Pantone’s colour of the year 2020: classic blue

The shade has connotations of stability, dependability and tranquillity

Classic blue is likely already present in our homes, wardrobes and work spaces. Courtesy Pantone Colour Institute

Colours speak a fascinating language, one that the people over at Pantone are well versed with. Widely considered the authority on all things colour, the institute believes that a shade can impact not just fashion runways and furniture catalogues, but also the collective mood in society at large.

Blue, for instance, has connotations of stability, dependability and tranquillity. The shade is also evocative of the sky, with its promise of limitless potential and increased perspective. For these reasons, Pantone has announced 19-4052 Classic Blue as its colour of the year 2020.

“As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colours that are honest and offer the promise of protection,” reads a statement from the company.

“Non-aggressive and easily relatable … Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favourite is comfortably embraced.”

A far cry from the cheery Living Coral and mystical Ultraviolet shades of 2018 and 2017, this year’s shade of blue is, nonetheless, a worthy contender to include in our homes, wardrobes and work spaces.

In fact, classic blue is already omnipresent in most wardrobes in the form of a pair of jeans, but Pantone suggests the “genderless” shade can make a strong statement on its own – think an evening gown in a shimmering metallic fabric. Vanity cases, too, are replete with both glittery and matte make-up, for the eyes, nails and hair.

In home decor, blue can best be described as an anchor shade. From painting entire walls to investing in a couch, you can be as liberal with this colour as you like – and then pair it with accessories in myriad shades.

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by … a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute. “A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, [it] encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply.”