THINK PINK!

In Defense of Pink: Why It’s The Color to Embrace in 2017

Forget Legally Blonde and girly pinks. Designers have learned to make the sometimes maligned color sophisticated for the new year.


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Photographs by Benjamin Vnuk, Styled by Lindsey Frugier; Hair by Blake Erik for Oribe Hair Care at JeD Root; Makeup by Junko Kioka for Chanel at Joe Management; Manicure by Elisa Ferri for Chanel at See management; Set Design by Mila Taylor-Young at d+V management; Model: Wallette Watson at Q management NYC; Digital Technician: Jonathan Nesteruk; Photography Assistant: Sam Evans-Butler; Assistant Set Designer: Holly Hmiddouche

Pink has always been my least favorite color. I have avoided the color nearly my entire life. I just felt, well, too girly wearing it. Elle Woods arriving at Harvard in head to toe pink in Legally Blonde? Fine. Gwyneth Paltrow weeping at the Oscars in Ralph Lauren silk faille? Adorable. Even Britney Spears wearing a pink marabou feather hair tie in her heyday? Hey, it was a different time. But me, in pink? Unfathomable.

In 2012, when Tom Ford was designing the bridesmaids’ dresses for my wedding he asked what color I wanted for them. Immediately I suggested a navy shade of blue, only to be told the dresses should be pink. When I told him pink was my least favorite color he replied without concern, “then we will call it blush!” That was it. The dresses were blush and they were beautiful. He was right (I guess when it comes to fashion he usually is…)

‘Tis the Season to Wear Pink–In Every Shade

“I have to be honest: I’ve never been a fan of pink. But this season labels like Valentino, Céline, and Bottega Veneta—all of which showed great-looking dresses in shocking hues—have me changing my tune.” -Rickie De Sole, Fashion Market and Accessories Director

Valentino dress, $5,500, Valentino, New York, 212.772.6969; Simone Rocha earrings, $150 (right) and $235 (left), net-a-porter.com; Altuzarra shoes, $1,295, net-a-porter.com.

Photographs by Benjamin Vnuk, Styled by Lindsey Frugier; Hair by Blake Erik for Oribe Hair Care at JeD Root; Makeup by Junko Kioka for Chanel at Joe Management; Manicure by Elisa Ferri for Chanel at See management; Set Design by Mila Taylor-Young at d+V management; Model: Wallette Watson at Q management NYC; Digital Technician: Jonathan Nesteruk; Photography Assistant: Sam Evans-Butler; Assistant Set Designer: Holly Hmiddouche

Sarah Hendler 
Earrings, $13,200, marissacollections.com

“To some, these one-of-a-kind rubellite danglers might seem girly. I think they’re fierce.” -Grace Fuller, Jewelry Editor

Prada bag, $2,160, prada.com.

Josephine Schiele; Styled by John Olson at Halley Resources

“These aviators will literally have me seeing the world through rose-colored lenses.” -Sam Walker, Associate Accessories and Men’s Market Editor

Josephine Schiele; Styled by John Olson at Halley Resources

Spinelli Kilcollin ring, $13,600, spinellikilcollin.com.

Courtesy of Spinelli Kilcollin

Byredo candles, $85 each, byredo.com

Josephine Schiele; Styled by John Olson at Halley Resources

“A blazer in petal pink is the perfect marriage 
of masculine and feminine.” -Sarah Zendejas, Fashion Market Editor

Tim Hout; Styled by John Olson at Halley Resources

Altuzarra Dress, $995, net-a-porter.com

Reformation Dress, $240, net-a-porter.com

Apiece Apart Dress, $475, net-a-porter.com

Osman Dress, $355, matchesfashion.com

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Most Wanted: This season’s best Pink looks.

Cut to Paris, September 2016. Demna Gvasalia sent out a bright pink midi dress worn with purple tights at his Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2017 show. It popped and everyone took notice. Blush it was not–try Schiaparelli-level shocking! Not more than two hours later, there it was again at Phoebe Philo’s Céline show, where every editor and buyer clamored to get a shot of the ballet slipper, pink draped dress that closed the show. And then that afternoon, when Pierpaolo Piccioli made his debut as Valentino’s sole creative director, what color did he choose for his big moment in the spotlight? Why pink, bien sûr.

You know what they say, three’s a trend and when those three are Balenciaga, Céline and Valentino, you pay attention. But as any good editor knows, ‘to shoot’ and ‘to shop’ are often worlds apart. And I still needed a little more convincing that I could personally take the plunge.

And then the Golden Globes happened. Zoe Saldana wore a beautiful bohemian Gucci tiered gown in three shades of pink and she looked radiant. I could see myself wearing it to the wedding in Spain I’m attending over Labor Day weekend. Certainly, you won’t be seeing me rocking pink confections head to toe anytime soon, but as Kay Thompson tells Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, think pink! In any case, I’m starting to.

Golden Globes 2017: See What Everyone Wore on the Red Carpet

Natalie Portman in vintage Prada and Tiffany’s jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Millie Bobby Brown in Jenny Packham at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Blake Lively in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Winona Ryder in Viktor & Rolf and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Naomi Campbell in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Drew Barrymore in Monique Lhullier and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Janelle Monae in custom Armani and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Nicole Kidman in Alexander McQueen and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Felicity Jones in Gucci at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Brie Larson in Rodarte and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Emily Ratajkowski in Reem Acra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Amy Adams in Tom Ford at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sarah Paulson in Marc Jacobs at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Reese Witherspoon in Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Lily Collins in Zuhair Murad at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Gaten Matarazzo at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Kerry Washington in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Chastain in Prada at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Hailee Steinfeld in Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Issa Rae at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Natalie Morales at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sistine, Scarlet, and Sophie Stallone at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Ruth Negga in Louis Vuitton and Gemfields x FredLeighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Mandy Moore in Naeem Khan at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Evan Rachel Wood in Altuzarra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Thandie Newton in Monse and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Priyanka Chopra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 08: 74th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS — Pictured: Actress/producer Viola Davis arrives to the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images via Getty Images
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Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Amy Adams, and More Stars of the Year’s Best Films Get Really, Really Into “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor

Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Amy Adams, and More Stars of the Year’s Best Films Get Really, Really Into “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor