{this article was originally written on 01/31/2020}
The Pantone ‘Color of the Year’ for 2020 is Classic Blue.
What does that mean exactly?
It means that we are going to see Classic Blue pop up in many different areas of our lives…from bedding to nail polish, the color is going to be sprinkled throughout the retail shelves.
Now I work with Pantone colors every day in my ‘day job’, so I am very familiar with the concept. But if you are not, let me give you a brief explanation. Pantone {Matching System™} is a system used for standardizing colors and is used in most industries. The matching system emerged in 1963 and set the way for how we manufacturer goods across the globe.
Because of this color matching system, one can choose a color in an office in Little Rock, AR for an item and that color can be identically replicated in a design office in NY and then identically replicated in a factory in China because of the Pantone color standards. It allows for color to be consistently produced in manufactured items, be it in fashion, home and textiles or print and advertising.
In 2000 someone at Pantone decided it would be a great marketing idea to choose a color of the year, so each year Pantone does this. Over the years it has become a much anticipated revealing, as people wait to see what color will rule their lives for the next year!
Did you know that Pantone’s first color of the year was chosen in 2000 – it was Cerulean. For those of you that are as obsessed as I am with a little ‘ol movie that was made in 2006 about the cut-throat fashion industry and the queen that ruled it, you will know that Cerulean “represents millions of dollars and countless jobs”. Although she (Miranda) gives credit to Oscar de la Renta in 2002 for first showing it on the fashion runway, it was actually first chosen 2 years prior by Pantone, themselves, and then I guess it just “trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner” from there! 😊
How is the color of the year determined?
Well, according to research, Pantone observes trends of all types globally … pop culture, film, popular travel destinations, architecture, art, fashion, social media, politics and much more.
In 2007, the choosing of a Color of the Year expanded to other companies, as well … mainly Paint companies, who saw the opportunity to increase revenues by stating the trendy color of the year. While sometimes the paint company’s color correlates or compliments the Pantone color of the year, often it does not. This year, though, with the safe choice of Classic Blue, it would be hard not to compliment!
Let’s look at what other colors were chosen for 2020:
Sherwin-Williams – Naval
I love this color! It is very similar to the color that I currently have in my home… Sherwin-Williams In the Navy. It’s bold and classic!
Benjamin Moore chose First Light, which is a soft pink.
Behr chose Back to Nature, a sagey green that is very reminiscent of Clinique.😉
Even companies like Etsy and Xerox choose colors for 2020! Chartreuse and Clear, respectively!
I mean based on that, I am kinda feeling left out – shouldn’t we get to choose a color too? What color would you pick as your Color of the Year for 2020?