Each year the ‘color authorities’ at Pantone employ a team of people with a single mission to analyse the trends in food, cosmetics, clothes, homeward, cars, you name it. At the end of each year, they meet, discuss, argue and eventually agree on the single shade they think will sum up the year ahead. They have declared 2018’s colour of the year is ultra violet. Galactic, royal and the symbol of Prince, expect to see this enigmatic hue everywhere from January.
Though the colour experts may like to lay claim to this prediction, fashion trend forecasters have been calling lilac as the shade of next spring since September. The catwalks of Gucci, Rochas, Loewe and Victoria Beckham were awash with lilac and mauve. Over at Fenty Beauty and Lime Crime lilac lippy has become a mainstay of the collections. And, earlier this month Kim Kardashian teased a new highlighter with an eerily similar moniker, Ultra Light Beams.
Historically speaking, ultra violet has been associated with the spiritual and mystical (think amethyst crystals). This might explain why artists like Frank Lloyd Wright, Bowie, Hendrix and Prince have been drawn to its unique blue-based shade. Pantone explains, ‘Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.’
Debrief Ultra Violet Shopping
1 of 12Fenty Beauty, Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipstick in Sci Fly, £16, Harvey Nichols
2 of 12ASOS, Metallic Blouse With Sleeve Detail, £17
3 of 12Topshop, Metallic Ball Drop Earrings, £10
4 of 12Ganni, Lott Isoli Sweatshirt In Your Dreams, £95
5 of 12Urban Outfitters, Splash-Proof Mini Lilac Portable Bluetooth Speaker, £30
6 of 12Vans, Thanks Coach Jacket, £70
7 of 12Lime Crime, Diamond Crushers Lip Topper, £13.30, Revolve
8 of 12H&M, Pleated Blouse, £29.99
9 of 12Balenciaga, Thigh-High Stiletto Boots, £1285, Stylebop
10 of 12Uterque, Mohair Sweater, £85
11 of 12Fujifilm, Instax Mini 9 Lavender Instant Camera, £79, Urban Outfitters
12 of 12Poppy Lissiman, Le Skinny, £73
In the past, Pantone has been bang on with their predictions. In 2016 they foresaw the rise of millennial pink as they prophesied with the popularity of rose quartz. And, then again in 2017, they struck gold when they surmised ‘greenery’, or the colour of wellness, would symbolise the year. So, take this call to arms seriously and get ahead of the trend now with these 13 items that celebrate all things UV.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.