Macy's Logo
The Macy's logo uses 1 primary color. Its dominant color is Red Hot Chili Pepper (#E11A2B, closest Pantone 185 C). Macy's operates in the E Commerce & Shopping industry.
- Color family
- red
- Industry
- E Commerce & Shopping
- Brand popularity
- Top 1% of indexed brands
- Website
- macys.com
Design analysis
The Macy's logo is a custom wordmark set in a flowing, connected script that reads as a single continuous stroke. The letterforms feature high contrast between thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes, with exaggerated loops on the capital M and lowercase y that give the mark a sense of motion and approachability. The apostrophe is replaced by a five-pointed red star, which sits at a slight angle and serves as the logo's primary icon — usable independently as a favicon, app icon, or social avatar. At small sizes the script remains legible because the counters stay open and the star provides a clear anchor point; however, the thin connecting strokes can fracture when reproduced below roughly 18 pixels in height, a common limitation of high-contrast scripts in digital environments. The mark sits on a baseline with no enclosing shape, allowing it to pair cleanly with promotional lockups, seasonal badges, or the Bloomingdale's sister brand without visual conflict.
Logo colors, measured
Colors extracted from the logo image itself (background removed), with share of the mark each color covers.
Click a chip to copy its hex code.
The single measured hue #E11A2B is a high-chroma, blue-red that reads as classic retail red — energetic but not aggressive. In the department-store category, where competitors like Nordstrom (dark gray), Kohl's (deep blue), and Target (vermilion) stake out distinct color territories, Macy's red signals heritage and celebration, reinforcing the brand's ownership of the Thanksgiving Parade and holiday shopping rituals. The absence of a secondary color in the core mark keeps reproduction costs low and ensures the star remains instantly recognizable in monochrome applications such as embossed shopping bags or watermarked photography.
Variations & downloads
Color variants generated from the vector source — free to download for identification, editorial and research use.
Visually similar logos
Nearest neighbors in visual embedding space — marks that share shape and structure with the Macy's logo, regardless of color or industry.
Brand web palette
Colors Macy's uses across its website — the broader brand system around the logo.
About Macy's
Macy's is a renowned department store chain in the United States, known for its wide selection of merchandise including clothing, accessories, home goods, and beauty products. Founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy, the company has a rich history that spans over 160 years. Macy's is headquartered in New York City, New York. Its iconic flagship store, the Macy's Herald Square, is located in Manhattan and covers almost an entire city block, making it one of the world's largest department stores. The headquarters house various departments including merchandising, marketing, operations, and finance. The company offers a broad range of products and services, catering to diverse customer needs. It carries popular brands as well as its own private label merchandise, providing customers with a wide array of options to choose from. Macy's also offers credit, loyalty, and gift card programs to enhance customer experience. In terms of global operations, Macy's operates primarily in the United States. However, it has expanded its presence internationally through online channels and partnerships with international shipping companies. It also operates Bloomingdale's, a high-end department store chain, with locations across the United States. Macy's market position is strong, although it has faced challenges in recent years due to the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer preferences. Competitors like Amazon and other online retailers have posed significant competition. Nonetheless, Macy's has adapted by investing in its e-commerce platform and implementing strategies to enhance customer experience both in-store and online. Throughout its history, Macy's has experienced various achievements and changes in strategy. In 1924, the company held its first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has become a beloved American tradition. Macy's has also made strategic acquisitions, such as the purchase of rival department store chain, Foley's, in 2005. Currently, Macy's faces the challen
Questions about the Macy's logo
Why does Macy's use a star instead of a regular apostrophe?
The star has been part of the brand since the 19th century, originally appearing on delivery wagons and store signage as a symbol of quality. It became a permanent logo element in the 20th century and now functions as the brand's primary icon, allowing instant recognition even when the full wordmark is not present.
Has the Macy's script changed significantly over time?
The script has been refined several times — most notably simplified in the 1960s and digitized for screen use in the 2000s — but the overall gesture, stroke contrast, and star placement have remained consistent, preserving brand equity built over more than 160 years.
What color is the Macy's logo?
The dominant color of the Macy's logo is Red Hot Chili Pepper (hex #E11A2B). The closest Pantone match is 185 C.
How many colors does the Macy's logo have?
The Macy's logo uses 1 primary color: #E11A2B.
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The Macy's logo is a trademark of its owner, shown here for identification and design research. Color data is measured from the public mark by LogoLabs; analysis is editorial commentary. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.