Pantone Colours of the Year 2021

Hello my lovely female entrepreneurs. 

Have you heard of Pantone colours? Often us designers talk about cmyk, rgb, hex, hsl and also Pantones. Pantones are the industry standard colour coding system used across design including fashion, print, home furnishings, product design and brand identity, whereby the colour can be standardised and recognised globally, creating consistency in any media.

Each year Pantone create a colour of the year, based on global colour trend analysis, forecasts, trends in art, technology, travel, socio-economic influences. In 2020, it was Classic Blue and 2019, it was Living Coral.

It has normally been only one colour each year, but for 2021, there are 2 colours that they felt stood side by side that are influenced by the global pandemic and bring a little hope.

PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray

PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating (Yellow)

Amazing how two colours that stand alone can be brought together and compliment or support each other. Pantone have chosen a great pair of colours that influence how we all feel about 2021 and what we need to lift our spirits after 2020 and the start of this year. They have said they are both practical and rock solid, but with added warmth and optimism. With strength and positivity definitely required from all of us to get through the year.

“It is a story of colour that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.

A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.

As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity, and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality.” - from Pantone.

I love the description Pantone use to describe the colours. It is just another reminder how important colour choice is in branding and life in general to evoke feelings, power and identity.

“The colours of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.”

With the world evolving and a lot of businesses are finding new ways to do business, these colours are matched with the need for insight, innovation, regeneration, creating new ways of thinking and concepts.

To read more about it, you can visit their site: 

https://www.pantone.com/uk/en/color-of-the-year-2021