By Janet Kelly
AND YOU thought it would be army green. Nope. Pantone, the grand poobah of prognosticating color, announced last week it had picked Very Peri for its 2022 color. Describing it as a “futuristic” periwinkle blue with “violet-red undertones,” the institute said it was the first time it created a new color, rather than choosing from its existing ones. “It was really important for us to come up with a new color, because we have a very new vision of the world now,” Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman told CNN.
In selecting the color that best mirrors the zeitgeist, the company press release states, “As we emerge from an intense period of isolation, our notions and standards are changing, and our physical and digital lives have merged in new ways.”
It all sounds very “meta”—oy—to us and a big burden for one color. Nevertheless, on a practical level, Very Peri will be a much more flattering color to most of us than either Ultimate Gray or Illuminating Yellow, Pantone’s 2021 picks.
Below, some suggestions and inspiration for what to wear, use or gift in the color of the year.
LEFT: Essie ranks high on my list for its spot-on color collections and the quality and staying power of its polishes. We think Wink of Sleep ($9, Ulta), a satiny violet with blue undertones in the brand’s Not Red-y for Bed collection, will keep us on our toes.
RIGHT: Thanks to a collaboration between the two companies, Cariuma’s good-looking and eco-consciously made classic low sneaker ($89) comes in seven Pantone shades, including the newest, Very Peri.
ABOVE: Save room for dessert. Each eye-candy gelato bowl is made in Tuscany by master glassmakers in a line of happy hues. Choose from a set of two flat bowls (shown) or two footed ones. The former sells for $54; the latter for $100—both at Food 52.
LEFT: Unlike some of Pantone’s previous picks — we’re talking Tangerine Tango (2012) and Ultimate Gray (2021) —this 2022 hue is flattering to most. Case in point: Staud’s Eloise Cardigan ($315, Saks Fifth Avenue). Double the impact by pairing with the coordinating Elliot pant in periwinkle vegan leather. It’s $350 at Staud.
RIGHT: Iris Van Herpen’s fall 2021 couture collection was inspired by the 1968 photo “Earthrise,” the famous picture of Earth and some of the Moon’s surface taken by astronaut William Anders during the Apollo 8 mission. In an interview with WWD, the designer said she wanted to bring an otherworldly perspective into her clothing.
Pair your favorite hot beverage with Pantone’s 17-3938, the color of the year for 2022. Limited-edition cups go from $11 for an espresso size to $20 for a cortado.
LEFT: A punchy pair of gloves in a Very Peri hue will make even your old black coat come back to life. Nordstrom’s lambskin leather, silk-lined gloves are $59.
RIGHT: One’s eyes are what one is. Wet ‘n Wild’s MegaLiner Liquid Eyeliner ($3.99, Ulta) in this high-def pigment ensure they stand out.
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