We always get super excited about the 100s of ways we can incorporate Pantone’s Color of the Year into every aspect of our lives. While we usually anticipate the big announcement toward the end of the year, the color system company recently threw us a curveball by sharing some major news today: its first brand-new color in three years. Yep, it’s time to step outside that Marsala closet palette with the debut of Minion Yellow.
Named for the kooky stars of this summer’s Minions movie, the new color is described by Pantone as an “illuminating, energetic, friendly and fun-loving yellow shade that immediately calls out to you.” Oh yeah, it’s totally calling out to us — we’re already scheming how to factor in a sunny pop of color into our Pantone-approved spring looks. If you’re as into this vibrant shade of yellow as we are, you have Pharrell Williams to thank. He apparently helped lay the groundwork for creating a color based on the Despicable Me breakout stars as a way for people to add more energizing colors into their lives. We see you giving “Happy” a new life P, and we thank you for it <3
To create the new color, Pantone and the animation team at Illumination Entertainment, the film’s production studio, reviewed the existing Pantone color range to identify how to bring to life a more pure representation of the Minions’ iconic yellow color. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, explained the essence of Minion Yellow, “Just as the sun’s rays enliven us, Pantone Minion Yellow is a color that heightens awareness and create clarity, lighting the way to the intelligence, originality and resourcefulness of an open mind — the color of hope, joy and optimism.”
The new color will be added to the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors color palette later this year, but not without some fanfare first. To get Pantone lovers like us even more excited, a Selfridges pop-up shop full of Minion-centric goodies is planned to pop up in the UK ahead of the film’s June release. You better believe we’re keeping our freshly painted yellow nails crossed for a similar situation to go down in the US.
How would you incorporate Minion Yellow into your life? Let us know in the comments.
(h/t FastCo Create, photos via Pantone, Facebook + @philmillward)
