What to Know About the 2020 Pantone Color of the Year ...

Ahead of the start of a new era that will no doubt bring intense new challenges, the Pantone Color Institute has announced that its 2020 ... Newsfeed Culture Pantone'sColoroftheYearIsaComfortingStartto2020.Here’sWhattoKnowAbouttheChoice Pantone'sColoroftheYearIsaComfortingStartto2020.Here’sWhattoKnowAbouttheChoice By CadyLang December4,20196:39PMEST Aheadofthestartofanewerathatwillnodoubtbringintensenewchallenges,thePantoneColorInstitutehasannouncedthatits2020ColoroftheYearisPANTONE19-4052ClassicBlue,adeepblueshadethat’satoncecomfortingandrelatable.Theindigohuebringstomindboththeconstantandtheclassic;theskyatdusk,animpeccablytailoredsuit,serenewaters,orabowlofperfectlyripeblueberries. Pantone’sselectionofClassicBluefor2020isricherwhenyouconsiderthehistoryoftheColoroftheYearfranchise,whichbegan20yearsagoin1999.Thatyear,thecolorchosenwasCerulean,asereneshadethatrepresentedtheexcitementofanewmillenniumandofferedacalmingvisualtotheanxietiesthatprecededY2K.Cerulean’simpactthatyearpermeatedtheculturalzeitgeist,rangingfromhomedecortrendstohighfashion;forreference,onemightconsiderMerylStreep’scharacterMirandaPriestly’smonologueintheearly-aughtsfilm,TheDevilWearsPrada,whereshebreaksdownhowthecolordominatedaglobalindustry. Soperhapsitshouldcomeasnosurpriseasadecadeendsandanewonebegins,thatPantonewouldrevisitthebluecolorfamilyaheadofayearthatwillcarryplentyofchanges,fears,andhopesasitushersinanewphase. GettyImages “Fromnowandthen[1999],there’sthesamefeelingoftrepidationabouttheworld,whichiswhy,basedonwhatwesawhappeninginourglobalculture,weselectedPantone19-4052,ClassicBlue,tobeourcoloroftheyearfor2020.”LauriePressman,VicePresidentofthePantoneColorInstitute,tellsTIME.“It’sareassuringblue,fullofcalmandconfidence.Itbuildsconnection.” VictorVIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho PressmansaidthatPantonefeltthatthecolorhighlighteddependability,trustworthiness,credibility,andconstancy,alltraitsthatarevaluedinthefast-paced,high-stresssituationsofthecurrentworld.Shealsopointedoutthatthedeepbluematchesthatoftheskyatdusk,whichprovidesanaptexampleofwhythiscolorcanresonatewithsomanypeople. GettyImages “Theskyatdusk–it’snotamidnightblue,it’sthoughtful,butit’snotsodeepandmysterious,”shesaid.“Itspeakstoourfeelingsofanticipation,whenyouthinkabouttheskyatdusk,thedayisn’tover.You’rethinking,what’saheadofus?It’sreassuring,butthought-provoking.Ithighlightsourdesireforthisdependable,anchoringfoundationonwhichtobuildaswecrossthethresholdintoanewera.We’relivinginatimethatrequirestrustandfaithandconfidence.Weallseethisblueskyandcanrelatetoit,it’sapproachable.” WireImage—2019VictorBoyko Indeed,thecolorseemsespeciallyfittingforthismomentintime;thehueisbothgenderlessandseasonless,makingitbothaccessibleanddesirable,forpeopleinallwalksoflife.Additionally,itsindigoshadecanbeachievednaturallyfromplantsanddyes,makingitacolorthatalignswellwiththesustainabilitymovement,echoinglastyear’sconcentratedfocusonsustainabilitywiththeselectionofLivingCoralasthe2019ColoroftheYear. GettyImages Andwhilesomemightassociatetheshadewithnostalgiaorconvention,PressmansaysthatClassicBluemaybeemblematicofheritage,buthighlycontemporary,whichiswhyitlooksjustasgoodwhenspottedasahoodedsweatshirtfromtheluxurystreetwearlineofthemoment,Off-White,asitdoeswithatraditionalsuitfromAmericanprepsterRalphLauren.“We’rereturningtoclassicsbecauseeverythinghasbeenchaoticintheworld,”Pressmansaid.“It’snotaboutdoingitlikeyoudidinthepast,butreinterpretingit.” MoreMust-ReadStoriesFromTIME HowWeChosetheTIME100MostInfluentialCompanies UkrainianMuseumsAreRacingtoSaveArtifactsThatTelltheCountry’sStory Back-to-OfficePressureIsCreatingaCrisisforLongCOVIDPatients InsidetheCapitolHillStaffers'EfforttoUnionizeCongress SomeoneIsKillingtheWildHorsesofArizona.OneWomanIsDeterminedtoFindOutWho 'IsGainingKnowledgeaSin?'AfghanGirlsContemplateaFutureWithoutSchoolsAftertheTalibanBacktracks HowTheBidenAdministrationContradictsItselfonKeyImmigrationPolicies WhyCryptoScamsAreDrivinganOnlineCrimeBoom—AndHowtoOutsmartThem [email protected]. SHARETHISSTORY ReadMoreFromTIME YouMayAlsoLike ReadNext ArmieHammerDrinksGoatMilkFromtheUdderwithBearGryllsAsOneDoes NextUp:Editor'sPick HowWeCanLearntoLivewithCOVID-19AfterVaccinations EDITPOST Youhavereachedyourlimitof4freearticles. Loading... Paywall-Icons-DevicesGetunlimitedaccesstoTIME.com Paywall-Icons-NewsletterInsideTIMEdeliveredtwiceweekly Paywall-Icons-DigitalMagazineAccesstotheTIMEDigitalMagazine SubscribeNow Alreadyaprintsubscriber? Goheretolinkyoursubscription. PurchasedTIMEPieces? Goheretoconnectyourwallet. Alreadyhaveadigitalaccount?SignIn. SubscribeNow Orcreateafreeaccounttoaccessmorearticles Existingprintsubscriber?Clickhere.