Pantone ‘Peach Fuzz’ Colour of the year a nod to nostalgia

As 2023 comes to a close, we all want to know the upcoming trends for 2024. Just in time, Pantone has announced Peach Fuzz (Pantone 13-1023) as the colour of the year. The colour, which is a gentle, understated shade of pinkish peach, has been associated with a feelings of calm and softness. Pantone’s announcement describes the hue as “softly nestled between pink and orange,” attempting to conjure up a peaceful, recalibrating atmosphere. Quietly sophisticated, this airy, clean peach brings a kind of lightness to the digital world. In recent times, Kawaii culture online has recurrently made use of this colour to craft its youthful and adorable aesthetic.  

The shade has also had its shining moments in the past, bringing a vintage charm to our contemporary palettes and reflecting the innocence and romance of simpler times. For all those who believe they were ‘born in the wrong generation’ and often look to the past for inspiration in style and media, Peach Fuzz becomes the perfect beacon of nostalgia.  

The last era that witnessed a significant surge in this shade of peach was the ’50s. In a post-World War II society where a widespread sense of optimism and hope prevailed, Peach Fuzz dominated the world of fashion, home décor and advertising reflecting a sensory shift promoting domesticity and comfort. Advertisements used this colour to cultivate a vision of an idealised harmoniousness and femininity. Now, the 2024 colour of the year has been brought back to incite these very feelings of harmoniousness and togetherness.  

Some view this choice of colour as a hope to bring back tenderness after the exhaustion of relentless “hustle” and hard work. As a colour often used to signify health and wellbeing, it posits that we must re-evaluate our constant emphasis on productivity and external success, suggesting that we look inward to foster improvement and true happiness. There is indeed a kind of freshness to the colour, just the right tone to hold on to as we take our first step into the new year.  

Pantone’s official announcement presents the sheer possibilities of the colour, showing how it may find itself into our products and lifestyles. They predict its presence in apparel, accessories, interior design, hair, beauty, and packaging. So, when you’re on the lookout for new styles to experiment with next year, be sure to not to dismiss this ‘talk of the town’ colour.  

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