Asia
Vietnam Color Palette
Áo dài silk, lacquer red, and tropical green — Indochinese color culture in saturated form.
Vietnamese palette pulls from three sources: the deep red lacquer of pagoda interiors and traditional sơn mài art, the saturated silks of the áo dài (now spanning every imaginable hue but historically rooted in rich pinks, greens, and yellows), and the tropical green of rice paddies and jade rivers. The French-colonial overlay added pastel wash colors visible across Hội An's old town. The supporting palette includes turmeric yellow, clay-pot brown, and the unique Halong Bay green-grey water color.
The palette
Sơn Mài Red
≈Crimson Velvet ClearVietnamese lacquer art
Áo Dài Pink
≈Garnet Tone BrightTraditional silk dye
Rice Paddy Green
≈Moss Velvet DustMekong Delta
Hội An Yellow
≈Apricot Tone BrightPainted colonial-era walls
Turmeric
≈Apricot Core VividCurcuma longa root dye
Jade River
≈Lagoon Velvet SoftHalong Bay limestone water
Pho Broth Brown
≈Vermillion Shadow SoftAnise-and-cinnamon star, slow simmer
Suits
Restaurant brandingTravel editorialStreetwear collaborationsSpice and tea packaging
Copy as CSS
:root {
--s-n-m-i-red: #a52a2a;
--o-d-i-pink: #e94175;
--rice-paddy-green: #5f8d4e;
--h-i-an-yellow: #e8b647;
--turmeric: #d89b2e;
--jade-river: #3f8b7e;
--pho-broth-brown: #5c3a21;
}Further reading
More from Asia
Japan
Indigo, sumi ink, and unbleached paper — restraint as aesthetics.
India
Saffron, marigold, and the Holi powder spectrum — the most chromatically maximalist national palette.
China (Traditional)
Cinnabar red, imperial yellow, and ink-wash green — five-element color theory across two millennia.
Korea (Obangsaek)
The five Obangsaek directions — the most disciplined ceremonial palette in East Asia.