Tradition and Trends

Yvonne Ashton, Mayesh; Co-Chair, Marketing Committee

Happy New Year WF&FSA members! This is my third consecutive year writing about the "Pantone Color of the Year" for the new year.  It is safe to say that we started a tradition! So I first wanted to say thank you to all of our readers for your support over that last couple of years. We added over 20 new blog posts in 2017, and we appreciate your time spent reading our content that we create just for you! 

The top tinge for 2018 as proclaimed by Pantone Color Institute is Ultra Violet! Yes, the deep vibrant color reigns supreme for this year according to one of our favorite color companies, which is a vast departure from the light and airy tones that grace many of floral designs. “Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.” Here’s a quick video about 2018’s color:

If you are a fan favorite of the blushy tones that have been around for quite some time now, do not despair. If you look at any store, you can find blush in everything from plates to bedding, chairs, sofas and more. One of my personal favorite colors has made its way to our homes and is here to stay … at least for a little bit longer. Also, if you recall, Greenery was last year’s top pick for color – a standard in color for our industry. I think that Pantone’s 2017 selection was right on target because plants are such a HUGE trend. Have you noticed? Just Google “millennials and green plants” or “houseplant trends” and check out the articles that pop up.  

Color trends are important and if they stick around long enough they become more traditional then trendy, like our blush example. If something is named as a trend then you will most likely see it affect our industry and what our customers will ask for. So growers, wholesalers, and suppliers alike hang on to your product in the lighter tones, but definitely look at your inventory to see what you can offer in Ultra Violet hues and products in complimentary colors. Adding different tones changes the look and feel of this intense color. Check out this cool graphic from Erika Firm:

By the way, did you attend the 2017 Floral Distribution Conference? If you did, then you may have caught Kris Kratt’s 2018 Trends session. She covered some great material including her top four color story trends – Wanderlust, Inhabit, Moody Blooms, and Happify. You can check out the blog for more information.  And wouldn’t you know that three of the four palettes contained some shade of this vibrant color? Yes, that is right – you will find some sort of this particular hue in Inhabit, Moody Blooms, and Happify with the latter including the color closest to Pantone’s top color.

I created a Pinterest board of my own that includes some great examples of Ultra Violet that can be found in the world of cut flowers along with real life examples of how you can play up the color or tone it down– check it out!

What do you think about Ultra Violet? Share your thoughts in the comments below!