Pantone has unveiled its lightest-ever Color of the Year for 2026!
The chosen shade, Cloud Dancer (11-4201) is a subtle off-white meant to inspire clarity and calm.
Pantone, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards and digital solutions for the design community, describes it as a zen-like antidote to modern life's constant busyness, offering a fresh start and encouraging mindfulness, focus and simplicity.
“Cloud Dancer is associated with new beginnings; it signifies our desire for a fresh start. It conveys an inner tranquility, enhancing our clarity and focus," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Cloud Dancer serves as both a literal and symbolic reset, moving away from Pantone's recent bold and vivid colours as choosing such a neutral shade is something Pantone has never done before.
Pantone chooses its Color of the Year by looking at current cultural, political and style trends, picking a colour family and then selecting an exact shade.
As per the reports, they also pay close attention to the colour's name as it plays an important role in how the colour is perceived.
Laurie Pressman, the institute’s vice-president, told CNN, "The color name is critical. The minute you hear a name describing color, you instantly conjure up an image."
In past years, Pantone chose Mocha Mousse for 2025, a war and comforting brown and Peach Fuzz for 2024, a soft and light tone meant to evoke calm and serenity.
