Pantone has named the color of 2026, choosing "wavy white, filled with tranquility" called Cloud Dancer, as the Color Institute announced on social media, UNN writes.
Details
"Introducing the Pantone Color of 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer. An elevated neutral white whose airy presence is like a whisper of calm and serenity in a noisy world," the institute stated.
The description of this choice notes that "PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer symbolizes a calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet contemplation and silent reflection."
"A wavy white, filled with tranquility, it invites true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe. In motion and at rest, the Pantone Color of 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, oscillates between light and ethereal, a vibrant calm that invites renewal, vision in peace, and creative release," the description reads.
As The New York Times notes, this is the first time Pantone has chosen a shade of white in the 26 years the company has been selecting a color of the year.
The BBC indicates that it is a "vanilla shade of white."
At the same time, as noted, trend forecasters WGSN proclaimed turquoise as their color of 2026 some time ago, while other design experts argue that earthy tones will be popular next year.
Pantone, however, remains true to its decision regarding white. "Cloud Dancer expresses our desire for a future free from toxicity and excess," Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, a global color forecaster, told the BBC. And in a world overflowing with noise and hyper-connectivity, Pantone insists that emptiness is the essence, clearing the field; a soft landing for overstimulated minds.
Addition
Since 1999, Pantone has chosen a color to characterize the culture of the coming year.