The Pantone Color Institute unveiled a new color to honor the late pop icon Prince. The latest color added to the Pantone rainbow is “Love Symbol #2,” a shade of purple.
The Prince estate expects to use the new unique color in merchandise and official products of the late singer. Purple was his trademark color.
Love Symbol #2
Pantone has unveiled a new purple shade in honor of Prince. The superstar musical artist who used purple as his trademark color.
“The color purple was synonymous with who Prince was and will always be. This is an incredible way for his legacy to live on forever.” Prince Estate entertainment adviser Troy Carter said in a statement.
The pop icon died of an accidental overdose in April 2016. His fans celebrated him and his amazing career using purple.
Love Symbol #2 was inspired by Prince’s custom-made Yamaha purple piano. It would be his brand’s official color going forward.
The color’s name also refers to the symbol by which Prince referred to himself as a part of his career before switching back to the name Prince.
“A musical icon known for his artistic brilliance, Love Symbol #2 is emblematic of Prince’s distinctive style,” Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute Laurie Pressman said in a release.
It’s not the first time Pantone has created a custom color for a person.
Color-sophisticates like Jay-Z, Jay Z Blue, real estate company CEO Sherry Chris, Sherry Chris Pink – SC 2011, and the late British fashion designer Richard Nicoll, Nicoll Blue, all have Pantone-formulated colors in their name.
Purple, purple
The late singer cited several colors in his hit songs, but he had a particular obsession with purple, culminating in his 1984 hit album ‘Purple Rain.’
As he explained in an interview around the time ‘Purple Rain’ was released. He believed that purple was the color of the Apocalypse:
“When there’s blood in the sky: red and blue equals purple… purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/God guide you through the purple rain,” he said.
The singer also wore purple in his wardrobe frequently and drove purple cars.
In fact, the late singer ordered a Yamaha piano in a precise tone of purple. It was meant to match a couch in Paisley Park.
The singer debuted the piano during one of his final presentations before dying.
Source: Quartz