Pantone’s ‘Cloud Dancer’ color party is a recession indicator
TL;DR
Pantone's 2026 Color of the Year, 'Cloud Dancer,' is a subtle white hue promoting relaxation and creativity. However, the article suggests it may signal an economic recession, as it continues a trend of increasingly muted colors.
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Pantone's color of the year for 2026 is white - sorry, Cloud Dancer. Pantone announced the shade on Thursday, and describes it as a "discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity." The accompanying image shows a person with cropped hair in billowy white clothing, arms outstretched over a background of clouds.
"PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer encourages true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe, making room for innovation," the company writes. But all I can see is a recession indicator.
This is the third year in a row where the Pantone color has slid more and more into unobtrusive, dispassionat …