Pantone – the ‘colour partner’ company powerhouse - has just announced its Pantone Color Of The Year for 2020. Over the last 20 years the tradition of naming an annual colour has become an increasingly influential moment in not just interior design but also fashion, and the big reveal is awaited by many in creative industries with bated breath. The start of a new decade holds the fizz of anticipation, so the kudos for the 2020 colour is even more heightened. For those who don’t already know the colour palette has recently been announced as…ta daaa…Classic Blue. Noted as ‘a timeless and enduring blue hue elegant in its simplicity’ this shade was greeted with fanfare and popping corks by designers everywhere.

 

However, I must confess my first reaction was similar to the time that I ordered a Big Mac and was given a Cheeseburger but had driven off before I realized the mistake. It was a fait accompli of helpless disappointment. In the same way, the announcement of Classic Blue just felt a little ho hum. Especially when you know that without a doubt huge amounts of time, effort and global research will have gone into ascertaining that this is ‘the one’. I confess that I felt initially just a tiny bit underwhelmed. Of all the colours on the wheel, blue feels a very safe choice – was it, I wondered, perhaps a wee bit of a people pleaser? But then I actually thought about it, and I considered not just its regal and calming effect in the home, but also its ability to be uber flattering on the form. And the more I reflected, the more perfect it became as a choice. After all safe is the ultimate emotion that we want to experience when in the sanctuary of our homes; and surely fashion at its very best has the ability to empower its wearer, acting as the ultimate security blanket of confidence. Yes, I have to concede – the more I thought about it the more Classic Blue began to feel quite perfect.

 

Indeed, Pantone itself sees this choice as some small attempt to quell the uncertainty of the era in which we live. Speaking of the ‘reassuring qualities’ of Classic Blue, as well as its ‘promise of protection’ and how it highlights ‘our desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to build.’ Traditional, undoubtedly, but this calming shade of azure is not just perfect as it stands, but it also offers up endless ways in which to play and turn the concept of classic on its head.

 

So how quickly will we see this incorporated into our wardrobes and onto our walls? Probably before you’ve finished reading this article. While we expect the impact of the 2020 choice to be most prominent in interior design and fashion, the importance of colour on our world shouldn’t be underestimated. Classic Blue will filter into industries as diverse as beauty and automotive manufacturing. In actual fact the world of interiors has already been heading towards more traditional décor, so this colour will far from turn it on its head. As for fashion, well lux has never been so mainstream, with a love of depth and rich fabrics, worn not just for evenings, but day wear as well – combine this with the hue of Classic Blue and we may just have the perfect 2020 fashion fix.

 

Elk Forbi Small Bag $199, Paula Ryan Assymetrical Skirt $276.50, Paula Ryan, Quadrant Tee $245, Twinset Stripe Pant $185.50, Moss & Spy Imelda Dress $999.00, Lili Mini Bee Leather Bag $160.30

Please note links to all the products featured in this article are in the text below the images. The prices displayed are accurate for the date this blog was posted and may be changed after this date.

 

Written By Nicky Adams