🔗 Share this article

Hi there! I can't wait to find out what color is set to be 2026. What's the scoop?

Prepare yourself, as every year since 1999, Pantone announces a defining hue. This selection seeks to represent the current cultural mood—informing everything from how we feel and what we wear to how we design our living spaces. 2025's color was the darker neutral "a creamy brown," which came after the subtly inviting "a fuzzy pastel."

The new selection, in contrast, is particularly baffling. It is "Cloud Dancer," labeled as a "soft and structural white."

Laurie Pressman, the vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, remarked that it is "a key structural color … enabling all colors to shine."

Well, Cloud Dancer sounds… seriously, white? Is this a prank? Does white qualify as a real color?

How does one describe the hue of a cloud? Milk? Even though some consider white as a color, the entire spectrum is at its core a spectrum of light waves. You can find it in a set of colored pencils, so for practical purposes the answer is yes.

The question of whether Pantone is out of touch is trickier to figure out. They claim, Cloud Dancer mixes well with other colors, isn't overstimulating, declares simplicity, and projects refined calm.

Responses from critics, in contrast, has proven more critical. Several voices have suggested Pantone of being completely "tone-deaf." Trend analyst Mandy Lee called it "underwhelming." Some have even compared it with subtle advocacy of certain ideologies seen in popular culture.

I see, hopefully they're blissfully unaware that this isn't the best moment to be explicitly championing the color white... So, how might someone who doesn't follow a catwalk incorporate this news in everyday routine? I just painted my kitchen ceiling white, does that count?

Yes, that certainly counts. So would your white headphones, sink, or linen sheets.

It's interesting you mention fashion shows, since many recent shows have been bold and fuzzy, featuring plant-based materials on the stage.

The color white featured prominently, as per usual, in high-fashion looks—from structured tops to tailored gowns. Well-known individuals have also been seen in monochromatic white ensembles at public appearances.

On the bright side is: you probably already possess items in this "understated" color of the year. As Pressman, Cloud Dancer "represents a more sustainable choice for the environmentally aware," which essentially suggests skipping the requirement for fresh products at all.

FINALLY, a design directive for the deeply unmotivated. A fresh start, so to speak. A haven of calming neutrality amid the clutter. Okay, I'm on board. Are you planning a monochrome palette for your personal style?

Not a chance. Have you ever tried to get out red wine stains from a light garment? I could do without additional cleaning headaches in 2026.

I do possess a pair of formerly pristine sandals, and those are always in vogue.