Each December, design enthusiasts, graphic designers, color experts, and style trend followers alike look forward to Pantone announcing the hue it has designated its “color of the year” for the next twelve months. For 2020, Pantone selected a truly timeless color, Classic Blue. Two decades ago, the iconic company selected another serene blue to usher in the new millennium, Cerulean Blue, causing surprise among some that it would select another medium blue shade exactly 20 years later.
There was a good reason for this year’s selection, as the color experts at Pantone looked to the current state of the world for inspiration. “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith,” explained Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute. “It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.”
Classic blue provides “a reassuring presence instilling calm, confidence and connection,” and the color blue is also associated with bringing clarity, focus, and introspection. “Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication,” said Eiseman.
In recent years, the Pantone Color Institute has selected a peachy hue called Living Coral; Greenery, a bright lime green shade; a fuschia called R...