Very Peri: Pantone’s 2022 colour displays joyous attitude

According to Pantone, very peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression. Fashion experts from the city talk about how very peri can be incorporated into your wardrobe.

Jawahar Singh, co-founder and CEO of Avishya opines that very peri is a brilliant choice by Pantone for Colour of the Year 2022. “Very peri which is a combination of blue with violet-red undertones is a very apt reflection of today’s times — difficult period for the world, but looking to the future with optimism. At Avishya, we showcase over 4,000 handloom sarees from virtually every handloom weaving cluster in India. Shades of violet, blue, mauve, indigo and purple, (all of which are related to very peri) play an important role in creating beautiful handloom sarees.

“The handloom weaving and dyeing process make it very easy to create colours like very peri and combine it with other colours to make lovely colour balanced designs. Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Narayanpet, Odisha Ikat and many more handloom sari varieties use colours related to very peri. With a much wider range of colour pigments being available today handloom sarees have become more and more colourful,” says Jawahar Singh.

For designer Rema Kumar, very peri is reminiscent of the romance evoked by the lavender shade, the soft pastel which is tranquil, calm and spiritual. “It could be your diaphanous chiffon, kota doria, organza, georgette or even soft mulmul sari, perfect for the softness of spring and for the bright summer days. You could add this shade as a dupatta on a white chikankari kurta, or a scarf with delicate prints to add a touch of elegance and grace. Be it a dress, kurta or kaftan, this shade is a winner for its feminine easy feel,” remarks Rema Kumar.

“I have been colour consulting for corporates (home and space, automotive, fashion and lifestyle, digital space) for over two decades and in my experience, colour never stands out alone but as a colour story, comprising of the colour periphery, key core, colour compliment and colour undertone. Hence, very peri will also have its colour stories while implementation. For eg, it will go well with a muted compliment such as Pantone white sand (13-0002TCX) or cloud dancer (11-4201TCX) and resonating undertone. However, this will depend on the context and surface balance. I strongly believe that colour is also culture and climate-specific, therefore we have to be very careful while using this colour and must take it with a pinch of salt.

“In a tropical country like India, with coloured skins like ours, this colour can be used as an enhancer and not an absolute. I normally consult for brands to allow them to contemplate the best colour stories that suit their brand DNA and consumers,” says Dr. Kaustav Sengupta, fashion-trend analyst and colour researcher.