You know how sometimes random questions pop into your head? Happened to me today. Was clearing out some old design magazines and stumbled across one from like, early 2000s. That got me wondering: what was Pantone’s big color back in 2001? Like, what was the official “Color of the Year”? Couldn’t remember it for the life of me.

Grabbed my laptop right then. Opened up my browser, headed straight to my search bar. Typed in “what was pantone color of the year 2001”. Hit enter.
First few results were messy. One site talked about modern trends, another listed current colors. Almost clicked some shady Pinterest board. Reminded myself: gotta find Pantone’s official history or a reliable source. Added the word “official” to my search.
Scrolled down a bit. Finally saw Pantone’s own website pop up. Clicked it. Landed on *. Searched for something like “past colors of the year” or “archive”. Their site navigation isn’t always straightforward, you know?
Found a list! Started scanning the years. 2023… 2022… going way back. Kept going. 2010… 2005… ahh, almost there. Then I saw it: 2001.
And There It Was
- The code was staring back at me: PANTONE 17-2031
- Right next to it, the actual name: Fuchsia Rose
Fuchsia Rose. Said it out loud. Yeah, it clicked. That bright, lively pink shade. Totally popped into my head. Remembered seeing it on magazine covers, posters, maybe even some gadgets back then. A bold pick!

Double-checked a couple more articles just to be safe. Yup, everyone agreed. Pantone called it a “mesmerizing magenta”. Described it as vibrant and eye-catching. That nailed it.
Closed the laptop. Leaned back. Funny how a simple question sends you on such a trip. Went from a dusty old magazine to confirming Fuchsia Rose was the star of 2001. Makes you realize why certain colors stick in your brain for years. Pantone definitely picked a memorable one that year.