Move over Ultraviolet, Pantone is ready to usher in the color of the year for 2019.
This time, the Pantone Color Institute has moved away from the cosmos and dove deep into the ocean for inspiration.
After months of research and decision-making, the international authority on color has declared 16-1546 "Living Coral" as the color of the upcoming year.
"Just as coral reefs are a source of sustenance and shelter to sea life, vibrant yet mellow, Pantone 16-1546, Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment," Pantone announced on December 5.
Ever year since 2000, the company has picked a hue that best represents the upcoming year. They take into consideration various aspects of society, including pop culture, social media, art, fashion, technology, and politics.
For 2019, Pantone is embracing nature and in a way it's a welcome reminder about just how much space technology and social media takes up in our lives.
"Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities, and this is particularly true for Living Coral," Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, said in a statement. "With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial Pantone Living Coral hit a responsive chord."
Living Coral, which has been described as "an animating and life-affirming shade of orange with a golden undertone," is a color that the New Jersey-based institute is hoping will evoke optimism and encourage "joyful pursuits," during a time of social, political, and cultural instability.
The 2019 color is such a departure from this year's bold purple hue which was said to be "a reflection of what's needed in our world today." They explained that it "communicates originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking."
This isn't the first time that the institute has turned towards nature for inspiration. 2017 was represented by Greenery, a "fresh and zesty" color that was announced just after the presidential election to provide "the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment."
Now that the color of the year has been revealed, don't be surprised to see coral in stores, catalogues, and blogs everywhere.
