How the Pantone color for 2021 gives us a reason to be optimistic

The Pantone Color Institute has been crowning a “color of the year” since the year 2000 and they claim that the colors are not selected by voting. In fact, the colors choose themselves. The Pantone Color institute conducts a research process that takes nearly nine months to complete. The color/s they choose is merely capturing the essence of what we are witnessing in our culture on a global scale. It serves as an expression of a mood or an attitude.

This year’s Pantone “color of the year” aim’s for a message of triumph over adversity. The two picks are “Ultimate Gray” and a heartening yellow called “Illuminating”. The grey is similar to the color of cloudy skies and the yellow, of sunshine, conjoining deeper feelings of togetherness, bringing more than one element together and giving a hint of greater things to come. Following such an unpredictable year like 2020, it only seems ideal that the colors mirror that behavior.

This years' Pantone color selection is said to be aspirational, giving us hope for improvement in the world. Funnily enough, the nine months that are needed to select a Pantone color were spent largely indoors. So it definitely makes sense as to why “ultimate gray” was chosen, it portrays our year in quarantine, our surroundings in the city or at home, and our muddled state of mind. The “Illuminating” yellow represents the light at the end of the tunnel, it shines a path that we all need to walk through for a brighter future (which hopefully comes through with the implementation of a vaccine).

The 2021 Pantone colors in the fashion industry

2020 was a year with an influx of too much information. Many in the fashion industry believed that the Pantone “color of the year” would be “Covid virus red” or “surgical mask pale blue”, or a color from one of the many trendy applications we all took refuge in to escape the ever-changing atmosphere of the world.

The Pantone colors have become “the unknowable truth” in the fashion world. They are now hard to forecast without conducting months of research like the Pantone Institute. So it came to a surprise to many when there were two, not one, Pantone colors - “Ultimate Gray” and “Illuminating”.

The Pantone colors used to be so known to the fashion industry, predictable and obvious. But that’s just fitting to the year 2020, isn’t it? The colors feel off because the year in general just felt off from the get-go. However, this combination of colors are not strangers to the runway. Balenciaga, Dior and especially Prada have entertained and displayed this color palette in several shows. Balenciaga and Dior featured them in their 2021 Fall and pre-Fall men’s collection respectively. Meanwhile, Prada has been featuring these colors together, on and off, since their Spring collection in 2010; last seen in Spring 2021.

This marriage of hues is a powerful message of strength and faith that is both endearing and uplifting for us all. So let’s take these colors as a positive indication for what this year can be - a year of bliss, growth and happiness!

The animal of 2021 according to the Chinese zodiac

As the 2021 Chinese new year fast approaches on February 12th, a new zodiac element and animal will soon govern the Chinese lunar year that ends on January 31st 2022. The new year will be the Year of the Metal Ox. Traditionally the Metal Ox refers to patriarchy, ethics, righteousness, construction, intuition, versatility, hard work and respect for others. And according to the principles of Wu Xing and Feng Shui, the 2021 element is a Yin Metal and is synonymous with lasting long, resilience and devotion. It also designates collaboration and interest in the community. We should also know that the Ox (Buffalo) is a symbol of Spring. This belief is attached to the legend of the Weaver, the Herdsman and the tale of their love being separated by the Milky Way. In that essence, lovers in long-distance relationships or couples who are not able to stay together will find the cosmic energies favorable to preserve their romantic relationships.