Pantones Colour of the Year is Blue Iris!!
Pantone’s choice of blue iris, or No. 18-3943, got some news media attention last week, which seemed to be partly the objective of the company, which is based in Carlstadt, N.J. In a statement, Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said: “Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”
Later, in a telephone interview, Ms. Eiseman said the selection process had been very thoughtful, based on various influences, and that indeed the final choice reflected a “need for thoughtfulness.” Five individuals were involved in the selection process. “With blue iris, we felt that it answered several needs, hopes, desires, that kind of thing,” she said.
If that strikes you as hazy, you’re not alone. “It’s a little bit on the funny side,” said Micha Riss, the creative director of Flying Machine, a branding and design firm in New York, whose clients include ESPN and Sky Italia. “I respect Pantone a lot, but I see them as a technical service. If Helmut Lang were to make such a projection, I would listen.”
