For their 2016 Color of the Year, Pantone have taken a decidedly softer approach. The color company has combined two tones for the first time as an antidote to the stresses of modern day culture, Rose Quartz (Pantone 13-1520), and Serenity (Pantone 15-5919).

Consumers caught up in the frenetic pace of life seek wellbeing as a remedy to their hectic lives, and both shades are representative of that. As Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone executive director explains, "the two hues psychologically demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer rose tone and a cooler tranquil blue which collectively fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security; offering a soothing sense of peace and order."

The combination of both colours signals a change in attitudes towards gender representations, as industries like fashion witness an increasing blur between them. And this is indicative of a progression within wider society, as consumers become increasingly more comfortable with colour as a form of expression.

Discover The Gender Report and find out how we're moving towards a genderless society.