Pantone’s 2016 Colour Of The Year Is A DOUBLE Whammy!

By Hauterfly Staff Updated December 04, 2015

In an unusual step, colour authority Pantone has anointed not one but TWO hues as the Pantone Colour Of The Year 2016. The big reveal dubbed Rose Quartz and Serenity — two pastel shades of pink and blue — as the colours du jour for the coming year.

Not to be mistaken for baby shades, the Executive Director of Pantone’s Color Institute Leatrice Wiseman — who oversees the company’s annual choice of Color Of The Year — said in an interview to the Wall Street Journal, “Rose quartz is not baby pink. It doesn’t have that wimpy feel.” Nevertheless, the pastel pairings are quite surprising. Pantone’s general choices each year have been bold hues such as Tangerine Tango in 2012 and last year’s Radiant Orchid. In fact, of the 16 colours that have been chosen since 2000, only two were anywhere close to pastel: Aqua Sky from 2003 and Cerulean from 2000.

Pantone describes Rose Quartz as “a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure”, while Serenity “is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.” We do have to admit that the pastel twinsies are a refreshing change for the new year, and will hopefully expand and evolve stereotypical gender associations with colour.

We’re already celebrating the new colours via these fashion-forward picks: