ULTRA VIOLET - Pantone Colour of the year 2018

A stunning purple violet 18-3838 is the PANTONE colour for 2018. Tyrian (Imperial) purple tones were made out the secretion of predatory sea snails and used to be extremely expensive to produce, hence purple's association with royalty and special ceremonies. ​

​Purple became an affordable dye around 1856 when the English chemist William Henry Perkin, aged 18, noticed that a compound from synthesised quinine dyed fabrics purple. He patented it, calling it anilin purple, and made a fortune from it. Then in 1859 the colour was renamed 'mauve' after the French name for the purple mallow flower (and the dye compound was named mauveine). Interestingly, it is only recently that purple printing has featured more on product packaging as the main colour.

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.
Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.
Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection. PANTONE