Everything You Have To Know About 2015's Color: Marsala

When I first heard the word “Marsala” I didn’t know what it meant. I didn’t know the fact that the color I seemed to enjoy watching on runways this season, that blood-brown, sour cherry tone, was, in fact, called “Marsala” and would become 2015’s color. I had no idea. After hearing the word a few times, I decided to learn the origins of this interesting name. So I did.

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What does Marsala mean and how did it became famous?

The name comes from Marsala, a Western coastal city in Sicily, Italy. This town is well known for two special things: the archeological site and landing place for Garibaldi and the wine.

Its wine, called Marsala wine – a fortified, earthy, robust and rich red wine which satisfies even the most sophisticated tastes. For those interested in some history, the Marsala wine was drank by the natives mostly in its initial form – “vintage”, but for export the wine was fortified, so that the alcohol would last on long ocean voyages.

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An English trader, John Woodhouse, was the one who introduced this second version of the Marsala wine to a wider range of consumers. It was he who discovered the fact that a higher level of alcohol in the wine would preserve its characteristics when travelling long distances on sea or ocean. After that, Marsala began to be successful and Woodhouse began its mass production.

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Today, Marsala is produced using a variety of white grapes and contains about 15-20% alcohol by volume. It is categorized after color, sweetness (secco, semisecco and sweet) and the period of ageing. It can also be used for cooking, being the key ingredient in a variety of recipes with chicken or pasta.

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According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director at Pantone Color Institute, “Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability. Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draw us in to its embracing warmth”.

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The tasteful Marsala has become 2015’s color. But why?

Because this stylish red-brown tone can be embodied by both women and men. The appealing natural earthiness provided by Marsala can be used not just in fashion and beauty. Turns out it looks great in home interiors or industrial designs, while furnishings colored in Marsala prove to be sophisticated and unique. So, feel free to use this exquisite color wherever and whenever you please.