PANTONE Living Coral

PANTONE Living Coral

I was ecstatic to find out that 2019's color of the year is Living Coral. I love its warmth, its glow. It makes me feel fuzzy happy, if there is such a term.

This isn't the first time that coral has appeared on fashion color palettes. I've been enamored by coral for years. From coral jeans to coral nail polish, I've tried it. Soon, I'll have coral tresses. Last year I sported purple hair in honor of 2018's ultraviolet. It's my primary color, if I had one. Coral would be my secondary color. So when my best friend opened her salon, the first order of business was coral hair. Unfortunately, that first attempt was unsuccessful. I wondered why, what happened, what colors were needed to generate coral?

To create coral, we mix the colors red and orange.

Red
A color that embodies some of our most intense emotions -- passion, sexuality, love, lust, desire, happiness. Red is associated with our most basic physical needs and survival. It is an aggressive, impulsive, hot and energetic color, which also symbolizes courage, confidence and action. How do you think red feels? I'd say have a look at Coca-Cola's "Taste the Feeling" campaign and you'll know what I mean.

Orange
Closely associated to vitamin C and the fruit, orange is symbolic of good health. It exudes energy, warmth and happiness. A combination of red and yellow, orange is the color of adventure, enthusiasm and vitality.

Mixed together, red and orange plus a touch of white, develop into the bright, energizing and optimistic coral. As a SCUBA diver, I am reminded of the vibrance of the underwater gardens -- the real living corals. They come in all shades of coral, from a light peach to vermillion (another favorite).

The Pantone Color Institute shares that PANTONE Living Coral, represents our desire for "authentic and immersive experiences that enable [human] connection and intimacy."

How do you feel about the color?

 

Contributed by Camille R. Escudero
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