The Pantone Color of the Year 2021
As is tradition every year, the people that know the most about color have spoken. They’ve give their verdict about which of all existing colors will be the one that sets the trends this year. This time, they come in pairs and will fill every room with optimism. Do you know what’s Pantone’s Color of the Year 2021?
It’s Ultimate Grey and Illuminating. A pairing you’ll see on the runways, in interior design trends and in many other art forms next year. As always, there’s a message hidden behind the two chosen shades. Let’s find out the secrets these two entail.
About the color of the year
For over 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has been an important part in creating new products. Creating trends in fashion, interior and industrial design, packaging and graphic design.
After a careful study of trends, experts analyze new influences across many fields. Movies, artworks, travel destinations, new artists, fashion, lifestyles, trends in games and leisure. This influences new technologies, materials, textures, social media and more throughout the globe.
Pantone’s The Color of the Year 2021
For 2021, the colors are PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Grey and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. The person in charge of making this decision is Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at Pantone Color Institute. In their press release, it’s stated that this is “a marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting“.
Eiseman stated that “we need to feel that everything is going to get brighter”. That’s why they’ve chosen two colors that are encouraging and give life.
Grey and yellow follow vital Greenery in 2017, introspective Ultra Violet in 2018, the elegant Living Coral that made a splash in 2019 and modest Classic Blue in 2020.
Interesting facts about the chosen colors
This is the second time in 20 years that Pantone has selected two colors. The first time was in 2016, with Rose Quartz and Serenity. This was a romantic and subtle mix that sought to promote equality and gender fluidity. However, grey and yellow are about contrasts.
On the other hand, this is the first time the color grey has been given a seat of honor and the second time for the color yellow. Both shades, like Period Red, were added to Pantone’s palette of colors early this year. The latter attempts to stop women’s periods from being taboo.
How to match grey and yellow, according to Pantone
These colors and shades offer many alternatives to create a chromatic palette. The Pantone Institute suggests the Aviary combination, “a lively and joyful grouping of color emblematic of vibrant and eye-catching rich bird plumage“. Grey and yellow also create a beautiful contrast between shades of blue, rose, and broken white, also called Cloud Dancer.
Another suggestion is Enlightenment, which offers a hypnotic, youthful and futuristic space. This mix is modern thanks to Lead Crystal, a metallic silver shade that adds a moonlight kind of shine. Also, they suggest lavender, rose and blue.
Pantone’s Color of the Year 2021 comes as a couple. Do you have either in your home? There’s no doubt that 2021 is a year where yellow’s optimism is very much needed.