The Pantone Color of the Year for 2021 has been announced.
2021 will see PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating become the ultimate colour pairing.
The Pantone Institute of Color has defined this combination as “a marriage of optimism and strength”. PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow full of warmth and hope and forms a perfect union with PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray, a solid and strong foundation.
“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 colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.
This is not the first time that Pantone have announced two independent colours for Colour of the Year. 2016 saw PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz chosen which at the time was seen as bold and controversial. This year has the feeling that 'anything goes' so why not two colours again for the upcoming year.
For 22 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year 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. This year is no different with Ultimate Gray and Illuminating creating a pairing that is both dependable and lively, sunny and strong.
The sunny optimism behind Illuminating yellow stands out against the solidity and fortitude of Ultimate Gray. This creates a powerful union of hope and resilience and a message of a brighter future to come. A message that is very much needed right now.
About Pantone Color of the Year
The Pantone Color of the Year selection process 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. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.