Every December for the past 25 years, Pantone has announced its Color of the Year. For 2024, the global authority on color chose Pantone 13-1023, also known as Peach Fuzz. Pantone describes it as "a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul." It's a light pinkish-orange that makes us think of Creamsicles.
How did Pantone land on Peach Fuzz? Well, for the last year Pantone's color "anthropologists" have picked apart popular culture in search of new color influences. They looked at fashion, beauty and lifestyle trends, upcoming films, popular art exhibits, hot travel destinations, political views, media, social media, socioeconomic conditions, big sports events, new technologies, new textures, you name it.
Ultimately, Team Pantone decided that given all the turmoil in humans' inner and shared worlds, this year calls for tenderness, empathy and self-care in pigment form. "Peach Fuzz inspires belonging, recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing, conjuring up an air of calm, offering us a space to be, feel, and heal and to flourish from," writes Pantone Vice-President Laurie Pressman. "Drawing comfort from Peach Fuzz, we can find peace from within, impacting our wellbeing. An idea as much as a feeling, Peach Fuzz awakens our senses to the comforting presence of tactility and cocooned warmth."
That's a lot to put on a color. And considering Peach Fuzz is meant to inspire people everywhere to "instinctively...reach out and touch" — each other, fuzzy stone fruits — it calls to mind a rather pale hand.
That aside, from a fashion perspective, we can definitely see Peach Fuzz entering our wardrobes. It's neutral-adjacent, just shades away from blush and thus goes well with a remarkably wide range of tones. Pantone's official 2024 palettes pair it with rose, berry, taupe, eggplant, sage, periwinkle, mustard green, navy-black and various browns.
Plus, the new It color was all over the Spring 2024 collections. At Patou, Alaïa and Roksanda, designers favored monochromatic styling offset by pop-of-white accessories and opted for tactile (if not fuzzy) materials. Patou showed a cut-out miniskirt suit with matching silk evening gloves and playful gold jewelry. Alaïa layered peach latex, like an oversize trench over a taut pencil dress over a high-leg bodysuit, cinching the look with a crossbody belt bag. Roksanda did full 70s glamor by pairing a dramatic one-shoulder gown with hazardous-but-worth-it tasseled footwear.
Let the spiritual healing begin, we say. Scroll down for an assortment of perfect Peach Fuzz pieces to shop right now. From sparkly tweed sets to sumptuous velvet handbags to sleek, nostalgic sneakers, there's something for every taste and commitment level. (Keep in mind it's sale time, a best-of-times, worst-of-times moment where prices are deeply discounted, but sizing availability changes with the blink of an eye so please bear with us.)
Vince Sheer Crinkled Lettuce-Edge Skirt, $123.75 at Vince
Veja Suede V-10 Sneakers in Multico-Peach, $195 at Madewell
Gia x RHW Sunnies in Peach Marble, $259 at The Frankie Shop
Free-Est Ruffle It Up Midi in Summer Peach, $108 at Free People
& Other Stories Boxy Merino Wool Cardigan in Peach, $99 at & Other Stories
Simone Rocha Pink Bow Blouse, $250 at SSENSE
Stella McCartney Cut-Out Knitted Jumper, $526 at Farfetch
Alessandra Rich Double-Breasted Sequin-Embellished Cotton-Blend Tweed Blazer ($770) and Sequin-Embellished Cotton-Blend Tweed Mini Skirt in Yellow ($238) at Net-a-Porter
DeMellier Montreal Nano Leather Cross-Body Bag, $455 at Matches Fashion
Taller Marmo Mrs Ross Fringed Crepe Kaftan in Peach, $500 at Net-a-Porter
There Was One Glittery Lurex Long-Sleeve Top, $133 at Farfetch
Diesel M-Onerva in Pink, $395 at Diesel
Everlane The Tencel Way-High Taper Pant in Tawny Pink, $64 at Everlane
Bottega Veneta Candy Jodie in Macaroon, $1,750 at Bottega Veneta
Adidas Gazelle 85 Low-Top Sneakers, $139 at Farfetch
Triarchy Claudia High Rise Slim Jeans, $44.95 at Anthropologie
By Anthropologie The Tilda Slip Skirt in Peach, $88 at Anthropologie
Sabina Musayev Sierra Maxi Dress, $398 at Madewell
Mango Ribbed Round-Neck Sweater ($35.99) and Flared Ribbed Skirt ($35.99) at Mango
Alexis Corina Printed Cotton-Blend Midi Dress, $595 at Moda Operandi
Jil Sander Puff-Sleeve Button-Down Tunic Top, $1,250 at Moda Operandi
Prada High-Rise Stretch-Natté Wool Slim Pants, $1,890 at Moda Operandi
Sporty & Rich Orange Raglan Sweater ($48) and Orange Disco Shorts ($44) at SSENSE
Hunza G Pamela Crinkle-Knit Swimsuit, $165 at Matches Fashion
Ganni Relaxed Peach T-Shirt, $135 at Ganni
Reformation Ronda Silk Top, $49.95 at Anthropologie
Malone Souliers Perla Twist 70 Satin Mules, $608 at Matches Fashion
Lizzie Fortunato Peach Blossom Necklace, $380 at Shopbop
FP Movement Pippa Packable Puffer Jacket in Peaches, $198 at Free People