Color Alert: SERENITY & ROSE QUARTZ Color of the Year 2016

So, the design industry (fashion, furniture, interior design, graphic design, etc) has been waiting and anticipating the world's authority on color, Pantone, to announce their selection for THE color for this next year. Speculations have been circulating. This past September Elle Decor made it's prediction to what would be the chosen hue.

"According to the site, Pantone already stated that the next year's dominant shades will display contrast between color that is real and unreal. We can also expect to see saturated tones that make bold statements. Careful research further revealed that Pantone chooses a similar color every eight years, meaning the 2016 shade will likely be a variation on 2008's Blue Iris. Taking all of this into consideration, Logo Design Guru predicts the 2016 Pantone Color of the Year will be… #17-5029 Deep Peacock." - Elle Decor

Yesterday (Dec 3) the official selection was announced, but the surprise was not the color itself but the fact that Pantone did something they've never done before. They announced TWO "Colors of the Year" for 2016.

"A softer take on color for 2016: For the first time, the blending of two shades – ROSE QUARTZ and SERENITY are chosen as the PANTONE Color of the Year. As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity 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." - Pantone (official site)

When I read that and saw the colors themselves, I didn't think about mindfulness, wellness or peace. I didn't even (at least not at first) think about the possible political correctness of making a gender equality choice. . . I (honestly) was not super impressed nor inspired. I simply thought, "the 80's have totally arrived and there's no ingnoring that now."

Yes, the 80's have been resurfacing for the past few years, but, for Pantone to select these 2 colors as the dominant hue we are to surround ourselves with. . .well, there's just no turning back now.

Here is my H.S. Senior portrait from 1986 wearing, guess what?

And speaking of the 80s, anything from the 1950s was back in style, especially this same color combination that was also a popular duo back then.

The other immediate thought I had when I saw the colors (before reading their actual names) was, "Oh . . . baby blue and baby pink," as in the standard nursery colors.

"But although the colors immediately bring baby showers to mind, Pantone says it's definitely not the case. "Rose quartz is not baby pink," Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, told the Wall Street Journal. "It doesn't have that wimpy feel."

And that task (not creating a wimpy or baby vibe) will be the challenge of all designers.

"The prevalent combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity also challenges traditional perceptions of color association." - Pantone (official site)

Pantone is the most respected color standards company. Its brand marketing efforts are already in gear—a winning strategy that has helped the 53-year old company secure its place in pop culture and in business. Companies like Sephora (get ready for pastel blue lipstick), Kitchen Aid and Thomas Pink (naturally) have already unveiled special Rose Quartz-Serenity products.

Designed as a sort of global mood ring, Pantone’s Color of the Year program started in 2000, when Cerulean blue was named to capture Y2K angst. Every chosen hue, explains Laurie Pressman, vice president at Pantone’s color consulting division, is supposed to be a “reflection” and an “antidote” for the times. Pantone claims that Rose Quartz and Serenity represent “a mindset of tranquility and inner peace.

These color choices actually follows suite with a trend that has been very strong this past year; PASTELS.

Check out my blog on PASTELS: World Market Trend Report as well as my PASTEL STYLE Pinterest board.

ROSE QUARTZ - "It's a lovely, feminine pink, which is such a nice contrast to the earthy, moody Marsala that Pantone picked last year. I've also seen blush pink already trending in both fashion and home décor." - Donna Garlough/Joss & Main Style Director

SERENITY -"We haven't seen a blue Color of the Year since 2008. This one is a periwinkle shade that recalls blue hydrangeas on the cusp of turning purple." - Donna Garlough/Joss & Main Style Director

"In painting a room, the new pink and blue are colors prone for relaxation. The blue walls illuminate, and the rose warms the room gently. A welcome haven of peace in a girl's or teen's room and a cocooning in the master bedroom!" - Tollens Paints

For the selfie-obsessed set who wish to tint their universe in Rose Quartz and Serenity, special filters are now being offered by the photo editing app Aviary.

"Whether in soft or hard surface material, the pairing of Rose Quartz and Serenity brings calm and relaxation. Appealing in all finishes - matte, metallic and glossy - the engaging combo joins easily with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades of yellow and pink. Add in silver or hot brights for more splash and sparkle." -Pantone (official site)