Mexican pink –the beloved Rosa Mexicano– was born out of a fashion collection by mexican designer Ramón Valdiosera. Mexican Pink is a celebration of identity. It started as a way of telling the world: pay attention to the inspiring richness of Mexican culture, past, present and future.
Mexican pink, a national color loved by celebrities, architects and everyone alike has an origin story from Cuernavaca to New York City. Dive into the history of this special color, as told by the experts on Mexican colors, AORA Mexico
Where it all started
Rosa Mexicano was born one evening in 1949 at the Waldorf Astoria, New York when Mexican fashion designer Ramón Valdiosera presented a collection with a particular shade of bougainvillea. The press, fascinated, asked him, "Where does this color come from?"
Ramón Valdiosera was in New York on a mission: to show a new Modern face of México. He didn’t get there by himself. It was part of an official campaign. A presidential campaign. Ramón Valdiosera met Mexican President Miguel Alemán during another fashion show, this time in Cuernavaca.
The perfect color
There was that beautiful pink, a particular hue of color found in Mexican everyday life.
The president loved the show and it gave him an idea: Miguel Alemán said it was the perfect color to promote Mexican identity and Mexico as a modern country.
Alemán and Valdiosera shook hands. It was the beginning of Rosa Mexicano’s journey
Back in New York, in front of the press, Valdiosera explained the origins of that color: it was found everywhere in Mexico, from toys to traditional clothing. It is said then that a journalist shouted:
-So it’s a Mexican pink! - Rosa Mexicano
And there it was.
Celebrities loved Rosa Mexicano: María Félix, Dolores del Río, Paulette Goddard, Rita Hayworth, they all started wearing it. That was just the first chapter
Rosa Mexicano started to have a bigger name thanks to architecture. Luis Barragán and Ricardo Legorreta used rosa Mexicano profusely in their buildings. Rosa Mexicano was now an experience and a staple of identity.
The campaign was successful
The rest is history.
Back in New York, in front of the press, Valdiosera explained the origins of that color: it was found everywhere in Mexico, from toys to traditional clothing. It is said then that a journalist shouted:
