuits and sweatshirts with luxe, oversized outerwear. She’s a fan of the most celebrated names in the genre — Vetements chief among them — as well as a champion of up-and-comers like Finnish designer Ella Boucht. This week, she’s back at it, braving the cold in sandals and a cozy pink sweat suit, topped off with a Burberry snakeskin trench (Burberry, not a brand traditionally known for its athleisure, but Rihanna makes anything work) in the most seasonal color of all.

Rihanna in Burberry in New York, New York, January 2017.

Jawad Elatab / Splash News

Who: Rihanna.

When: Tuesday, January 10.

Where: Out and about in New York, New York.

What: A baby-pink sweat suit with silver sandals and a vivid green snakeskin trench by Burberry.

Why: Last year, Pantone announced its color of the year was twofold — a soft pink called “rose quartz” and a periwinkle blue called “serenity.” They’re both tranquil hues, which the brand associated with mindfulness, as well as a combination intended to highlight the increasingly blurred boundaries between gender identities in fashion. For 2017, Pantone had a different idea: “greenery,” a harsh, bright green, “symbolic of new beginnings.” Here, Rihanna combines both hues into one look, her blush pink sweat suit contrasting with the vibrant green trench. It’s all quite a lot of interpretive weight to place on a look, but pink and green are a tried-and-true combination. Ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump, a more optimistic reminder of new beginnings might be just what the fashion world needs.