Pantone Announced PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer — the First White Color of 2026
The Pantone Color Institute named PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer the Color of the Year for 2026 — a light, neutral white. It is the first white chosen in the program’s 26-year history; other forecasts had pointed to turquoise and earth tones as trends.
By Oleg Bazylewicz
December 4, 2025 · 1 min read
The Pantone Color Institute has chosen PANTONE 11-4201, called Cloud Dancer, as the color of the coming year. The organization described it as a light neutral white with a calming aesthetic.
Color description
"We present 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"
– Pantone Color Institute
In its statement, the Institute said the shade is meant to induce relaxation and foster concentration, creating space for creativity and renewal.
Designers' views
Some commentators described the color as a soft, almost vanilla shade of white. By contrast, other trend forecasts had earlier favored turquoise tones, and some designers expect earthy palettes to be popular next season.
"Cloud Dancer expresses our aspiration for a future free from toxicity and excess"
– Lee Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute
Pantone affirmed its choice as a response to a contemporary demand for simplicity and calm in an environment saturated with information noise and constant connectivity.
History of the selection
The color selection program has existed since 1999, each year determining the shade that, according to the Institute, reflects the cultural moods of the coming year. In 2026, for the first time in 26 years, the favorite is a shade of white.
