Pantone Names 2016 Color of the Year

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company, has named PANTONE 15-3919, “Serenity,” and PANTONE 13-1520, “Rose Quartz,” as the Pantone Color of the Year selections for 2016. This marks the first time the blending of two shades has been given the designation. “With the whole greater than its individual parts, joined together Serenity and Rose Quartz 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,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. The combination of Serenity and Rose Quartz also challenges traditional color association for the two shades, inspired by the gender blur that is occurring in fashion in many parts of the world, according to Pantone. “This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity; the consumers’ increased comfort with using color as a form of expression, which includes 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,” Eiseman says. In the fashion world, the combination of Serenity and Rose Quartz was featured on the runways for both men and women, and highlighted in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2016. Variations of this hue will be seen in a variety of textures that make it wearable throughout the year, from plush wools to lightweight linens and cottons, as well as in jewelry and fashion accessories, including handbags, hats, footwear and wearable technology, according to Pantone. The color experts recommend combining the color pair with other mid-tones, including cooler greens and purples.