Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021

As 2020 comes to a close, we are all in search of little joy. Pantone is seeking to do just that with its 2021 color of the year selection. This year, Pantone has selected two shades, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, as independent colors that come together to express unity and hope for the coming year. 

In their launch, Pantone noted, “it is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly. A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational. It gives us hope.” What’s beautiful is how the color pairs together. As Vice president of Pantone Color Institute Laurie Pressman noted, “seeing people reset their minds and their priorities, there appears to be an understanding that we need each other if we’re going to get through to this other place,” the two are interdependent. 

In a time of so much despair, isolation, and hardship, the color selection couldn’t be more fitting. Designer Johnathan Adler noted, there are many interpretations to this selection. “Gray is the worker bee, and yellow is the queen, adding a dose of sunshine and positivity where ever she goes.” Whatever your interpretation of the two shades may be, I hope this color selection evokes a feeling of resilience and hope. To read more about their color selection, head over to their website.