FASHION

How to wear “Cloud Dancer,” Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year?

Augustin Bougro et Lou Revel - Madame Figaro

8-December-2025

How to wear “Cloud Dancer,” Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year?

This shade is not really a shade; it is as timeless as it is discreet.

It’s a tradition: every year as Christmas approaches, Pantone reveals the color of the coming year—the one that, according to the Pantone Color Institute, will set the tone for the next twelve months. But after the warm and generous “Mocha Mousse” of 2025, which invited us to “align more closely with nature,” 2026 is marked by a surprising choice, one that is hardly a color at all: “Cloud Dancer,” a neutral, airy white.

“PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer A lofty white neutral whose aerated presence acts as a whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world. PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer symbolizes a calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection.

A billowy white imbued with serenity, it invites true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe.” the American company explained in a dedicated Instagram post.

Over time, this shade has continually symbolized wealth. Melania Trump’s coat worn on December 4 at the White House tree-lighting ceremony? White. Lauren Sanchez Bezos’s satin mini-dress three months earlier as she arrived at a New York restaurant? White.

“The privilege of those who don’t have messy lifestyles”

This wardrobe obsession traces back to the “White Nights,” glamorous parties held on the French Riviera starting in the 1960s by music producer Eddie Barclay, and also to the “White Parties”—star-studded summer gatherings in the Hamptons hosted by billionaire Michael Rubin. “Being able to wear white is a privilege,” sociologist Jamil Dahklia told us last August.

Indeed, wearing white can be bold when daily life exposes us to stains. This symbol of wealth appears every season on luxury runways during Fashion Week. The most recent shows proved it: from the white slingbacks at Matthieu Blazy’s Métiers d’Art show for Chanel to the immaculate full-white look at Jonathan Anderson’s first Dior womenswear show.

Finally, white is also the color of modesty, as Pantone explains on its website about “Cloud Dancer”: “Discreetly white, Cloud Dancer promises clarity. The ambient noise has become overwhelming, preventing us from hearing our inner voice. A symbol of simplicity, Cloud Dancer enhances focus and frees us from external distractions.” And in a time when opulence of all kinds is frowned upon, choosing moderation may well be the wisest option.