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For over 25 years, Pantone’s colour of the year has attempted to capture the cultural zeitgeist into a singular hue—but what does it mean when next year’s representative shade isn’t even technically a colour? Earlier this week, the brand announced Cloud Dancer—a “billowy white imbued with serenity”—as 2026’s colour of the year. It was selected to act as a calming influence in today’s frantic climate, an antidote to the noise. “In a world where colour has become synonymous with personal expression, this is a shade that can adapt, harmonize and create contrast, bringing a feeling of airy lightness to all product applications and environments,” stated Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone Color Institute, in a press release. Reactions to the selection have been mixed at best. In past years, this annual selection has ranged from rich earthy tones to playful lilacs to vibrant magenta hues, but never has their shade been so…plain. The closest comparison is 2006’s Sand Dollar, which was considered to express a concern over the 2006 financial market. Pantone has seen criticism over missed opportunities to comment on socio-political movements of the time, and their selection of Cloud Dancer—in a year of DEI rollbacks and right after 2025’s rich, brown Mocha Mousse—has furthered these conversations. The comments on Pantone’s Instagram announcement post call the apparent lack of saturation dystopian, tone-deaf or a recession indicator. It should also be noted that Pantone’s selection is a stark departure from Color and WGSN’s colour prediction (Transformative Teal) and the Benjamin Moore colour of the year (Silhouette, a charcoal-tinged espresso brown co-signed by Joseph Altuzarra). What do the runways say? There was no shortage of all-white looks in the Spring 2026 collections, from structured all white button-down ensembles at the Jacquemus show to darling white mini-dresses at Dior. Head-to-toe white looks also continue to be a go-to outfit combination in Hollywood, with one of Anne Hathaway’s most talked-about looks from the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada 2 being an all-white ensemble, finished with a sharp Prada pump. Versatile and crisp, white has always been regarded as a wardrobe staple, which begs the question of whether a shade as pared-down as Cloud Dancer needed to be named Colour of the Year at all. The true test will come with revitalizing this hue, and only time will tell which direction designers, brands and creatives continue to take Cloud Dancer in. Continue Reading
