Shopify updating design system Polaris, appears to be shifting away from indigo

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

First introduced in 2017, Shopify’s design system Polaris is getting an update.

Changes have already started rolling out for merchants, with an updated design and color scheme in the admin and the updated look has already being used on the Shopify homepage.

Perhaps the biggest change is that indigo no longer appears to be the focus of the color palette.

Instead, Shopify says it is switching to a color scheme that “consolidates interface colors to clearly communicate things like interactive state, hierarchy, and emphasis of elements on the screen.”

The new primary color, at least according to initial updates, appears to be a deep, rich shade of green that appears to have a hint of blue in it. It’s not quite teal, though and it also doesn’t directly match any of the shades of the green found in the Shopify shopping bag logo, though it’s certainly in the same family.

According to the initial plans, the closest color to indigo is a blue that serves as an indication that something is “interactive” in the admin interface.

Meanwhile, on the Shopify homepage, the green and a tan shade have already been featured for some time now, with the green notably becoming the primary option for call to action buttons and links.

When Shopify first announced plans to switch to indigo as its primary color, it received mixed reviews. Some thought that the company’s longtime use of green was tired given the hue’s close association with money and ecommerce and appreciated the use of a less common color.

However, indigo wasn’t necessarily the best color to use with the Shopify shopping bag in some watchers’ views.

The new Polaris, which has yet to be full released, restores green but also manages to use a shade that’s more unique and sophisticated, likely making it something easier for the company to “own” and brand around.

Shopify’s new version of Polaris appears to be primarily targeted at the merchants who use its platform — in other words, it’s a bit more “B2B.”

Meanwhile, an indigo like shade (though a bit brighter) has become the primary color on the company’s Shop app as well as its closely related Shop Pay (not to be confused with Shopify Payments) accelerated checkout service — both of which are consumer facing brands, so this could be part of the strategy that Shopify is leveraging as it most forward with the evolution of its brand.