Every December, those in the know eagerly await Pantone’s annual Colour of the Year announcement, a zeitgeist-y moment that always serves as a conversation starter in the wider design world. This year is no different, with the announcement coming in the early hours of the morning (AEDT) that Pantone 13-1023 Peach Fuzz was the official Colour of the Year.

 

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With a name like Peach Fuzz, it evokes memories of summer, warmth and cosiness.  As Pantone says in a release, “Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It’s a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.”

Given the state of the world right now, it’s understandable that the Pantone Colour Institute has chosen such a nurturing and empathy-seeking shade. “In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a colour radiant with warmth and modern elegance,” reiterates Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Colour Institute. “A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.”

While undoubtedly sweet and youthful, there’s something to be said for the way Peach Fizz straddles two warm tones—pink and orange. Seen as a contemporary peach hue, Pantone argues it is representative of a new modernity. “A cosy peach hue softly nestled between pink and orange, Pantone 13-1023 Peach Fuzz brings belonging, inspires recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing, conjuring up an air of calm, offering us a space to be, feel, and heal and to flourish from whether spending time with others or taking the time to enjoy a moment by ourselves,” adds Eiseman.

Imbued with a sense of lightness, airiness and romance, Peach Fuzz in intended to bring beauty and wellness to our increasingly digitised world. “Poetic and romantic, a clean peach tone with a vintage vibe, Pantone 13-1023 Peach Fuzz reflects the past yet has been rephrased to have a contemporary ambience.” A far cry from 2023’s Colour of the Year, punchy Viva Magenta, we’re eager to see the way Peach Fuzz will infiltrate the worlds of fashion, design and art.

2024 also marks the 25th anniversary of Pantone Colour of the Year program. First introduced in 1999 with Pantone 15-4020 Cerulean Blue (a hue forever associated with that genius The Devil Wears Prada scene in the film), the annual announcement is seen as a global expression of mood and attitude, often turning a single shade into an icon. We’re looking forward to seeing where Peach Fuzz may pop up in 2024.