The end of the year brings one of the most hotly-anticipated announcements for the design and creative communities: Pantone’s Color of the Year. This year, the trend spotters at the Pantone Color Institute have selected PANTONE 19-4052: Classic Blue.

“PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a reassuring presence, instilling calm, confidence, and connection,” says Laurie Pressman, Vice President at the Pantone Color Institute. “While technology races ahead, often overwhelming our human ability to process everything around us, it’s only natural that we gravitate toward colors that bring a sense of peace, clarity, and even protection. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”

This year’s color, Classic Blue, is a welcome refuge for our uncertain, often disconnected era. In a time where public faith in institutions, advertising, and the future is increasingly challenged, many desire a return to trust, authenticity, and empathy. Blue hues, long associated with peace, calm, and the dependable daylight sky, feel solid and reliable. It is this constancy and comfort that Classic Blue offers us.