Cloud Dancer

Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year Is ‘Cloud Dancer’, a shade of white will be the defining color of the next year. Get those stain-removing pens ready. Serenity is the vibe for Cloud Dancer, Pantone’s fancy name for white.

Pantone, the self-styled color experts, have been predicting a “color of the year” since 1999. Their pick for what everyone will be wearing, wanting, eating and otherwise consuming in 2026: Cloud Dancer, officially PANTONE 11-4201. To the point: a suit in the Gucci pre-fall collection by Demna.

Either way, it’s a pretty fancy name for … white. Or “a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society” as well as “a blank canvas” on which we can all start again.

White flannels and duffle coats! Ralph Lauren’s Team U.S.A. designs for the opening ceremony of next year’s Winter Olympics.