January 2022 Color Alert®

START ON THE BRIGHT SIDE 

As a new year dawns, and expectations, wishes, and even some disappointments carry into 2022, there is a worldwide message of positivity in a single hue. Versions of yellow are emerging from Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Latin America that embody a craving for a lighter mood to counter the darkness.

Yellow is most often associated with light and uplifted spirits, and it is that vein that not only the hue, but the names of Hope (AP), Otimismo (LA), Sunny Side Up (EU) and Response (NA) come to symbolize an attitude and desire. Though they vary slightly by region, and will be adapted differently by application, their core is so close that they need to be celebrated en masse.

Of the four, two of them are also key colors for their regions (Hope and Sunny Side Up) with definitions of hope and optimism being consistent through all regions. Yellow is the color to brighten the darkness, illuminate opportunities, and introduce energy. It radiates from within, is a symbol of light, and appears warm and uplifting. All things for which the world craves.

Already appearing in fashion, it’s an upbeat way to lift the mood of clothing from outerwear to accessories footwear to knits. It moves past being a “sporty” color to represent the wearer’s forward-thinking vibe. Sunny yellow does not stand in the corner, it bursts into the room, brimming with confidence.

In home and commercial spaces, these global yellows will be found as accents in floor coverings, textiles, and prints, as well as individual pieces in full on color. Punctuate a space with a yellow chair, lift a room with a yellow ceiling, contrast a muted exterior with a yellow door. Each moment of these yellows adds brightness and optimism.

In graphics, a sharp edge to print and online design is achieved with one of these new yellows, especially in high contrast with darker colors. Here, yellow is used for power and an energetic, youthful appearance.

Get a fresh jump on color with the global colors of Sunny Side Up, Otimismo, Response, and Hope and join their messages of positivity.

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January 2022 CONTRIBUTORS:  Paula Leonard, Mark Woodman, Samantha MacLean, and Judith van Vliet