It's here! The Pantone color of the year 2026 has been unveiled. After pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse is Pantone 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a matte white with the appearance "vaporous" the color trend for the next 12 months, according to the American color giant.
Presented by the Pantone Color Institute as a response to the constant pressure to perform, this shade is intended to open up a space for pause, clarity and a return to oneself. "The ambient hubbub has become deafening, preventing us from listening to our inner voice. As a symbol of simplification, Cloud Dancer helps us to concentrate and free ourselves from external distractions, says Leatrice Eiseman, Managing Director of the Pantone Color Institute.
In packaging and multimedia, the color of the year 2026 expresses a refined, uncluttered aesthetic that emphasizes the quality of the product and the brand, according to Pantone. "A versatile hue offering perfect contrast, Pantone 11-4201 Cloud Dancer allows all other colors to shine, whether online or in-store." In the with black, Cloud Dancer will evoke "sophistication and luxury".
Thanks to white-on-white typography, embossing or a play of shadows and reliefs, Pantone 11-4201 Cloud Dancer "transforms simplicity into visual depth" pantone also suggests.
Color 11-4201 would also represent a more sustainable choice for environmentally conscious consumers, and can be used to communicate a commitment to sustainable development, notably through the use of materials such as recycled paper or molded fiber, suggests the American color giant.
In the apparel sector, Pantone recommends textures ranging from down- and foam-filled fabrics to fluffy, downy furs and soft, voluminous wools that gently envelop.
In decoration and furnishings, this "essential structural color confer "an impression of airy lightness" used alone or in combination with other shades.
Pantone invites designers to explore chromatic contrasts and work with textures, whether paper or textile, to make Cloud Dancer an expressive and adaptable base.
