The Pantone Color Institute has declared 2024 the year of ‘peach fuzz’, while London-based trend forecasting agency WGSN had predicted we’d all swoon for ‘apricot crush’ this year, way back in 2022. Curious that these two purveyors of future elements in the world of colour would be so much in synch at the moment.
Maybe they asked Chat GPT.
Well, joke aside, it’s refreshing to see both futurists see some glimmer of optimism peak from the rumbles of a post-pandemic world. And then some. Peach fuzz was chosen by Pantone because “it is a color that is heartfelt, and one that people can draw comfort from.”
We all need this.
This shade was also hugely popular in bathrooms and kitchen appliances during the fifties; a sweet note of domestic optimism after the traumas of World War II. Would the same phenomenon be happening now? In the late eighties, the post-modern wave in design and architecture brought back the palette of pastels to our interiors. Peach was very much in demand. But at the time, it was a total nostalgia throwback. Right now, it’s pretty clear the colour choice has some element of emotional soothing.
Another, Newer, Version of Pink
Or maybe peach it is, because we can’t really get away from pink… (Cue in Kylie Jenner’s return to rosé hair, at the beginning of January.) Although apricot will act as a palate cleanser to the sheer intensity of Barbiecore pinks that were everywhere in 2023, that shade is still in the family of warm, soft hues. After all, peach is a pastel version of orange with a touch of pink.
But whatever happens, we can be sure that peach will make its way in the world of beauty via softer makeup palettes, coral manis and, of course, pops of apricot and warmer, golden blonds when it comes to hair colour. Can you say cowboy copper? Last fall, it was the shade that took over from mushroom blonds and expensive brunettes, to infuse reds with a splash of rich brown. Dare we say the evolution of copper will continue into the summer of 2024 with peach blonds and amber blonds?
In the professional hair colour world, peach has already been making inroads. Some versions of it are spicier than others (think peach with accents of deeper reds and brunette highlights), others are creamier with strands of cool blond contrasting over lowlights.
Peach For Every Day
According to award-winning master hair colourist Heidi Kenney, “when I was creating this collection, my thought was where ‘would I be going colour-wise, post-Barbie?’ Peach and pineapple tones seemed to be a great direction!”
Whether it’s a peachy tone pulled from a tropical sunset or a bowl of fruit, what’s not to love. “Peach tones read well across a lot of different skin tone as you can warm them up, or create a more neutral tone by cooling them down. It’s fresh and soft all at the same time,” she says.
The palette of peaches propelled Heidi to become a finalist at the Contessas for Master Colourist of the year. For one of the three looks in her collection, she melted copper into a washed out peachy tone, for a soft modern look.
And that’s exactly where the appeal for peachy hair will come in 2024, as we look for uplifting colours that spell excitement with their sense of newness, while being easy to blend with other shades. “I love using peachy tones mixed with coppers, blonds and even as a juxtaposition to red violet for more creative looks.”
Will you be dipping your tresses in peach this year? Maybe it’s time to see ‘la vie en apricot!’
Featured Image Credits:
Hair: Heidi Kenney, Heidi Kenney Hair Studio, Yarmouth, N.S.
Makeup: Marie Laure Larrieu, Victoria Chiron
Fashion Styling: Pascal & Jeremie
Photos: Artmood Visualz
