Pantone’s Color of the Year 2021: Yellow and Grey

On December 9, Pantone announced its color(s) of the year for 2021: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Grey and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. Selecting two colors for only the second time in 22 years, Pantone described the chosen yellow and gray as independent but complementary, representing a theme of unity and mutual support. PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is bright and vivacious while PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Grey is firm and dependable. Their combination represents strength, optimism, and fortitude following a markedly challenging year. Pantone's Color of the Year reflects color trends in fashion, beauty, design and home decor. In years with undercurrents of uncertainty, such as 2020's global pandemic, that has often meant choosing colors that are meant to soothe, calm or uplift.

Last year's choice, Classic Blue, offered a sense of reassurance as the world moved into a new decade, as well as a balm to feelings of instability and unrest. It was selected just before COVID-19 became an international crisis.

The sense of reassurance of the colour was not enough for this complicated and unpredictable year.

What we want to convey for this year is a message of happiness supported by great fortitude, the combination of these two colours is ambitious and gives rise to hope.
We need to think that things will shine again.

Hope is something essential to the human mind.

Do you like this color combination?