Years ago, when Millenial Pink reigned supreme, our team longed to deviate from the pink-out that was happening across the web. We wanted something slightly more natural, soft, laid-back, but still of-the-moment. We latched on to what we called ‘Millenial Peach’, an earthier version of the ubiquitous color that defined the time; a warm, soft shade that served all the energy we were after with a decidedly less cloying tone.
The truth is, it seems that, years later, we’ve never let go of ‘Millenial Peach’. Variations of it dominate our Instagram feed and more than a few of The Shop best-sellers are saturated in the modern hue!
So when Pantone revealed 2024’s color of the year, we were pleasantly surprised and feeling very prepared. Peach Fuzz feels like a foregone conclusion, yet a welcome reminder that 2024 need not be ruled by the intensity of politics and world affairs alone.
Peach Fuzz is also a cue that nods to wellness’ ever-increasing centrality in culture now. Not just in the sense that our space is now intricately enmeshed with fashion, but that mental and emotional wellness have become non-negotiable points of interest.
Vice President of Pantone Color Institute, Laurie Pressman shared this with Pantone’s 2024 announcement:
“At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future. We are reminded that a vital part of living a full life is having the good health, stamina, and strength to enjoy it. That in a world which often emphasizes productivity and external achievements, it is critical we recognize the importance of fostering our inner selves and find moments of respite, creativity, and human connection amid the hustle and bustle of modern life.
“As we navigate the present and build toward a new world, we are reevaluating what is important. Reframing how we want to live, we are expressing ourselves with greater intentionality and consideration. Recalibrating our priorities to align with our internal values, we are focusing on health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, and cherishing what’s special — the warmth and comfort of spending time with friends and family, or simply taking a moment of time to ourselves. With that in mind, we wanted to turn to a color that could focus on the importance of community and coming together with others. The color we selected to be our Pantone Color of the Year 2024 needed to express our desire to want to be close to those we love and the joy we get when allowing ourselves to tune into who we are and just savor a moment of quiet time alone. It needed to be a color whose warm and welcoming embrace conveyed a message of compassion and empathy. One that was nurturing and whose cozy sensibility brought people together and elicited a feeling of tactility. One that reflected our feeling for days that seemed simpler but at the same time has been rephrased to display a more contemporary ambiance. One whose gentle lightness and airy presence lifts us into the future.”
What do you think about Pantone’s choice for 2024? Granted, it falls just up a rung from Instagram’s ‘In and Out’ lists in terms of how we feel going into a new year, but its always interesting to note this powerful design team’s choice for the next twelve months!
