Why Does Anybody Care About Pantone’s Color of the Year?
Apparently,
according to the sages at Pantone, “Radiant Orchid” is THE 2014 COLOR OF THE
YEAR! Emerald is so 2013. Nobody should be caught wearing emerald in 2014.
Just
why a corporation headquartered in New Jersey should decree what color is
“right” for the fashion and design industries in a particular year is beyond my
comprehension. But apparently, it MATTERS!
Pantone
has been around since 1963. Its founder, Lawrence Herbert, developed a system
and language for identifying and matching colors across industries. This is, no
doubt, why Lowe’s was recently able to duplicate the color of my Benjamin Moore
bathroom wall color in its Valspar paint. This was critical because Benjamin Moore
wasn’t open on a Sunday when my husband and I decided we just had to paint the
bathroom.
The
technology developed by Pantone has revolutionized the graphic arts, design and
fashion industries. However, I am puzzled by the power of the Pantone Institute
to tell us what color we should embrace in a particular year. Frankly, I do not
appreciated having my delicate senses assaulted by “radiant orchid” in the
aisle of Lowe’s and Home Depot. If Vogue and W want to embrace Pantone’s Color
of the Year – go for it. But I do not
need nor want a color company in New Jersey to tell me what color I should use
to decorate my environment or adorn my body.
Even if it were Paris, London or Sydney I would look upon such a
proclamation with derision. But New Jersey? I think not.
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