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Pantone Picks 'Cloud Dancer' for 2026, Its First-Ever White Color of the Year

Pantone positions PANTONE 11-4201 as a blank‑canvas reset carried into 2026 products through artist commissions and brand partnerships.

Overview

  • Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as a billowy, balanced white chosen to convey calm, clarity and a fresh start in an overstimulated culture.
  • PANTONE 11-4201 is the first white selected since the Color of the Year program began in 1999, marking a pivot from recent warmer tones.
  • Leatrice Eiseman and Laurie Pressman say the hue reflects a search for focus and balance between digital acceleration and human connection.
  • Pantone announced a creative initiative featuring artist commissions, beginning with a limited‑edition Emiliano Ponzi tote, plus tie‑ins from partners including Motorola, Play‑Doh, Post‑it, Joybird, Pura and Mandarin Oriental.
  • Reaction online is sharply split, with criticism of the pick as bland or politically fraught and defenders calling it a versatile neutral; Pantone officials say the choice is aesthetic, not political.