Every year a Pantone shade is selected as the Color of the Year, but for 2016 for the first time there are two: rose quartz and serenity (blue). This could be interpreted all kinds of different ways, from the split we’re experiencing between red states and blue or our communal inability to make up our minds in this confusing time.

But I like the statement that the two colors represent a yearning for connection and wellness, as well as the blurring of tradition gender roles represented by pink and blue.  When you think about it, the idea of dressing a boy baby in pink (and to a lesser degree, a baby girl in blue) is one of the few color taboos still prevalent in our society.

What is the Pantone color of the year?  According to the Pantone Color Institute, it is “a symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.”  In case you haven’t been following this trend, the past four colors of the year were marsala (a brownish wine color), radiant orchid, emerald and tangerine tango.

As retailers, we generally see more products featuring the color of the year as our vendors turn to the Color Institute for guidance in color trends. The idea of setting a standard color also means that designers can use a palette likely to coordinate well with products from other lines.

The influence of specific colors such as tangerine tango (best color of the year name, hands down) may be limited in the gift industry, but the selection does usually reflect popular trends of the time.  You may not decide to carry new products only if they are in rose quartz or serenity, but it pays to look for some merchandise that reflect that fact that “consumers [are seeking] mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.” And in today’s world, order and peace would be welcome whether in the form of color, words or action.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder