Ultimate Grey and Illuminating, a cheery shade of yellow, are the hues that will inform the year 2021, as predicted by Pantone, the institute widely considered the authority on all things colour. This marriage of shades, "conveys a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting", says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute.
Grey represents thoughtfulness, composure and resilience, while Illuminating brings the optimism and vivacity of sunshine, and both in combination represent clarity, energy and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty that the coronavirus pandemic has brought with it. This is in keeping with the Pantone philosophy that colour trends influence not merely fashion runways and furniture catalogues, but also the collective mood in society.
“The selection of two independent colours highlight how different elements come together, conveying the idea that it’s not about one colour or one person, it’s about more than one," says Eiseman. "The union of an enduring Ultimate Grey with the vibrant Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude."
Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute, adds: "As society continues to recognise colour as a critical form of communication, and a way to symbolise thoughts and ideas, many designers and brands are embracing the language of colour to engage and connect."
How does Pantone's Colour of the Year translate
Panrtone's colour choice typically acts as a cue for fashion, interior and industrial designers, among others, to adapt into their collections and concepts. The team says Ultimate Grey and Illuminating do not have to be used in equal measure, and "either can take precedence whether for apparel, beauty, home furnishings, product design or packaging".
For instance, Illuminating can lift an outfit dominated by Ultimate Grey, by way of a bright yellow scarf, footwear or handbag. The visibly contrasting combination is also a solid choice for activewear and athleisure.
When it comes to beauty, the warm and cool tones of the two shades can serve to make a dramatic statement: think sparkling eye make-up.
Home decor is perhaps the biggest translator of Pantone shades, and grey has long been a favourite colour of designers and architects alike, used in everything from couches to linen. These can now be juxtaposed against bright accessories or even an all-yellow accent wall or front door.
Above all, the team says, the colours should "light the way to intellectual curiosity, originality and the resourcefulness of an open mind".
How does Pantone select its Colour of the Year
Each year, the team at Pantone look to the colours that influenced society at large. This includes the entertainment and music industry, travelling art collections and new artists, the spheres of fashion, beauty and design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, socio-economic conditions, technologies, relevant social media platforms and even sporting events.
Shades of the past
2020: Classic Blue
2019: Living Coral
2018: Ultra Violet
2017: Greenery
2016: Serenity and Rose Quartz
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Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
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Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
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Fanar Haddad: The Iranian response will be gradual
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
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Austria 2
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Germany 1
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
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• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
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• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
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Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Honeymoonish
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
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Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
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From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response
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