New York, August 14, 2017 – The Prince Estate, alongside Pantone Color Institute™, the global color authority, announced today the creation of a standardized custom color to represent and honor international icon, Prince. The (naturally) purple hue, represented by his “Love Symbol #2” was inspired by his custom-made Yamaha purple piano, which was originally scheduled to go on tour with the performer before his untimely passing at the age of 57. The color pays tribute to Prince’s indelible mark on music, art, fashion and culture. The announcement was first made on Refinery29, read here.
Prince’s association with the color purple was galvanized in 1984 with the release of the film Purple Rain, along with its Academy Award-winning soundtrack featuring the eponymous song. While the spectrum of the color purple will still be used in respect to the “Purple One,” Love Symbol #2, will be the official color across the brand he left behind.
“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,” said Troy Carter, Entertainment Advisor to Prince’s Estate.
The ‘Purple One’ made a statement and challenged cultural norms through both his well-known music and personal style. In addition to the Oscar, Prince won seven Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for Purple Rain. Both “Purple Rain” and “1999” were entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the very first year he was eligible.
Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute said: “We are honored to have worked on the development of Love Symbol #2, a distinctive new purple shade created in memory of Prince, ‘the purple one.’ A musical icon known for his artistic brilliance, Love Symbol #2 is emblematic of Prince’s distinctive style. Long associated with the purple family, Love Symbol #2 enables Prince’s unique purple shade to be consistently replicated and maintain the same iconic status as the man himself.”
The Estate is in conversation with various partners about collaboration on products that incorporate the custom color.
