Pantone 2016: a look back at a year of Rose Quartz and Serenity.

In 1963 Lawrence Herbert created a simple system for identifying and matching colours to resolve the issues the graphics industry faced. He subsequently became crowned the founder of Pantone.

But an issue arose when people began viewing the colour spectrum differently. This prompted the creation of the PANTONE® MATCHING SYSTEM; a fan shaped printing colour guide relied on daily by designers around the world.

However, colour runs deeper than the graphic design industry and the recently heralded ‘Crucial Colour Guide’ has found a place in industries such as fashion, digital, interior design, and architecture. It is trusted as the “standard language for accurate colour communication”.

Each year, Pantone selects a ‘Colour of the Year’ following a top secret meeting discussing various nations’ colour standards. They then publish the results into a guide for consumer-based industries.

A revolution in colour

2016 was a revolutionary year; for the first time in the award’s history, Pantone joined two shades together to comprise the winner – Rose Quartz and Serenity.

“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.”

For Steve, no two combined colours have spoken to him more.

As a dyslexic Steve has thrived in the creative industry, retaining composure after accepting his dyslexia as a gift rather than a burden. And as a natural outdoors man, he longs for serenity; he enjoys nothing more than fishing where the blue hues of water and sky can soothe him.

Reflecting on the year

When 2017 commenced, Steve looked back at how the combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity had influenced other creative industries in 2016.

In fashion the male and female runways were awash with hues of the two colours. Anyone who knows Steve also knows his love for pink. He was particularly awestruck by a pair of pastel coloured shoes designed by one of his long-time favourite designers, Vivienne Westwood.

Even architects and interior designers alike implemented the calming hues on the facades of buildings and the interiors within them.

It seems every industry peppered its output with this serene colour combo, none more surprising than the cosmetics industry.

While a pink lipstick wouldn’t turn heads, how about a blue one?! The blue lipped debutantes of the world stepped out in pride following the launch of the ‘Sephora + Pantone Colour of the Year 2016 Collection.’ Perhaps blue is the warmest colour after all!

It was interesting year for Pantone and a colourful one for creative industries alike. But the only words left on Steve’s lips are ‘how can we follow such a rosy year of serenity?’

Image credit: Pantone.com