The meaning of colors dominating the fashion and design world in 2026

(Dan Tri) - The year 2026 opens with many new trends, in which one of the topics that most interests designers and the color-loving community is the color of the year announced by the Pantone Color Institute.

Pantone has officially chosen Cloud Dancer as its color of the year 2026. It is a soft, undulating white that evokes a sense of balance and purity. Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as “a whisper of peace and tranquility in a noisy world .”

Since 1999, the Pantone Institute has maintained the tradition of announcing the color of the year, predicting the dominant trends in fashion , design and creativity. Cloud Dancer is described as a thin layer of morning dew, clear yet warm, conveying a sense of purity and minimalism.

Cloud Dancer was chosen as the color of 2026 (Photo: Cnet).

In a world where people are surrounded by information, noise and a fast pace of life, the soft white of Cloud Dancer becomes a spiritual anchor. This color symbolizes the desire to find peace, clarity and a new beginning, which millions of people in modern life are looking for.

Pantone’s executive director, Leatrice Eiseman, said Cloud Dancer represents “a promise of clarity.” She said the noise and chaos of modern life makes it difficult to listen to our inner selves, and Cloud Dancer reminds us to focus on ourselves and let go of distractions.

“In times of transition, when we reimagine our future and place, Cloud Dancer is a subtle hue that helps us focus and detach from external influences,” shares Leatrice Eiseman.

The soft and relaxing white color scheme will appear in many mainstream designs in 2026 (Photo: News).

Thanks to its neutral, soft and emotional white color, Cloud Dancer easily blends with many color tones, helping to highlight the materials and design lines.

Pantone Institute predicts that this color will appear strongly in 2026 in many fields such as: Applied and high-end fashion, interior - architecture, product design and technology, smartphones, stationery, and the hotel industry.

The main color direction of 2026 has been emerging since the last months of this year. A typical example appeared on the red carpet recently. At the Governors Awards ceremony held on November 16 in the US, famous actress and producer Jennifer Lawrence chose an ivory dress by Christian Dior. The asymmetrical design with an off-the-shoulder neckline and a thigh-high slit created an elegant yet attractive look.

Famous actress Jennifer Lawrence wore a cool white dress at the awards ceremony in November (Photo: Getty Images).

According to Pantone representatives, although the beauty was unaware of the “Color of the Year” selection, her appearance – with its warm ivory tones – inadvertently reinforced the Pantone Color Institute’s decision to choose Cloud Dancer as the main color for 2026.

“If you look at the Oscars or any other major awards show, you’ll see that the stars often choose subtle shades like this,” says Leatrice Eiseman. “People often think of bright reds or greens as the standout colors, but sometimes it’s the softness of neutral tones that makes them shine.”

The trend of living a minimalist, slow life and returning to original values ​​is spreading, making a soothing color like Cloud Dancer even more widely accepted.

Previously, Pantone chose Mocha Mousse (warm brown) as the color of 2025 and Peach Fuzz (soft peach) as the main color of 2024. These colors also show the trend towards warmth, gentleness and healing in the color palette of recent years.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/y-nghia-sac-mau-thong-tri-lang-thoi-trang-va-thiet-ke-nam-2026-20251205171711577.htm