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Introducing Pantone Color of the Year 2026: PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer
Pantone has revealed its Color of the Year 2026, and the choice might surprise you! PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a lofty white, chosen as a symbol of calm in a world increasingly in need of quiet reflection. Imbued with serenity, this billowy white encourages relaxation and focus. It allows the mind to wander, giving creativity room to breathe and space for new ideas to emerge.
Whisper of Tranquillity in a Noisy 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” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director 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.”
This focus on calm and clarity echoes a broader direction in Pantone’s recent selections, continuing its trend of comforting hues with its previous Colors of the Year: PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse in 2025 and Peach Fuzz 13-1023 in 2024.
Was White the Colour You Expected?
Traditionally, Pantone selects a bold statement colour for its Color of the Year, which made the soft off-white of Cloud Dancer a very surprising choice. It certainly makes a statement, just not the one most people were expecting! Pantone’s public poll reflected this sentiment. 31% of respondents predicted green, while another 17% anticipated blue or turquoise. Only 4% voted white! Yet despite its subtlety, Cloud Dancer offers a calm, versatile foundation that inspires creativity in design.
Creativity and Design with Cloud Dancer
“Similar to a blank canvas, Cloud Dancer signifies our desire for a fresh start. Peeling away layers of outmoded thinking, we open the door to new approaches. An airy white hue, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer opens up space for creativity, allowing our imagination to drift so that new insights and bold ideas can emerge and take shape.”
— Laurie Pressman, Vice President, Pantone Color Institute
Though understated, Cloud Dancer’s calm, versatile nature provides a foundation for thoughtful design. It harmonizes effortlessly with other hues while allowing them to shine, making it ideal for interiors, fashion, branding, and product design. Whether used alone or paired with complementary shades, Cloud Dancer supports balanced, inspiring compositions and serves as a blank canvas for creativity to flourish.
Here are some recommended colour palettes that pair beautifully with Cloud Dancer:
Powdered Pastels
Soft pastels and neutral tones complement Cloud Dancer, creating gentle, balanced combinations that feel fresh and harmonious.
Light and Shadow
Cloud Dancer blends seamlessly with muted shades that transition into deeper tones, producing natural contrast and depth.
Atmospheric
Paired with light blues and soft greens, Cloud Dancer enhances a sense of openness and calm in any space.
Comfort Zone
When combined with natural, earthy colours, Cloud Dancer helps create environments that feel welcoming, restorative, and relaxing.
Where to see the Pantone Color of the Year 2026
The Pantone Colour of the Year 2026, 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, is brought to life in collaboration with innovative Pantone partners, bringing this soft white into homes, products, and experiences worldwide.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
Mandarin Oriental invites guests to immerse themselves in Cloud Dancer with unique interpretations of the colour across its properties worldwide. Experiences include curated afternoon teas, oxygenating spa treatments, luxurious stays high above the city, and even Cloud Dancer post boxes for letters to Santa.
JOYBIRD
Joybird brings the colour into the home with fabrics and furnishings designed to cultivate calm and relaxation, creating inviting, harmonious spaces for quiet reflection.
MOTOROLA
Motorola integrates Pantone’s expertise with its iconic design legacy, turning everyday technology into tools for creativity and personal expression while showcasing the versatility of Cloud Dancer.
Post-it
Post-it® Notes have long been the canvas for ideas, big and small, inspiring creativity in workplaces and homes alike. For the first time in partnership with Pantone, Cloud Dancer features as the centrepiece of the Neutrality Collection, paired with natural, earthy tones to encourage focus, calm, and clarity, helping users embrace a sense of peace wherever they work or play.
PURA
Pantone knows color. Pura knows scent. Together they’ve transforms Cloud Dancer into a full-body sensory experience, allowing users to see, feel, and breathe the colour, bringing the Pantone Color of the Year to life in a completely new way.
PLAYDOH
Even children can get involved! Playdoh celebrates 70 years of imagination with Cloud Dancer, inviting children to explore calm, creativity, and connection through play on a blank canvas.
COMMAND
Command™ Brand’s Cream Speckled collection brings Cloud Dancer’s ethereal aesthetic to life through damage-free hanging. Spaces transform instantly, ideas multiply freely, and walls remain flawless, so you can create today and reimagine tomorrow.
Bring Cloud Dancer 11-4201 into Your Designs
Ready to use Cloud Dance 11-4201 in your projects? This versatile Fashion, Home + Interior colour is available individually as a Cotton Swatch Card, Plastic Chip and TPG sheet. making it easy to explore its potential in any design application.
You can also brows our wider range of Pantone swatches, or update your Pantone FHI book which now contains 175 new dualities colours to add fresh inspiration to your designs.
So, there you have it, the Pantone Colour of the Year 2026 . Check out our Pantone range for more products. Or for more information, contact our Pantone expert Georgina at pantone@verivide.com or call +44 (0)116 284 7790.
