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As 2020 nears its tumultuous end, the Pantone Color Institute has taken on its annual task of forecasting the color that will best reflect the year ahead.
And, in a decision that corresponds to a complex era, the authority of color, which standardizes samples for the design industry, has revealed not one, but two shades for its Color of the Year: the definitive neutral gray and the vibrant Illuminating yellow. .
Pantone swatches for your last colors of the year: Illuminating, a vibrant light yellow and Ultimate Gray, the first neutral shade selected. Credit: Pantone Color Institute
“Two extremely independent colors highlight how different elements come together to express this message of strength and hope,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of Pantone. Credit: Pantone Color Institute
Although Pantone selecting two colors could be seen as a hedge of their bets, a gray or a yellow, depending on how 2021 unfolds, Pressman and Eiseman want people to see the impact of colors as a unified pair, hinting at the importance of solidarity. in the next year.
“Two extremely independent colors highlight how different elements come together to express this message of strength and hope,” said Pressman.
Therapeutic implications
Pantone’s Color of the Year reflects color trends in fashion, beauty, design and home décor, and from the beginning, the initiative has also served as a kind of mood ring, selecting shades that capture the the spirit of the age. In years with undercurrents of uncertainty, such as the global pandemic of 2020, that has often meant choosing colors that are meant to calm, calm or enliven.
The Ultimate Gray and Illuminating color options mark the second time Pantone has opted for two different shades. Credit: Pantone Color Institute
Serene blue hues have popped up multiple times in the last two decades, but the only other time an optimistic yellow hue was selected was during another widespread economic crisis. For 2009, Pantone chose the lively Mimosa, projecting a sense of hope as the Great Recession of 2008 rocked North America, South America, and Europe.
“In hindsight, now we look back and think, ‘Well, that was a serendipitous choice for the year,'” Eiseman said.
Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year was deep, soothing classic blue. Credit: Pantone
It was a decision that echoed the company’s first Color of the Year: 2000’s Cerulean, chosen before the new millennium when fears about the Y2K bug dominated the news.
“It was an interesting dichotomy of feelings,” Eiseman said. “It was the fear of what might happen. So (it was chosen) to help alleviate that fear. But the blue sky denotes that there is a future out there … there is something to look forward to. So it was a very thoughtful decision from the beginning.”
Past colors have at times been a bit more apparent in their correlation with current events. Take the energetic Living Coral of 2019, for example, which highlighted the beauty of ocean microorganisms, but also warned of their demise, as warming of the oceans due to climate change has bleached coral populations. In late 2016, following the US presidential election, Pantone selected Greenery for the following year, alluding to the political turmoil and calling color a hue for restoration and renewal.
“Our goal is to engage people in a conversation about color,” Pressman said. “It has to be organic. It has to be true to what is happening.”
Although Pantone is known for its color forecasts and trend reports, Pressman said Color of the Year is not based on data. “What are we looking for? What do we need? And what are the psychological characteristics of that color that can give us what we are looking for?” Pressman posed. The decision is based not only on the state of the world, but also on what is happening in the spheres of fashion and art. But this year, he said, “you cannot escape the overwhelming influence of the pandemic.”
Psychological associations
According to the Pantone press release, Illuminating is associated with optimism and liveliness, while Ultimate Gray fosters “feelings of poise, assertiveness and resilience.”
Studies have found that yellow is most often associated with playfulness, while gray can be a bit more moody. Credit: Pantone Color Institute
However, the Pantone selection for Ultimate Gray is a bit more complicated. Although it was selected for its qualities of strength and reliability, it is the color of stone and a neutral classic in a wardrobe.According to Jonauskaite’s research, gray is linked to negative moods such as sadness, fear and disappointment. Because of massive illness and financial anxiety, such a selection is not out of place. But Pressman believes that gray may be a bit more versatile and open to interpretation. She and Eiseman point out that it is a medium gray, not a “heavy” shade.
Regardless of how people interpret Pantone’s choices this year, Pressman and Eiseman emphasize the power of bringing two disparate colors together.
“What we were trying to demonstrate was how there are different elements that come together, and it is that union that expresses strength and hope,” Eiseman said.
“I think (one) thing that has become very clear during this time … around the world is this deeper understanding of how much we need each other,” Pressman said. “How our connections with other people, our relationships with other people, give us that emotional support.”
