I have followed the “color of the year” choices made by Pantone since its inception 20 years ago. Side note: at first I was going to wager that I’d followed Pantone since I first started working at a dotcom in 2000. Then I decided that I could just look up some of the colors and try to remember which one I recognize as being my “first.” Lo and behold, the reason the Pantone color of the year holds such a special place in my heart is because I probably covered it for the dot-com publication I worked for at the time–CNET. Funny world.

Anyways, now that we’ve established that I love colors, lets talk about this year’s colors… Yes I did type the plural correctly. We have two colors of the year, which is really just twice the fun! The last time 2 colors was chosen was in “2016, when the institute selected Rose Quartz and Serenity as a nod to the increasing fluidity around gender norms” (Time Magazine).

As Pantone explains

“The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit.”

 –Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

And yes, I couldn’t agree more. This is exactly what we need right now. Is it hyperbolic to think that announcing the choice of 2 colors of the year could give us these? Not when the colors themselves can help change our moods, soothe our souls or provide inspiration. Color has the infinite power to make us feel, on both a conscious and unconscious level. I think Pantone has done a great job of picking two colors for the next year that will help us heal from the ordeal that was 2020.