Pantone “creates” new shade for Color of the Year 2022

Pantone has announced its colour of the year for 2022, naming Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri as its choice.

The American colour company endorses a shade every year which it believes will be particularly widely used in the year to come. This year marks the first time a colour has been created specifically for Pantone’s colour of the year designation.

“A novel perspective and vision”

Pantone says Very Peri is the “happiest and warmest of all the blue hues” because it “blends the faithfulness and constancy of blue with the energy and excitement of red”.

“As we move into a world of unprecedented change, the selection of Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue colour family,” says Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman.

Last year, Pantone opted to name two colours as its colour of the year – choosing Pantone 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and 13-0647 Illuminating as the first “pairing” in the initiative’s 22-year history.

“Very Peri exudes a good-natured warmth”

The aim behind the colour of the year process is to influence the wider design world, from interiors to industrial design. As such, the company annually suggests use cases for its chosen shade.

In apparel and fashion, it says Very Peri will be “futuristic in feeling”. It can take on “distinct appearances” through application to different materials, finishes and textures. Similarly in beauty, Pantone says the shade makes for a “novel statement” when used for eyes, nails and “especially” hair.

For interiors, Pantone says Very Peri is capable of “injecting a sense of playful freshness” into homes and spaces – particular through “unusual” combinations. Applying to different textures and finishes will exaggerate this, Pantone predicts.

And in packaging and multimedia design, it says the use of Very Peri conveys a sense of credibility but also creativity. “Whether appearing in a fantasy digital realm or in physical materials, Very Peri exudes a good-natured warmth that quickly engages the eye, making it an ideal shade for many applications of graphic and multimedia design as well as packaging,” Pantone says.

Collaborations with Microsoft and blockchain

Pantone has also produced “design tools” to help designers utilise and become familiar with the shade. Via the Pantone Connect digital colour platform, the colour company has developed four palettes which are available for designers to use as inspiration.

Additionally, Pantone has collaborated with Microsoft to bring Very Peri to its products – this includes custom Teams backgrounds, Windows wallpapers and a new Edge theme.

And perhaps an indicator of where it is looking to expand in the future, Pantone has also partnered with energy-efficient blockchain network Tezos to “explore the world of colour” in the digital art space. It will collaborate with Paris-based artist Polygon1993, who will create pieces inspired by Very Peri.

“The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that colour can hope to answer,” says Pantone Color Institute vice president Laurie Pressman.

“Creating” a colour, for the first time in the colour of the year’s history is a direct response to “global innovation and transformation”, he adds.

What do you think of Very Peri and 2022’s colour of the year? Let us know in the comments below…