🔗 Share this article

Hello! I'm incredibly excited to learn what color is set to be 2026. Tell me everything!

Brace yourself, because every year beginning in 1999, Pantone selects a Color of the Year. This selection seeks to represent the spirit of the times—influencing everything from our collective sentiment and fashion choices to home decor. Last year's hue was the deep beige "Mocha Mousse," following the soft and warm "Peach Fuzz."

The latest selection, in contrast, is even more puzzling. It is "a billowy white," described by a "billowy, balanced white."

Laurie Pressman, vice-president of the Pantone Color Institute, stated that it is "an essential foundational hue … allowing all colors to shine."

Interesting, Cloud Dancer… seriously, white? Is this a prank? Can white truly be considered a real color?

Can you even describe the shade of milk? A blank page? Even though some consider white as a color, every hue is at its core a range of visible light. It appears in a box of crayons, so in everyday terms the answer is yes.

Whether Pantone is out of touch is more difficult to ascertain. They claim, Cloud Dancer pairs effortlessly with other colors, provides a calm backdrop, embodies understated style, and radiates quiet sophistication.

Responses from critics, on the other hand, has not been as kind. A number of observers have declared Pantone of being completely "tone-deaf." Style expert Mandy Lee described it as "underwhelming." Others have compared it with coded promotion of certain ideologies seen in other media.

Right, it's to be hoped they're blissfully unaware that this isn't the best moment to be explicitly championing whiteness... Therefore, how can a regular person not exactly adjacent to a fashion show use this news in my world? My kitchen ceiling is my ceiling in white paint, does that count?

It absolutely counts. The same goes for your wireless speakers, tiles, or favorite mug.

It's interesting you mention fashion shows, because many recent shows have been exceptionally bright, featuring plant-based feathers on the runway.

The color white featured prominently, as per usual, in luxury shows—from simple silk T-shirts to tailored gowns. High-profile figures have also been spotted in pristine white attire at major events.

The positive takeaway is: you probably already possess items in this "discreet" designated shade. According to Pressman, Cloud Dancer "embodies a more sustainable choice for the environmentally aware," which could mean avoiding the need to purchase fresh products at all.

SO, a fashion trend for the truly minimalist. A fresh start, so to speak. A cocoon of monochromatic zen amid the noise. Alright, I'm sold. Will you be creating a whiteout for your closet?

Absolutely not. Have you ever tried to clean grass stains from a white shirt? I could do without more laundry disasters in 2026.

I do have a pair of formerly pristine comfort shoes, and those never go out of style.