Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026 branded ‘tone-deaf’ and ‘boring’: ‘Is the color in the room with us?’
Why ‘uninspired’ choice for Pantone’s Color of the Year is proving controversial
- Pantone has selected "Cloud Dancer", a shade of white, as its Color of the Year for 2026, marking the first time a white hue has been chosen in the annual selection's 26-year history.
- The company states the colour represents a collective desire for respite, simplicity, and a fresh start, reflecting a "transitional time" and offering a "calming influence in a frenetic society".
- The choice has been met with a divisive reaction online, with many critics describing it as "boring", "uninspired", and a "colorless color".
- Some commentators interpreted the selection as "painfully tone-deaf" or politically charged, linking it to concerns about white nationalism.
- Pantone's annual colour selection, made since 1999, aims to forecast the upcoming year's zeitgeist, influencing trends in fashion, home styling, and general sentiment.