Pantone just released their Color of the Year for 2020. Originally, we reported on Bleached Coral as the Pantone Color of the Year for 2020 – a major stand against the plight of global warming and the damage to our oceans. However, they’ve just announced Classic Blue as their pick. Stating “Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”
What Happened To Bleached Coral?
It turns out, we were all duped. The rumors circulating the internet that Bleached Coral was the Pantone Color of the Year was really a ruse started by creative team Jack Railton-Woodcock and Huei Yin Wong from Melbourne Australia. They felt as though the 2019 Pantone Color of the Year Living Coral was a bit out of touch when it came to the state of the planet… and the coral reefs. To learn more about the theory behind this shade, click here.
Pantone Color Of The Year 2020: Classic Blue
Now, on to Classic Blue. Without giving too much away or taking too much of a stance, Pantone representatives are releasing this color in an effort to calm the masses. It seems as though recent feelings within society – a.k.a. global warming and climate change, political unrest from Brexit and the recent Impeachment proceedings – has left everyone a bit “unsettled”. Pantone believes Classic Blue is a regal shade that will be the dependable, reassuring shade to help us begin a new era with more steady footing.
What Critics Are Saying...
In a New York Times article about the release they subhead the piece with this thought: “Can the latest color of the year help people feel better? Or just help sell a lot of stuff?” We can’t help but agree with their sentiment. While we applaud the company for their effort to engage stability in often-uncertain times, this shade is taking a backseat to the type of change and voice our society currently needs. As a trend, sure we all love blue, who doesn’t? However, Pantone has set themselves apart in the industry for being able to start movements and influence retail trends all across the world.
Next Steps In Our Industry: How Sustainability Is Playing A Role
Sustainability was a large movement seen amongst fashion weeks this year – with designers such as Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and more – openly discussing upcycling, local sourcing of fabrics, circular economy and eco-responsibility. We had hoped that the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 would follow suit – and originally we did, oops. While we're sure that we will soon report on the beautiful blue shades of hair color, eyeshadow, and nail polish that we are sure to see all over our feeds, let us not forget to hold ourselves accountable for the planet. For now, let's see Classic Blue as a tribute to our oceans and all that we can do to help them, like KEVIN.MURPHY's Ocean Waste Plastic initiative!
What do you think?
We want to hear from you! What do you think about the latest Pantone Color of the Year, and how will you use it this season? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us on social media @Bangstyle to chat more!
