The Pantone Color Institute has introduced ‘Very Peri’ – a periwinkle blue hue with a violet-red undertone signifying courage and creativity – as colour of the year for 2022. 

The new colour effectively melds the “faithfulness and constancy of blue with the energy and excitement of red,” according to Pantone. The colour is also described as “the happiest and warmest” of all the blue hues – signalling confidence and curiosity.

“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,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute. “Encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time possessing a violet-red undertone, Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression.”

According to Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, the Pantone Color of the Year reflects global developments and cultural changes and helps express people’s desires. For 2022, Pantone created a new colour – a first in the history of the colour of the year programme – to signal global innovations and transformations. 

“As society continues to recognise colour as a critical form of communication and as a way to express and affect ideas and emotions and engage and connect, the complexity of this new red-violet-infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lie before us,” added Pressman.

Full story in JNA January-February issue. Click here to subscribe to print edition.