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Alongside the premier of Star Wars, it may be fitting that Pantone’s color of the year for 2018 is….
Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet! Yes, that’s right, that purple that you spot with the help of black lights (I am now dating myself). Ultra Violet has been named the color of 2018 by the Pantone Color Institute, a color consulting company that each year chooses a color that “symbolizes design trends and cultural mood.” Pantone has been christening colors since 2000, and has made shades such as “honeysuckle,” “marsala,” and “sand dollar” household names.
“From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection,” Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone’s Executive Director, said, “Intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.” In other words, 2018 is going to be a stellar year.
Pantone called the 2018 color “dramatically provocative and thoughtful” in its announcement. “It communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us towards the future,” notes Eiseman. Ultra Violet follows 2017’s color choice named “Greenery” which Pantone recognized at the time provided “the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment.” In essence, seek solace in nature to escape the United States of Angst…
“As individuals around the world become more fascinated with color and realize its ability to convey deep messages and meanings,” said Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, “designers and brands should feel empowered to use color to inspire and influence.”
Here are further thoughts from Pantone on Ultra Violet…
Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.
Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.
Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection.
As for me, I am now in the stage of choosing interior paint colors for our remodel…I’m sure at least one of my boys would be into throwing some Ultra Violet up in their room. It may take more of a sell than being crowned Pantone color of the year for me to be convinced.
