🔗 Share this article

Greetings! I can't wait to learn what color is set to be 2026. What's the scoop?

Prepare yourself, since every year for over two decades, Pantone selects a Color of the Year. This pick seeks to represent the spirit of the times—informing everything from our collective sentiment and fashion choices to interior styling. The previous year's color was the rich tan "Mocha Mousse," preceded by the soft and warm "a delicate peach tone."

The latest choice, however, is particularly baffling. It is "Cloud Dancer," which Pantone calls a "ethereal and neutral white."

Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Color Institute, remarked that it is "a key structural color … permitting all colors to be highlighted."

Hmm, Cloud Dancer… seriously, white? Could they be trolling us? Does white qualify as a real color?

Can you even describe the color of clouds? A blank page? Even though people often think of white as a color, every hue is essentially a range of visible light. You can find it in a box of crayons, so in everyday terms the answer is yes.

The question of whether Pantone is being provocative is trickier to figure out. According to their release, Cloud Dancer combines easily with other colors, provides a calm backdrop, declares simplicity, and radiates refined calm.

The public reaction, in contrast, has not been as kind. Several voices have suggested Pantone of being completely "Pantonedeaf." Style expert Mandy Lee labeled it "disappointing." Others have compared it with subtle advocacy of problematic concepts seen in other media.

Okay, one would hope they're cheerfully oblivious that the timing is awkward to be overly emphasizing the color white... So, how might someone rarely near a catwalk incorporate this news in my world? I just painted my ceiling with white, is that enough?

Yes, that certainly counts. This applies equally to your white headphones, bathtub, or favorite mug.

It's interesting you mention runways, because many this season's presentations have been exceptionally bright, featuring eco-friendly feathers on the catwalk.

The color white made appearances, as always, in luxury shows—from structured tops to collared dresses. Well-known individuals have also been photographed in pristine white attire at prestigious shows.

On the bright side is: chances are you already possess something in this "understated" designated shade. As Pressman, Cloud Dancer "represents a more sustainable choice for the environmentally aware," which essentially suggests avoiding the need to purchase new items at all.

FINALLY, a style movement for the deeply unmotivated. An empty canvas, so to speak. A sanctuary of monochromatic zen amid the noise. Okay, I'm on board. Will you be creating a monochrome palette for your closet?

Absolutely not. Have you ever tried to remove tomato sauce stains from a white shirt? I don't need extra stain-removal drama in 2026.

I do possess a pair of formerly pristine sandals, and such staples remain perpetually fashionable.