French Blue… “It’s the new Millennial Pink”
While light blues tended to be relegated to bedrooms and bathrooms in the past, designers are increasingly using it to brighten up living, dining and even work areas.
It’s been more than three years since New York magazine heralded the age of “Millennial Pink,” that just-so shade of blush that has come to define a generation that worships at the altars of Glossier and Acne. But what comes next? There was a brief flirtation with Gen Z Yellow (which, thankfully, never quite caught on), various Pantone Colors of the Year (Ultra Violet, Living Coral, and now Classic Blue), and over the summer, the New York Times made sure to remind us that there’s always tried-and-true black. Recently, though, a new contender has come to the forefront: French blue.
“It’s the new Millennial Pink,” declared Roxy Te, founder of Society Social, who recently worked with Brunschwig & Fils to develop an exclusive colorway of its iconic Les Touches fabric in (you guessed it) French blue. What is it about this particular shade that’s so captivating? “Serving as a neutral with grey undertones, French blue is a fresh, classic color that works with every style. It not only caters to the traditionalist, but also to Grandmillenials who are putting a fresh spin on traditional decorating,” Te wrote, noting that over half of the fabric samples ordered by Society Social customers last year were blue.
It’s the color of a late afternoon autumn sky, of graduation gowns in June, of your favorite sports team’s jerseys. It’s worn-in blue jeans, and what could be more classic than that? We’re so excited to see how designers use Classic Blue in the months and years to come. (If you’re already feeling blue, here are a few of our favorite lapis room ideas to inspire you further, and here are all of Pantone’s past colors of the year for a trip down memory lane).
