Pantone’s 2021 Colour Of The Year Is Proving Popular Among The It-Girls

Pantone’s annual Colour Of The Year title was given to not one, but two colours for its 2021 instalment: ‘Ultimate Grey’ and ‘Illuminating’. The former – as its name suggests – is an elephant-hue light-grey and the latter a sunny yellow hue. Each perfectly encapsulated the rollercoaster year we have experienced; a low-fi monotonous shade versus one that signals a brighter future.

The spring/summer 2021 shows were scattered with numerous takes of both shades. Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain presentation was a tale of two contrasts – Stabilo highlighter Boss-esque brights offset various iterations of corporate grey – while Giorgio Armani’s showcase was almost entirely dedicated to the shade. Elsewhere, Raf Simons’ and Miuccia Prada’s inaugural co-designed collection was shown against the backdrop of a futuristic sunshine-yellow curtained room, lined with a plush lemon carpet.

Now, as we approach spring (and a seemingly promising horizon,) the It-girls have shunned sooty palettes in favour of something more cheery, and sunny yellow is fast-becoming a preference. Ahead of the autumn/winter 2021 Paris shows, Hailey Bieber touched down in the city of love wearing a spirited ensemble from Scandi-approved label Stand Studio. She paired the brand’s leathery cropped Eudora trousers with its double-breasted Mirta blazer layered over a form-fitting Petar Petrov turtleneck. A Stand Studio fuzzy hat, her cherished Air Force Ones and a chocolate-brown shoulder bag from By Far provided the finishing covetable touches.

Fellow supermodel Irina Shayk has been leaning towards statement coats recently – but for one outing, in particular, her tracksuit did the talking. She wore striking separates from Cotton Citizen, paired with a shearling coat from The Mannei, furry Birkenstock Arizonas and a honey-hue By Far Manu bag. Days earlier, she was spotted wearing sherbet cargo trousers and a belted trench from Paris Georgia – styled with Bottega Chelsea boots and a black Ruslan Baginskiy beanie – and has been papped brightening Manhattan’s sidewalks in a fuzzy yellow faux-fur coat from Olēnich and a croc-embossed ‘snapper sac’ from Poppy Lissiman.