Overview
- PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a soft white framed as a source of clarity and calm, is the company’s first-ever white Color of the Year.
- Social platforms lit up with criticism and memes, with some posts labeling the choice underwhelming or dystopian and nicknaming it “Landlord White.”
- Pantone defended the selection, saying skin tones played no role in the decision and positioning the hue as apolitical and restorative.
- Designers and users online have elevated deep greens—especially phthalo green—as an unofficial alternative, even as some creatives praise white’s soothing, rewearable practicality.
- Industry picks diverge, with Benjamin Moore naming the dark espresso Silhouette and PPG choosing the botanical Secret Safari, reflecting a broader tilt to rich greens, browns and reds for 2026.