Pantone Mocked For 2026 Color Of The Year Choice: 'Completely Uninspired'

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

The top color of 2026 isn't exactly a vibrantly bright hue.

Pantone named the soft white "Cloud Dancer" as its 2026 Color of the Year, the color-matching company announced on Thursday, Dec. 4. Cloud Dancer is described as "a billowy white imbued with a feeling of serenity."

The Carlstadt, New Jersey-based company said the color is a soothing contrast to a fast-paced world.

"At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences."

Institute vice president Laurie Pressman said the shade is a signal of how people want to reset in the new year.

"We are living in a transitional time where people are seeking truth, possibility, and a new way of living," said Pressman. "Cloud Dancer is an airy white hue that exemplifies our search for balance between our digital future and our primal need for human connection — a liminal space that is a launchpad for creative expression — as individuals and communities are experimenting beyond traditional boundaries, opening the door to increased imagination and innovation."

Pantone selected "Cloud Dancer" as its 2026 Color of the Year.

Pantone

Instagram commenters weren't as kind to the minimalistic color.

"Is this rage bait?" one person asked, referencing Oxford University's 2025 Word of the Year choice.

"So....white," another commenter wrote. "I guess we're all feeling completely uninspired these days."

Some said the choice was wrong in the wake of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, especially after calling Somali migrants "garbage" while his administration prioritizes white South Africans for refugee slots.

"In a moment when color is used to express culture, diversity, emotion, and innovation, choosing a white-based shade feels tone-deaf at best," one person said. "At worst, it unintentionally aligns with cultural and political symbolism that many of us find deeply troubling."

"Choosing the color white during this social and political climate really says something," another person commented.

Others took Cloud Dancer less seriously, while still mocking the decision.

"The color of the year being colorless is a recession indicator," one commenter wrote.

"Yes girl give us nothing," another person posted.

Applebee's even joined in on the jokes.

"Our house-made ranch finally getting [its] flowers," the restaurant chain commented.

Despite the criticism, Pantone said the shade fits across fashion, accessories, beauty products, home décor, and packaging. The company also picked Cloud Dancer because its "versatility provides scaffolding for the color spectrum."

Here are other recent Pantone Colors of the Year:

• 2025 - Mocha Mousse
• 2024 - Peach Fuzz
• 2023 - Viva Magenta
• 2022 - Very Peri (periwinkle blue)
• 2021 - Illuminating and Ultimate Gray
• 2020 - Classic Blue
• 2019 - Living Coral
• 2018 - Ultra Violet
• 2017 - Greenery
• 2016 - Rose Quartz and Serenity (blend)

Several brands are rolling out products tied to Cloud Dancer. Pantone has partnered with Play-Doh, Post-it, Command Brand, Pura, Mandarin Oriental hotels, and Joybird.

Pantone also announced a yearlong creative initiative tied to Cloud Dancer, featuring limited-edition designs from several artists.