This year’s selection is “Classic Blue”, to focus on calm and peace in an increasingly uncertain environment.
It has become a peculiar habit to wait for the announcement of Pantone’s colour of the year. The choice of one specific color is intended to interpret, if not guide, the choices of fashion at all levels, trying to inspire some sentiment and emotions in the worldwide community.
The chosen color for THE YEAR 2020 is PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, described with many reassuring adjectives: non-aggressive, timeless, relatable, enduring, dependable, stable.
The reasons for this choice are explained on the Pantone website, where they underline how this shade of blue as “A timeless and enduring blue hue, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.
Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.”
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, has expressed the feelings and motivation which led to this the choice: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence as expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of all the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look behind the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”
Pantone color research
To understand the significance of this initiative we have to consider that for over 20 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 cosmetics industry.
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 the Pantone Color Institute investigate the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, itinerant 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.
