This colour group is one of the most defining colour groups of our time.
In the past few years, we have seen the classically soft pastel Evolve from being pretty and soft to have more vibrance, more saturation and packing an extra punch, I call these electric pastels because they fizz with a fresh energy.
This colour group is one of the most defining colour groups of our time, having followed a journey that started 5 years ago in 2016, when millennial pink became one of the biggest topics within the design industries, it challenged the way pink had been stereotyped as feminine. Pantone were aligned at this time with this message, releasing x 2 colours of the year, Rose Quartz & Serenity.
The feel-good factor of these colours is currently one of the biggest talking points in the world of design.
Jumping forward to 2021 these playful pastels signify a desire for joyfulness, colours such as Papaya 15-1243, Kiwi Colada 14-0443 and Desert Flower 15-1435 have a gentle brightness that cannot help but bring a smile to your face, eliciting feelings of positivity and changing our experiences. The feel-good factor of these colours is currently one of the biggest talking points in the world of design.
It's important to look at the level of detail in these tones, they have a dynamic and fresh vibrance, fizzing with an undeniable energy, which is almost palpable. They are bright but also soft, it's this softness which makes some easier to work with and also what makes them forward thinking and modern.
They appear youthful but appeal to all age groups and can be applied to luxury goods to give them an instant cool factor, whilst simultaneously giving tech and cosmetic packaging an energising refresh.
The other key factor to consider is that there is also a slight hint of nostalgia about these colours they remind us of the past colours such a Begonia Pink 15-2215 and Exlir 14-4515 they could almost have come from imagery depicting Miami beach life in the 1980’s or leisure looks of the 90s. This feeling of nostalgia also adds to the conversation, bringing a much-needed level of comfort.
Electric pastels embody this era, echoing the past but proclaiming the future.
As we look to more of an analogue past as a point of reference their vibrance also suggests our fascination with the current digital revolution. In VR Gaming electric pastels appear plucked from the screen, they are now the modern choice for digital colour providing digital escapism, rather than the extreme bright levels that have historically been used in this field.
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