‘Marriage of color’: Ultimate Gray, Illuminating named 2021 Pantone color of the year

December 10, 2020 - 10:54 AM
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Pantone Color of the Year for 2021: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. (Pantone/Facebook)

Pantone announced on Thursday that for the year 2021 it chose two independent colors as Color of The Year.

These are PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating.

Pantone Color Institute said these colors highlight how different elements come together to support one another, best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021.

“It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly,” the institute said.

The marriage of color is not just for aesthetics as it conveys a message of strength and hopefulness  that is both enduring and uplifting as the world faces challenging times.

“The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute said.

“We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit,” she added.

The institute that highlights top seasonal runway colors, selects the Pantone Color of the Year and forecasts global color trends among others, said the pairing of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating likewise highlights the people’s innate “need to be to be visible, to be recognized, to have our voices heard.”

The business unit has been choosing the Color of the Year for more than 20 years now.

This selection has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

The institute also advises companies on color for product and brand visual identity.

It said that the process selecting the Pantone Color of the Year requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis.

“To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences,” the institute said, adding that this include entertainment industry, films in production, traveling art collection, fashion, destinations, among others.

Last year, the institute named 19-4052 Classic Blue as the Color of the Year for 2020.

It urged the public to explore the color through its Facebook and Instagram filters featuring the Illuminating and Ultimate Gray into the augmented reality.

“Have fun with the Pantone 2021 Color of the Year! Explore different Facebook and Instagram filters that bring Illuminating and Ultimate Gray into your augmented reality, or build and share palettes featuring these colors from the Pantone Connect digital color platform,” it said.