Pantone Color of the Year 2015
The Pantone Color of the Year 2015 is Marsala (18-1438). Its HEX approximation is #955251. A warm, earthy red-brown that grounded design in natural, culinary-inspired richness after years of brightness.
About Marsala
A warm, earthy red-brown that grounded design in natural, culinary-inspired richness after years of brightness.
Pantone announced Marsala as its Color of the Year 2015 in December 2014, following the program's annual cadence. The announcement placed the shade within the broader cultural conversation of the year — from fashion and interiors to graphics and packaging — and was accompanied by coordinated product releases from partner brands who had pre-adopted the color. Like every Pantone Color of the Year, Marsala is a TCX reference (18-1438) rather than a Solid Coated (C) code, reflecting the program's textile-focused selection framework.
In practical design terms, Marsala translates to a screen HEX of #955251 and a CMYK print approximation of 0/45/46/42. The precise printed result depends on paper, ink, and proof conditions. For brand-critical work that references Marsala, the safest approach is to specify the 18-1438 TCX reference directly to your printer or textile supplier, and to verify with a printed proof on the target stock before committing to production.
Closest Solid Coated match
If you need to reproduce Marsala with a Solid Coated (C) reference, the closest match in our catalog is 6039 C (#93565C), with a perceptual difference of ΔE 2000 = 3.60. This is a reasonable match, but you should verify against a physical Pantone chip before production.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pantone Color of the Year 2015?
The Pantone Color of the Year 2015 is Marsala (18-1438). Pantone announced it as the shade that its Color of the Year Committee believed would best reflect the cultural mood and design trends of 2015. Its HEX approximation is #955251.
What is the HEX code for Marsala?
Marsala is a Pantone TCX reference (18-1438), not a HEX color. Its closest screen approximation is #955251 in the sRGB color space, with RGB channels 149, 82, 81 and CMYK print approximation 0/45/46/42. These values are approximations and should not be treated as authoritative — the Pantone code is the actual specification.
What Pantone Solid Coated code is closest to Marsala?
The closest match in our Solid Coated catalog to Marsala (18-1438) is 6039 C at #93565C, with a perceptual difference of approximately ΔE 2000 = 3.60. This is a reasonable match but you may want to verify against a physical Pantone chip before using it in production.
How do I use Marsala in my design?
For digital design, use the HEX value #955251 — it will render correctly across browsers. For print design, specify the Pantone TCX reference 18-1438 to your printer, or convert to the closest Solid Coated (C) code (6039 C). For textile and fashion applications, the TCX code itself is the standard — no conversion is necessary if your manufacturer works with Pantone textile references.