February 2020 Issue Apparel February 2020 issue | Page 82

FEATURE
A Blue Beckoning
Pantone announced Classic Blue as the Color of the Year 2020, a shade reminiscent of ‘the
sky at dusk’. Bindu Gopal Rao shows how to make the best use of this versatile colour in
terms of clothing.
Blue is a multifaceted hue that transforms simple,
sophisticated silhouettes into high-fashion looking
pieces. Naturally then, Pantone cemented Classic
Blue as the ‘Color of the Year’ to rule the game
in all the designing industries, especially apparel
and fashion. The colour blue carries a rich history
of scientific invention, global trade, and artistic
workarounds. From the very first synthetic
pigments created in ancient Egypt to new hues
discovered in the past decade, we encapsulate
the wide applications of the shade.
STYLE NOTES
While announcing Classic Blue as the colour
of the year, Pantone stated, “Imprinted in our
psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052
Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and
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February 2020
tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge.
Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity,
PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our
thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue
fosters resilience.” Being one of the most versatile
shades, Classic Blue has lent a contemporary
ease to clean, tailored pieces and makes a great
choice for statement outerwear—it is ‘classic’ in
the truest sense of the word. This colour goes
well with every kind of style—chequers, stripes,
prints, and solids. Anand Saraf, designer, Verse,
says, “Classic Blue is an eternal shade and is
worn by people of all ages in different forms.
Albeit with numerous variations, Classic Blue
has made its way into everybody’s wardrobes.”
Moving from versions of cobalt blue (darker
blues make us feel calm and are more solid,