By: Alison Kirk
March 2021
COLOURS OF THE YEAR FOR 2021
Every December, creative society as a whole, awaits with much excitement and anticipation, the announcement of Colours of the Year.
The world renowned authority on colour, Pantone, has announced the Colours of the Year for 2021. These are Ultimate Grey and ‘Illuminating’, which is a vibrant shade of yellow. The colours were chosen to represent optimism, strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting in uncertain times. The Pantone colour of the year is a colour trendsetting forecast for the consumer. It is intended to be used for consumer products and designs. Pantone, meaning all colours, developed the first colour matching system. Pantone colours are described by their allocated number, eg. Ultimate Grey 17-5104 and Illuminating (yellow) 13-0647. Specific colours are used in branding and are easily recognised. For example the red used by Coca Cola and the unique turquoise used by Tiffany.
Pantone LLC is a limited liability company with headquarters in New Jersey. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System. It is the colour standardised system that assists in colour matching and identification. Pantone colour system which originated in 1963, is the most important colour matching system in the world. Every colour, in every tone or tint was given a number to classify it.
CHOOSING EACH YEARS PANTONE COLOURS
The colour of the year is chosen by a 20 person team over a period of about nine months. Research begins in early spring, looking for recurring patterns of daily life situations. A colour snapshot of what is taking place in our global culture that gives an expression of mood or attitude. The colour of the year is meant to be used in marketing and product creations . It offers designers, marketers, creators and brands a chance to work together and build a strong and powerful colour presence. Clothing companies can design some of their clothing in the colours of the year. Make up companies can create an Ultimate Grey or Illuminating collection. Graphic designers and interior decorators can create designs and decorative pieces in those colours.