Pantone: Cloud Dancer is the Colour of the Year 2026

The fashion industry is set to float on clouds in 2026. This is the forecast made on Thursday by the Pantone Color Institute, which has crowned “Cloud Dancer” as the colour of the upcoming year.

This is a bright, ethereal white that conveys tranquillity, clarity and space for new ideas through its simplicity. In a time full of changes and sensory overload, the tone acts as a conscious pause. With Cloud Dancer, Pantone replaces the warming brown shade Mocha Mousse, which reflected the desire for comfort in 2024.

Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, describes Cloud Dancer as an “empty canvas”; a shade that sheds the old and creates space for fresh concepts. “An airy white that opens space for creativity, allows the imagination to flow freely and lets new insights as well as bold ideas emerge,” explains Pressman.

The subtle white shade consciously focuses on reduction and creates space for focus and inner peace. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, emphasises: “In times of change, Cloud Dancer helps to maintain focus. It is a conscious statement of simplification that creates freedom from external distractions and thus enables clarity.”

Visually, Cloud Dancer unfolds its effect on several levels. The colour with the code “Pantone 11‑4201” is a central component in the colour spectrum. It offers structure; allows other colours to shine; and enables harmonious combinations or targeted contrasts. In a world where colour is increasingly an expression of personal identity, Cloud Dancer adapts, generates lightness and works both independently and in combination with other tones.

Trend colour with surprise potential?

While the need for rest and a breather from sensory overload represents a welcome change for many, the brightness of Cloud Dancer could be surprising for some. Before the official announcement, visitors to the Pantone Color Institute website had the opportunity to submit their forecast for the colour of the year. The majority, around 32 percent, chose green, a colour described by the institute as a tone of “deep forests and wide meadows”.

Nature seems to be on the minds of many and was also a decisive factor for many of the trends forecast for the coming year. Back in 2023, the trend institute WGSN and the colour experts at Coloro predicted that Transformative Teal would play a central role in 2026. The blue-green shade symbolises ecological responsibility, calm and transformation, reflecting the diversity of nature.

The influence of nature goes far beyond the choice of colour, however. Trend forecasters from WGSN, Première Vision and Future Snoops, as well as experts such as Lidewij Edelkoort and Jan Agelink, expect a shift towards materials and silhouettes inspired by the natural world for 2026. Bio-based fabrics made from algae, fungi or cellulose are gaining importance alongside classic wool fibres such as alpaca and mohair. These materials fulfil the desire for sustainable and regenerative clothing that offers protection, comfort and a sensory connection to nature.

Since 2000, Pantone has published the colour of the year annually, based on comprehensive trend research as well as social, economic, political and cultural influences. Previous colours include Mocha Mousse (2025), Peach Fuzz (2024), Viva Magenta (2023), Very Peri (2022), Ultimate Gray and Illuminating (2021) and Classic Blue (2020).