[dropcap style=”letter” size=”65″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#f7cac9″]D[/dropcap]esigners may refer to the hues as PANTONE 13-1520 and PANTONE 15-3919, but consumers will recognize them as Rose Quartz and Serenity.
The Color of the Year 2016 is considered to be a “symbolic” selection, “a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude,” notes the renowned Color Institute on its Web site.
This is the first time that two shades have been selected as the official PANTONE Color of the Year. The Web site explains, “Rose Quartz is a persuasive, yet gentle, tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.”
The shades were selected as an inspirational counterbalance to consumers’ stressed-out, time-constrained lifestyles: “As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern-day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.”
There is another cultural phenomenon that the blending of these two shades symbolizes. Commonly perceived as Baby Blue and Baby Pink, these shades were chosen to reflect the “gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted color trends throughout all other areas of design. This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumer’s increased comfort with using color as a form of expression, a generation that has less concern about being typecast or judged, and an open exchange of digital information that has opened our eyes to different approaches to color usage,” according to the Web site.
To help consumers select good complementary colors, the PANTONE site suggests pairing the combo with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades of yellow and pink. Silver or hot brights can be added for more
