Key Takeaways:
Pantone has announced the 2026 Color of the Year: Cloud Dancer. This is the first time white has been chosen to represent the upcoming year since the company began this tradition in 1999.
According to Pantone, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer was selected for its “billowing softness” at a time when society needs serenity.
White represents a fresh start, and choosing rest and relaxation in a world of excess is what Cloud Dancer encourages for the upcoming year.
“At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, in a press release. “The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences.”
Cloud Dancer acts as a shapeshifter—versatile in its contrast when paired with other colors, yet light and airy when used monochromatically. It appeals to both minimalist styles and more dramatic, artistic expressions.
For beauty and hair, Pantone notes that Cloud Dancer is all about simplicity, offering a “clean, modern base for making a statement of minimalist chic or for endless creativity when used as a base,” according to the company’s press release. This white hue enhances shimmer shades, complements pastels, brightens palettes, and pops against black liners.
Pantone highlights white manicures as an upcoming trend, keeping nailcare chic and fresh. For hair, Cloud Dancer can be used for a bold color-blocked look or stand alone as a white statement.
In packaging and design, Pantone positions Cloud Dancer as having a “refined, pared-back aesthetic that makes the product and brand quality the focal point,” according to a press release.
Cloud Dancer is especially impactful against black, conveying sophistication and luxury. Yet white-on-white is equally alluring in packaging. From typography to shadows and even blind embossing, Cloud Dancer allows for depth, even in simplicity. It’s also a symbol of sustainability, a clear choice for brands that value eco-conscious messaging.
Pantone has created seven color palettes featuring Cloud Dancer to convey the various moods of white across beauty, design, home interiors, and fashion: Powdered Pastels offers a nuanced and understated palette of pastels and neutral tones; Take a Break is a playful palette of bright pink with warm oranges and browns; Atmospheric blends the billowy white with blues, grays, and sunlit yellow; Comfort Zone features natural and organic colors of roses and sand for a decompressing repose; Tropic Tonalities pairs electric shades of turquoise, citrus, and florals with the billowy white; Light & Shadow includes softened hues that evoke ease and contrast; and Glamour & Gleam spotlights black with accents of wine red, graphite, and silver.
According to Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, the airy white hue “exemplifies our search for balance between our digital future and our primal need for human connection—a liminal space that is a launchpad for creative expression—as individuals and communities are experimenting beyond traditional boundaries, opening the door to increased imagination and innovation."
