After the year that was 2020, who can say what 2021 has in store for us? And although we faced may changes there is something nice about things that stay the same and this is true for the team at the Pantone institute as they last week announced not one but two colours of the year 2021; Ultimate Grey & Illuminating.
Pantone’s decision to name two seemingly unrelated shades as the collective colour of 2021 is because of the extraordinary year that led up to this moment. Described by the Pantone institute as “a marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting,” Ultimate Gray and Illuminating’s sunny yellow each serve a specific purpose. “Each of them has their own emotional aspect, the grey being the one that’s more supportive and solid, the practical foundation that we need, and the yellow is about hopefulness and sunshine and good cheer,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone institute.
The combination makes a strong statement. The choice to include two colours this year was influenced by the pandemic and events like the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. According to Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone institute, this essential need for relationships is mirrored in Pantone’s decision to select two colours this year, which has only been done once before (in 2016, when the Pantone institute selected Rose Quartz and Serenity as a nod to the increasing fluidity around gender norms).
The goal in selecting the colour of the year remains the same, it is to reflect the culture of the moment, we’re living in. In hindsight 2020’s colour, Classic Blue, a soothing deep indigo that wanted to counter anxieties about a new decade, feels ironically fitting for a year that has been defined by uncertainty. And 2021’s colours feel altogether fitting as we prepare to welcome a new year brimming with possibilities: for a vaccine, for the world to open up again, for a return to some sense of normalcy and the chance to connect physically.
And for the Beauty Industry, the pairing will definitely translate well into make-up and nails but I suspect it will be a hair colour combination suited to a brave few. However, the wonderful Sophia Hilton has been rocking bright yellow hair and would probably disagree with my conservative option. For me I already have the grey and ultraviolet tones from 2018 so I may just sneak a few yellow sections in homage to a brighter future.
Sophia Hilton – Not Another Academy & Salon 
Instagram @refugeetorie Dye Hard Hair Salon
Wishing you all a safe festive season.
Caroline
