When “Cloud Dancer” was first announced Panton Color of the year in 2026 there were more than one complaints. Online critics felt the slightly off-white hue was politically charged. tone deaf at best, and “obvious dog whistleAt worst, others called the decision “boring” and “a failure.”colorless recession indicatorin uncertain economic times.
Now Pantone's response to the backlash is sparking a wave of criticism, with some online suggesting the entire campaign was “rage bait” designed to fuel exactly that backlash. Is this true, or was Pantone really just hoping to answer the age-old question: “Is white a color?” Here's the TL;DR.
What is Pantone's color of the year?
According to Pantone agency websiteThe Color of the Year program was created in 1999 to start a conversation about “the relationship between culture and color.” Pantone Color Institute Vice President Laurie Pressman says, “We wanted to highlight to our audience how what is happening in our global culture is expressed and reflected through the language of color.”
To do this, Pressman says, they use “a global team of color experts from the Pantone Color Institute” to find a color that they believe “crosses all areas of design; a color that serves as an expression of mood and attitude on the part of consumers, a color that will resonate around the world, a color that reflects what people are looking for, a color that can hope to answer what they think they need.”
The color of 2025 is Mocha Moussewhich is certainly consistent with current fashion trendsassuming the team is on the pulse.
Okay, so why did they choose “Cloud Dancer” for 2026?
According to Pantone agency press release December 3 Cloud Dancer (aka PANTONE 11-4201) is an “ethereal white hue” that “serves as a symbol of a calming influence in a frenetic society, rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection.”
The statement continues:
