Sherwin-Williams introduces its 2024 Color of the Year Upward SW 6239, a breezy and blissful shade of blue that evokes the ever-present sense of peace found when slowing down, taking a breath and allowing the mind to clear.
“Upward SW 6239 represents the gentle forward momentum in all of our lives,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “It brings to life that carefree, sunny day energy that elicits a notion of contentment and peace. With this color, we invite our consumers to take a pause and infuse a new sense of ease and possibility into their spaces – one that doesn’t overwhelm, but rather establishes meditation and tranquility.”
To bring this light and buoyant hue to the lives (and tastebuds) of consumers, Sherwin-Williams has partnered with James Beard Award-winning French pastry chef Dominique Ansel to create his first-ever vegan Cronut inspired by Upward SW 6239, available for a limited time at his namesake bakery in New York City’s Soho neighborhood. The all-vegan version of Ansel’s iconic “half croissant, half doughnut” creation is filled with coconut riz au lait (rice pudding) infused with naturally-flavored Butterfly Pea Flower Tea; this vibrantly-hued Southeast Asian flower, when gently steeped as a tea, mirrors the shade and spirit of Upward SW 6239. With a natural touch of this blue botanical and a hand-glazed fondant topping, the custom pastry invites a blissful sense of wellbeing (& a hint of sweetness) into the day. The limited-edition vegan Cronut is available at Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City from Thursday, September 21 through Sunday, September 24 from 8:00AM until sold out daily.
“Creating a vegan version of the Cronut has always intrigued me – we’re always looking for forward-thinking ways to create new pastries, and this collaboration was a natural opportunity to do so,” says Ansel. “At first glance, Upward SW 6239 draws up a sense of balance and lightness for me; it’s the same feeling I wanted to impart into our very first vegan flavor. We sourced a butterfly pea flower tea which naturally imparts a soft blue shade into the filling, paired with a creamy coconut riz au lait, all while preserving the light and flaky layers that are signature to our pastry. This was an exciting challenge for me, and I can’t wait for our guests to try it and open their eyes to finding inspiration all around – even where they least expect it.”
