🔗 Share this article

Hello! I'm so eager to find out what color will define 2026. Tell me everything!

Brace yourself, since every year for over two decades, Pantone chooses a Color of the Year. This choice seeks to represent the spirit of the times—informing everything from our collective sentiment and our wardrobe selections to interior styling. Last year's color was the rich tan "Mocha Mousse," following the gentle and peachy "Peach Fuzz."

The latest selection, however, is particularly baffling. It is "an airy shade," described by a "soft and structural white."

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

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

How does one describe the hue of a cloud? Fresh snow? While people often think of white as a color, every hue is fundamentally a range of visible light. It appears in a child's crayon box, so in everyday terms the answer is yes.

If Pantone is out of touch is more difficult to ascertain. According to their release, Cloud Dancer mixes well with other colors, isn't overstimulating, declares simplicity, and projects refined calm.

The public reaction, however, has not been as kind. Some commentators have accused Pantone of being completely "out of touch." Trend analyst Mandy Lee described it as "a let-down." Critics have compared it with subtle advocacy of controversial ideas seen in recent advertising.

Right, it's to be hoped they're happily ignorant that this isn't the best moment to be explicitly championing the color white... Anyway, how should I who doesn't follow a catwalk incorporate this information in my world? I just painted my ceiling in white paint, does that count?

Yes, that certainly counts. This applies equally to your wireless speakers, sink, or ceramic plate.

It's interesting you mention runways, because many collections this year have been bold and fuzzy, featuring eco-friendly feathers on the catwalk.

All-white outfits were present, as always, in high-fashion looks—from simple silk T-shirts to sleek suits. High-profile figures have also been spotted in crisp all-white outfits at public appearances.

On the bright side is: you likely already possess something in this "discreet" color of the year. As Pressman, Cloud Dancer "represents a more sustainable choice for the sustainability-minded," which essentially suggests avoiding the need to purchase fresh products at all.

SO, a design directive for the truly minimalist. A fresh start, if you will. A sanctuary of serene simplicity against the clutter. Alright, I'm sold. Will you be creating a all-white theme for your closet?

Absolutely not. Attempting to get out red wine stains from a light garment? I don't need additional cleaning headaches in 2026.

I do own a pair of formerly pristine Birkenstocks, and those remain perpetually fashionable.