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 74 I APPAREL I 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,